It continues to be a summer of celebration for Kool and the Gang. Adam Ten and Jackie (IT) have unveiled their new remix of “Get Down On It,” now simply titled “Get Down.” The original track was a smash hit from the band’s 1981 album Something Specialand now, 44 years later, a remix breathes new life into it.
“Get Down” comes amid a string of remixes for the iconic band. This summer has seen a DJ Crazy remix of Kool and The Gang’s hit “Celebration,” as well as another remix of “Get Down On It” from Australian producer Young Franco. With producer Adam Ten hailing from Israel, it’s clear that The Gang’s music resonates the whole world over.
Of course, the fact that Kool and The Gang’s music has been beloved across time and location won’t surprise anyone who knows their story or their music. As the 1970s became the 1980s, Kool and The Gang landed an impressive string of top ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including “Ladies’ Night,” “Too Hot,” “Johanna,” and the chart-topping “Celebration.” “Get Down On It” came in the middle of this run, a period that the band remembers as one of transition. Increased commercial success for the band as they began to explore a sound that was, in their words, “more pop” thanks to lead singer James “J.T.” Taylor.
“I was hanging out in New York and every Friday night was ladies night so when JT became our lead vocalist we created the song ‘Ladies Night’ and now our sound has changed again,” Kool and The Gang composer, producer, and saxophone player Ronald “Khalis” Bell told The Soul Survivors Magazine in 2017. “It became an evolution of our music and we started writing those kind of songs because we now had a singer.” Ultimately, “Get Down On It” peaked at number 10 on the Hot 100, and remains a dancefloor classic. Now, there’s a whole new way to experience it.
Listen to the Adam Ten and Jackie (IT) remix of Kool and the Gang’s “Get Down” now.