Kool & the Gang are an American jazz, R&B, soul and funk group, originally formed in 1964 as the Jazziacs based in Jersey City, New Jersey. They went through several musical phases during the course of their recording career, starting out with a purist jazz sound, then becoming practitioners of R&B and funk, progressing to a smooth pop-funk ensemble, and in the post-millennium creating music with a modern, electro-pop sound. They have sold over 70 million albums worldwide.