Thomas was “the quintessential cool cat in the group,” the band says in announcing the musician’s passing
Dennis ‘Dee Tee’ Thomas, alto saxophonist and co-founder of hit-making funk and pop band Kool & the Gang, passed away Saturday at the age of 70.
The legendary music group announced Thomas’ death in a statement on Facebook, saying he died “peacefully in his sleep” in New Jersey, though the statement did not disclose the cause of death.
Thomas formed Kool & the Gang in 1964 with bassist Robert “Kool” Bell and his brother, the late tenor saxophonist Ronald Bell, along with drummer George Brown, guitarist Charles Smith, trumpeter Robert “Spike” Mickens and pianist Ricky Westfield. Over the course of two decades, the band with a tight brand of funk music amassed a catalog of hits, playing with the facilities of seasoned jazz musicians and infectious exuberance.
The horn section of Thomas, Bell and Mickens were key components of the group’s hits, mastering a myriad of sounds from the mostly jam-based funk of “Jungle Boogie” and “Hollywood Swinging” to the often-sampled, soothing soul of “Summer Madness.” Kool & the Gang also released pop smashes like “Ladies Night,” “Celebration,” “Get Down On It” and “Cherish.”
Source: Kool & the Gang founding member Dennis ‘Dee Tee’ Thomas dead at 70
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