Kool and the Gang “Pneumonia” Tribute (Drum Cover)

Kool and the Gang have been my music lessons since grade school. “Pneumonia” is one of my favorites – I first heard it as a 13-year-old self-taught bass player and it was the first time I’d run into an odd/shifting time signature. It tripped me up to play along to it until I played it for an older bassist and he explained what was going on. A decade ago when I took up drums (mainly inspired by K&TG drummer Funky George Brown), it was one of the first tunes I tried to learn once I got basic grooves down.

I recorded this video on Friday as a tribute to the song and the band (and George); I’d planned to post it one of these days. Then yesterday it was announced that founding member and saxophonist Dennis “DT” Thomas has passed away. A tremendous loss (along with the late, great Ronald “Khalis” Bell last year), but this music has done so much for me and so many people. It literally raised us. I’m just having fun playing along to a song that’s been a part of my education since I was 13, but on a wider scale a sincere thank you to Kool, George and the late great Ronald Bell and Dennis “DT” Thomas. Also to the band’s late guitarist, Claydes Smith, who wrote the song, and all members of the band past and present.