Kool & the Gang had the formula for party-friendly dance music and accessible pop fare.

The band is bringing that coveted concoction to Four Winds Casino Resort in New Buffalo, Mich.

Set for 9 p.m. Eastern time Friday, the concert will serve up a big helping of the breezy rhythm and blues that powered worldwide album sales of more than 70 million.

With beginnings that date back more than five decades, Kool & the Gang has been successful in adapting through personnel changes and shifting industry landscapes.

“We have been able to change, make changes in what we do in our music,” said Robert “Kool” Bell, a founding member of the horn-fueled group that notched its first Top 40 pop-chart hit in 1973 with “Funky Stuff.”

The next year, the groove-laden “Jungle Boogie” soared into the top 10, signaling a true connection with the record-buying public.

“Ladies Night” (1979) and “Too Hot” (1980) only added to Kool & the Gang's reputation as a band that knew how to bring the good times.

Following a long hiatus from pop-chart releases, Bell and company broke the dry spell last summer.

“That single was called ‘Sexy,' ” the 66-year-old bassist said. “It did quite well, actually. Now we're back into it again. We're working on a new album for this year.”

The steamy “Sexy” is slated for inclusion on the new collection of songs.

“We're trying to get that record out by the spring,” Bell said.

He noted that “Sexy” was “our first single in 10 years.”

Also known as “Sexy (Where'd You Get Yours),” the funk-laced ditty performed solidly on Billboard's Adult R&B chart.

But Bell noted that the roots of Kool & the Gang back in the 1960s were steeped in a different genre of music.

“Our first love was jazz,” he said.

Nowadays, Kool & the Gang brings a big sound, as 11 performers are utilized onstage most times, Bell said.

“We have four original members that started back in 1964,” he said.

The career journey of Bell and his comrades has been marked by persistence and the navigation of twists and turns that led to Grammy Awards and numerous American Music Awards.

Among the fans is Ben Clement, executive director of the Gary Office of Film & Television.

“I was a huge Kool & the Gang fan back in college at the Ohio State University,” Clement said. “I landed my first disc-jockey gig spinning records for WOSR, the campus radio station. My specialty was R&B and jazz, and I played beaucoup Kool, but my favorite was ‘Summer Madness.' Believe it or not, that cut has stood the test of time and is still a monster groove at parties.”

In the same vein, the ebullient “Celebration” became a staple at wedding receptions after scoring on the charts 37 years ago.

Brimming with infectious joy, Kool & the Gang's most commercially successful song became an anthem for celebratory moments at sporting events and the like.

Several years prior to when “Celebration” climbed the charts, Kool & the Gang's “Open Sesame” was included in the soundtrack for the hit John Travolta movie “Saturday Night Fever.”

The 1977 release of the dance-centric album was a boon to the ever-increasing fame of Bell's band.

The musician recalled that “we were rollin' ” with the momentum.

Although basically known for tracks that rev up the revelry, Kool and company could also slow down the pace. The lilting “Joanna” (1983) and heartfelt “Cherish” (1985) showed off a romantic side.

Also in 1985, the buoyant “Fresh” gave the band another top 10 smash.

Several years ago, Kool & the Gang met the hard-rock crowd when it toured with Van Halen.

Van Halen's lead singer had noticed Bell's band, and wheels were set in motion for the hookup.

“David Lee Roth was in London, and he saw us doing the Glastonbury Festival,” Bell said of the huge United Kingdom event. “We ended up getting 48 shows with Van Halen.”

Bob Kostanczuk is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.