When a tribute takes its moniker from one of Kool & the Gang’s party anthems, one can guess what the show might involve.

Hollywood Swinging kicks off the 2018-19 main series season at Freedom Hall in Park Forest Oct. 19.

“They’re musicians that have played on the circuit for years. I handpicked them from resources I have from other musicians I know. They bought into the idea of paying tribute to a great group like Kool & the Gang,” said Al Bullitt, founder and chief executive officer of Bullitt Entertainment.

“We’re coming from the James ‘JT’ Taylor era and before, so we’re playing some of the music from the 1960s and 1970s Kool & the Gang but then we go right into the 1980s and 1990s with it.”

Bullitt Entertainment arranges and produces Hollywood Swinging, which includes Chris Michael, of Joliet, on lead and background vocals, and Jerome McGee, of Dolton, on lead guitar and background vocals.

The other band members are Kevin Muse (bass guitar and background vocals), Tony Samuels (keyboards and background vocals), Chris Morgan (trumpet and background vocals), Danny Greenwood (tenor and alto saxophone and background vocals) and Dionte McMusick (drums).

“These guys are not just great musicians. They’re great people. Musicians can be a handful but these guys are all levelheaded. They’re just down-to-earth guys that enjoy what they’re doing and love to perform for people,” said Bullitt, of Sauk Village.

He cited “Celebration,” which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1981 and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for selling 2 million units, as the highlight of Hollywood Swinging’s show.

“Even if somebody’s 4 or 5 years old, they dance to ‘Celebration’ because it’s used for all kinds of occasions to celebrate. ‘Celebration’ is probably the biggest and most well-known party song from Kool & the Gang,” Bullitt said.

Hollywood Swinging’s set also includes the tribute’s eponymous Kool & the Gang song and other hits such as “Cherish,” “Fresh,” “Funky Stuff,” “Get Down On It,” “Higher Plane,” “Joanna,” “Jungle Boogie,” “Ladies Night,” “Misled,” “Open Sesame,” “Steppin’ Out,” “Summer Madness,” “Tonight” and “Too Hot.”

“Whenever you go to a wedding, they’re going to play ‘Celebration.’ When you go into clubs they’re dancing to ‘Get Down On It.’ I look at Hollywood Swinging as a party atmosphere group. We encompass choreography but with costuming from JT’s era,” Bullitt said.

Other Bullitt Entertainment acts include the cover band BBI in which Bullitt plays guitar and does lead and background vocals; the Earth, Wind & Fire tribute Shining Star; Ty Stone’s James Brown Experience; and the forthcoming Motor City: Motown Revue.

Freedom Hall’s main series also features Corky Siegel’s Chamber Blues with Lynne Jordan and Sam Lay on Nov. 16, Masters of Soul on Nov. 30, Raul Midon on Feb. 15, Ruthie Foster on March 8 and “Lean on Me: The Brotherhood of Rock and Roll” on April 12. Season subscriptions are available for a three-show minimum.

The Tuesday morning matinee series includes “Get Happy: Angela Ingersoll Sings Judy Garland” on Nov. 13, “The Johnny Rogers Show: Deck the Halls with Buddy Holly” on Dec. 4, “Broadway’s Next Hit Musical” on Feb. 12, Switchback on March 5 and “Higher and Higher: A Feel-Good Rock n’ Soul Shindig!” on April 9.

Jessi Virtusio is a freelancer for the Daily Southtown.