Dennis “Dee Tee” Thomas, saxophonist and founding member of Kool & the Gang, died in New Jersey on Saturday. He was 70 years old.

Mr Thomas died in his sleep, according to a statement from his representatives, who did not specify a cause or indicate where in New Jersey he died. He lived in Montclair, NJ

Mr. Thomas was co-founder of longtime band Kool & the Gang, which drew inspiration from soul, funk, jazz, pop and R&B to record hits like “Celebration”, “Get Down on It “and” Jungle Boogie “. “He was with the band through a lot of line-up changes.

Mr Thomas was a “big figure” in the group, his reps said, and he helped shape artists’ wardrobes to make sure they “always look fresh.”

“Dennis was known as the quintessential cool cat of the group, loved for his trendy clothes and hats and his laid back demeanor,” the statement read.

The group won a Grammy Award in 1978, the decade when several of their upbeat hits climbed the charts.

Back in the days when the band won a Grammy, they entered a slow period before adding a new singer, JT Taylor, and adapting their sound to match the disco sensibilities of the time. The group reappeared in 1979 with the smash “Ladies’ Night”, an ode to a night of party and dance.

The band members followed the success with the 1980 song “Celebration,” now a classic that epitomizes the band’s dynamic sound. The track has become a staple of sporting events and any other manifestation of joy and enthusiasm. The song was inducted into the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress, an annual honor reserved for 25 songs that showcase the rich heritage of American music.

The band members lent their voices to the 1984 charity single “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” Some of the decade’s greatest artists recorded the track to draw attention to a famine in Ethiopia.

Mr. Thomas formed Kool & the Gang in 1964 with six of his friends: Robert Bell, known as Kool; Ronald Bell; Spike Mickens; Ricky Westfield; George Brown; and Charles Smith. They were first called the Jazziacs before settling on the name “Kool & the Gang”, a nod to Robert Bell.

“We have learned that we have to simplify, that the simplest music will attract a large part of the audience,” Thomas told the New York Times in 1973 of the band’s choice of musical style. “Everyone in the band was a jazz musician at heart, but we knew we had to play R&B to make money.”

Mr Thomas was the group’s “budget hawk” at the start, his representatives said, adding that he could be seen “carrying the group’s earnings in a paper bag in the bell of his horn.”

His alto saxophone solos have been featured on several of the band’s tracks. He also knew how to play the flute and percussion, and he was the master of ceremonies for the group’s shows.

Her last performance with the group was on July 4 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.

Dennis Thomas was born February 9, 1951 in Orlando, Florida. He and his parents moved to Jersey City, NJ, when he was 2 years old. He grew up in the city’s Lafayette neighborhood, where he met the other founding members of Kool & the Gang.

“We want to play universal music,” Thomas said in 1973. “We want to uplift our audience to think about what they’ve heard. “

The group had a dozen top 10 hits on the Billboard charts, and the group received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2015.

One of his daughters, Michelle Thomas, has appeared in television shows including “The Cosby Show”, “Family Matters” and “The Young and the Restless”. She died of cancer in 1998 at the age of 30. Another daughter, Tracy Jackson, also died.

He is survived by his wife, Phynjuar Saunders Thomas; his daughter Tuesday Rankin; his sons David and Devin; her sisters Doris Mai McClary and Elizabeth Thomas Ross; one brother, Bill Mcleary; and grandchildren.