Origami as Musical Tribute

On October 8, 2025, Robert “Kool” Bell—co-founder and bassist of the iconic Kool & the Gang—celebrated his 75th birthday with a star-studded, music-filled event at The Lobster Club in New York City. The night, themed “Kool 75: ‘Love the Life You Live,’” was more than a birthday—it was a celebration of legacy, soul, and decades of musical impact.  It was a tribute to Bell’s enduring influence on funk, soul, and R&B music across more than five decades.

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One of the most talked-about creative touches of the evening came not from the stage—but from the tables.

Guests were surprised and delighted to find intricately folded origami bass guitars placed throughout the venue. These handcrafted pieces were created specially for the event by Taro’s Origami Studio—offering a heartfelt and visually striking nod to Bell’s signature instrument.

Each origami bass guitar was folded with precision and care, made from patterned paper, and placed in a custom display stand. Some were used as table centerpieces, while others were arranged as part of a decorative installation near the entrance.  Many guests even took them home as keepsakes.

The origami guitars beautifully reflected the evening’s tone—personal, thoughtful, and rooted in music.  This is the story of how those guitars came to life.

Design Process

The project began with a simple idea: to craft a unique, tangible tribute to Robert Bell’s identity as a bassist and founding member of one of the most influential funk bands in history.

Working closely with the event organizers, Taro’s Origami Studio developed an original origami  bass guitar design that balanced all the preexisting elements of the event, and Robert’s personal instrument.

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Working off the style and organic swirl of his guitar, Frank Ling, the Senior Artist spearheading the design of the project created a first version of the model.  He made a version with clean lines, recognizable bass guitar features, and subtle hand-folded details to bring the instrument to life.

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But this version ended up being a little to small for the desired impact, so Frank got to work on some modifications.  He increased the size from 3 inches to 5 inches, and elongated the body of the guitar to more closely resemble the instrument from the band.

This newest design design felt both playful and iconic, representing Bell’s decades of groove, rhythm, and innovation.

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After approval, the production process began to create enough for the birthday celebration.  The process was a balance of art and logistics—scaling handcraft with machine scoring to keep all 175 models consistent, elegant, and unique.  A unique swirling printed patterned paper was chosen to mimic the iconic look and in about 2 weeks all of the models and stands were successfully folded and packaged for delivery.

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These 175 origami bass guitars were more than just a party feature—they were a labor of love, an artistic nod to a music legend, and a testament to the power of handmade design.

Crafted by the artists at Taro’s Origami Studio, they helped make Robert “Kool” Bell’s 75th birthday not just a celebration, but a moment of personal, paper-folded magic.

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