(4 / 5)
The first double CD career anthology of US r&b supergroup Con Funk Shun.
The seven-piece group from California scored 25 hits in the USA between January 1977 and October 1986.]
They hit top spot in the charts with the single, “Ffun”. They mixed it up with their style; from addictive brassy, dance floor funk to smooth ballads.
The group was driven by the twin talents of vocalists and songwriters, Michael Cooper and Felton Pilate II.
The 32 classy cuts on “Confunkshunizeya – The Mercury Anthology” traces the group’s presence in the American r&b charts during the late 1970s and the first half of the ’80s.
The first disc kicks off with the superb, “Sure Feels Good To Me”, and at slot # 4 on that disc comes the 12” version of “Ffun”.
The Top 10 hits “Shake And Dance With Me”, “Chase Me”, “Got To Be Enough”, “Too Tight”, “Baby, I’m Hooked (Right Into Your Love)” and “Burnin’ Love”, are here – all the album versions, no single edits. 15 tracks on the first CD and 17 on the second.
Con Funk Shun called it a day in the late 80’s, reforming for a one-off concert in 1993, which inspired them to work the live circuit again. They have been performing live ever since, and cut a new album in 2015.
Great to hear this band again, to be reminded of just how funky they were and perhaps, how they deserve more recognition for their output. This is hot stuff and plenty of it, all on two CDs that’ll get you up on your feet and shaking that booty, even in lockdown…
By Jeff Kilverhall
(1 / 5) ‘Dull Zone’
(2 / 5) ‘OK Zone’
(3 / 5) ‘Decent Zone’ (4 / 5) ‘Super Zone’
(5 / 5) ‘Awesome Zone’
