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ConFunkShun - The "Real" Official Page

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About Me

Con Funk Shun is a star-quality attraction delivering a superb, high-energy show with electrifying choreography, glistening six-part vocal harmonies, and a dash of humor. They are, unquestionably, among the heroes of Funk with romantic ballads and dance-party hits galore. Memorable melodies, inventive horn arrangements and clav-guitar woven grooves, make the group absolutely essential to the evolution of funk. They charted four - consecutive Gold..'s and one Platinum album. Their 20 hit singles included 8 Top Ten R&B Hits and one 1 R&B smash between ..'77-..'86. With finesse and consistency they legitimized what came following them: high-profile, commercial explosions featuring their hits in countless rap/hip-hop samples, exposed them to a new generation, now in their thirties.In response, Mercury/Polygram released the” Best of Con Funk Shun.." in ..'93 on their .."Funk Essentials.." Series. The fans immediately recoiled to the “Essential to Funk”, Con Funk Shun. Universal bought Polygram, and again released the sure-thing Money-Maker, “Best Of Con Funk Shun” on their Millennium Collection in March 2002.
This enthusiasm is what encored the band back to the stage. With rave concert reviews and cries for more LP..'s, Mercury/PolyGram re-released the Gold-LP.." Secrets.." in ..'95 and in ..'96 .."Best Of Vol. II.." then, Intersound Records released .."Live For Yaa **..", a live LP, in ..'96 to coincide with CFS on the Sinbad .."Soul Music Festival.." HBO Special airing that August/September-97, brought a .."Love..'s Train.." cover on a Multi-Platinum debut by Dru Hill, and samples for Gold-LP Booty Call Soundtrack (.."Huckleberry.." by D Shot) and Double-Platinum Gang Related Soundtrack (.."A Change Is Gonna Come.." by J. Flexx)-98, saw the re-release of Gold-LP .."Spirit Of Love.." and the .."Ballads Collection..". 2000 brought a new round of funk with Con Funk Shun contributing two new tracks to the Major Hits Records .."United We Funk Allstars Compilation.." (and Tour) including Gap’s Charlie Wilson, Rick James, Dazz Band, Roger Troutman, SOS Band, Barkay..'s, and The System.
In addition to the band..'s schedule, Michael Cooper remains vital in contemporary music today. When Con Funk Shun closed shop between ..'86 to ..'93, Cooper shined on a string of solo hits including .."Shoop Shoop..", .." Prove My Love..", and .."Dinner For Two.." on his Warner Bros. LP..'s,in 2003 on NCA .." THIS HEART OF MINE.." and still tours as a solo act, promoting his new CD .."ARE WE COOL.." Pilate emerged as a multi-platinum record producer for his award-winning production on M.C.Hammer, Addams Family Movie, and Hammerman Cartoon Show. And now his new CD .."Nothing but Love Spoken here.."
In their formative years, they started in their hometown of Vallejo, CA. The band wound up in Memphis in the mid -70..'s when they landed a lucky gig backing the Soul Children, a red-hot Stax act. After the Soul Children back-up gig the group adopted a new name inspired from a Nite-Liters song: ConFunkShun. After the newly re-named act attracted the attention of Mercury Records, they soon set funkateers around the world on fire with .."Sho” Feels Good To Me,.." from their debut album. Their second LP, .."Secrets..", exploded to Gold status. The LP featured the No. 1 Hit Single, .."Ffun,.." penned by the productive, prolific Cooper on a tour-coach ride between concerts. .."Marry Me Again” could well be the new anthem wedding song as Cooper woos his love partner with fervent sentiment and passion. “I Got A Love Jones,” on the other hand, is a finger snapping sing a long while with the base heavy “40 Days 40 Nights” Cooper puts his mack down on an ex-flame before taking us back to the party with “Club Feenz.” “Music is my mission,” reveals Cooper. “My sound has stayed essential because the guys and I still actively tour. My musical inspiration comes from my audience, my family and from life. My sound has fueled a generation and that same generation fuels my sound.” Are We Cool, Cooper queries? With music like his, the answer is yes, definitely so! We are cool with an album that couldn..'t be any hotter!
By 1979, with charting albums .."Loveshine.." and .."Candy..", Con Funk Shun were solid-Gold sellers, performing for sold-out shows like the prestigious Omni in Atlanta. The group began self-producing a year later, on the .."Touch.." LP. Alongside blistering dance workouts like .."Chase Me.." and .."Ms. Got-The-Body.." were their timeless slow-jams with pop fliar - classic fav..'s such as, .."Love..'s Train..", .."Straight From The Heart..", .."(Let Me Put) Love On Your Mind.." and .."All Up To You..". Then CSF teamed with Kool & The Gang..'s producer, Eumir Deodato, producing .."Baby I..'m Hooked (Right Into Your Love)..." .."I..'m Leaving Baby.." was collaboration with Maurice Starr, then-future svengali to New Kids On The Block. These hits and more remain on radio play lists today, year after year... Recent appearances include Mandalay Bay, Balli..'s, House Of Blues, Motown Live, Vibe, regular appearances on the Tom Joyner Morning Show, as well as corporate and charity events.
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Member Since: 2/27/2008
Band Website: confunkshunusa.com
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Con Funk Shun treats the troops! ‘Most rewarding’ trip for Fairfield’s Cooper!

By RICH FREEDMAN Times-Herald staff writer

There’s hot concerts. And there’s searing hot concerts.

Any way one looks at it, this was a scorcher as “The Legends of Funk” brought the troops to their feet in May 31 and June 1 shows at Balad Air Base in Iraq.

The 14-member group consisted of three bands, including Vallejo’s legendary Con Funk Shun. The 110-degree temperatures outside didn’t seem to bother performers and those whooping it up.

“The concert was amazing,” said Staff Sgt. Mareshah Haynes of the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing’s office of public affairs.

“The Legends of Funk brought so much energy and enthusiasm to the stage, you couldn’t help but dance,” added Haynes in an e-mail. “After a while, almost everyone had left their seats and was just dancing in aisles. I know I’m not the only one when I say we really appreciate the band bringing a little bit of home to Iraq for us.”

“We absolutely loved touring here,” said Con Funk Shun’s Michael Cooper. “We came right off the boat to a request to entertain the troops.” The band members spent 11 days touring and performing at four different bases in Southwest Asia, including Balad, and met with airmen at the Air Force Theater Hospital and Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility. Many of the troops weren’t born yet when Con Funk Shun, the Barkays and the Dazz Band began.

“I had no clue as to what songs they sang,” said Staff Sgt. Ebony Besteda, telling one musician, “You were all before my time.” After a hospital tour, the musicians visited the 332nd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron to see an F-16 aircraft.

“The armed forces are over here and are taking care of people and letting people realize their human rights,” said Barkays’ member James Alexander. “It was an outstanding show,” said Tech Sgt. Robert West. “Honestly, it made me forget where I was for a minute just having a good time. When they were telling us thanks for what we do and how proud they were of us, they really sounded genuine. I think they really meant it.”

The funk tour complements other acts that have come through Iraq. “I think it’s important to have musical entertainers from all genres visit deployed service members because the U.S. military is so diverse,” Haynes said.

Cooper said each site “was all a big secret” until the band got there. “There were at least 300 to 1,0000 who were able to get out to the concert and man, did they party,” Cooper said. “Men and women with weapons swinging, though some just laid them down for the electric slide.” The purpose of the tour, said Haynes, “is to boost morale and the more audiences that can be reached, the better morale will be. A little taste of home is always appreciated.”

The Legends of Funk was special to Haynes “because they didn’t have to do it. That showed me their level of patriotism and support for the U.S. military.” Though apprehensive before the trip, Cooper said it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“It was one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done,” he said. “I am so proud of the kids over there. Most believe n the job to be done — some don’t — but all do their jobs well. The U.S. military men are the finest machine you will ever see. I love them all and I want them home. I have seen just a small part of what they do and it’s above the call.”

— Information also obtained from the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing’s Web site.

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Record Label: unsigned
Type of Label: Indie