Black History Month with Con Funk Shun

This past week, I was blessed to see Con Funk Shun at Yoshi’s in Oakland. If you don’t know who Con Funk Shun is – AKA if you aren’t obsessed with funk or born in the ‘50s or ‘60s – they are an old-school funk band which originated in Vallejo, California in 1969, originally comprised of seven black men. Signed to Mercury Records, they have released a total of 11 albums, encompassing R&B and funk beats. These men are not just a part of a band; they are professional musicians and producers; one of them is also a reverend. It’s not a funk band without a reverend… right? Although only three of the original members are still performing today, they put on one of the best shows I have ever seen.

Walking into the venue was quite intimidating… to say the least. Dressed in t-shirts and jeans, my friend and I were stunned when we saw numerous middle aged men and women in the most lavish and ornate outfits. We felt a bit nervous, and totally stuck out as the youngest concert-goers in this group. The venue was small, squeezing in so many people to the point that there was no open space to dance or move. The staff was scrounging for places to put bodies. I was slightly disappointed at this element of the show because I had come to dance to funk, not sit and bob my head. But, you take what you can get.

The night started when the club announcer came up to the mic and yelled, “Are y’all ready to party?!” I screamed along with the old crowd. Their excitement pumped me up. For them, it was probably like going to see Kendrick Lamar 50 years from now. A moment that is definitely worth experiencing. The next thing that happened was one of the most glorious moments of my life. Five black men walked onto stage in matching light purple dress pants and handprint designed suit jackets. The bass guitarist looked like Snoop Dogg, if Snoop Dogg did funk. I can dig it.

The first song was a great start to the night with heavy drum beats and a flute solo; that’s something you don’t get to see much these days, unless you’ve been to a Jerry Paper or Jethro Tull concert. There was a wide variation of instrumentation across the band including a trombone, trumpet, saxophone, tambourine, flugelhorn, guitar, and keys … and the list keeps going. Most members of the group played multiple instruments throughout the show, switching from saxophone to flute or from guitar to keys. They weren’t playing simple tunes, either. It was a display of professional musicianship that I find missing in much of present music.

After a few R&B songs, the funniest brother on stage yelled out, “I hope you didn’t wear any deodorant because we need all the funk we can get!” They had funk bleeding through their suit jackets as they simultaneously side-stepped and spun around as a full dance routine came into play. It seemed that the motto was if you’re not playing, you’re dancing. Blending perfect harmonies, they developed a big brass sound and played one of my personal favorites, “Ffun.” The funky bass is the star of that song. I made eye contact with the lead singer a few times as he seemed to notice my age difference from the rest of the crowd. I showed my appreciation for the moment by dancing right along with him.

Con Funk Shun may be “old” now, but they are putting on a more entertaining show than many artists I’ve seen lately. They emphasize Con Funk Shun as a family, not just a band. The show was a tender relapse into the soundtrack of a past generation, when live music was more of a personalized experience and intimate connection with the artists and art itself, rather than a reiteration of a studio album. For me, it was great to see the origins of black music during Black History Month and relate it back to funk-influenced albums made today, such as Childish Gambino’s Awaken My Love! and Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly.

And though Con Funk Shun was clearly on the older side, they still have an undeniable connection to the youth. One of the members mentioned between songs that he and the lead singer were Scorpios, attesting to the horoscope craze throughout time and giving the diverse audience something to mutually connect over. As a disco and funk enthusiast™, I loved the show and would recommend it to anyone that is interested in music you can get down to. Just make sure to skimp on the deodorant for a little more funk.