The seven piece funk ensemble, Con Funk Shun, had an impressive résumé going into the recording of their eight studio album, “Too Tight.” They formed in high school and developed under the name of the Soul Project. As the Soul Project, they backed the Soul Children and other artists on the legendary southern soul label Stax. They became Con Funk Shun for the release of their first album in 1973, “Organized Con Funk Shun,” and the band remains intact to this day. So, in 1980, when they recorded “Touch,” they had been together for years and developed a tightness that could only be accomplished through such a long association. When listening to “Touch” you would never know that the band behind the album ever recorded for Stax. They had long since abandoned their southern soul roots, turning away from the rugged Memphis sounds in favor of a polished funk flavor. Their sheer talent, however, remained constant.

“Touch” opens up with the one real reason I am recommending this album. “Too Tight” is an undeniably catchy disco tune that reminds me of Earth Wind & Fire’s “Let’s Groove.” The factor most similar between these two songs is that they’re impossible to listen to and not just feel great. The song is without a doubt the highlight of the album, but there is much more great material to follow. The feel good atmosphere established early by Con Funk Shun continues on through the next song entitled “Lady’s Wild,” a more heavy tune backed by hand claps and an especially funky slap bass line. The ballad “Give Your Love To Me” serves as a break in the fast paced action before it picks back up with the stepper “Pride and Glory,” a song that shows what Con Funk Shun was great at. They not only had the danceable beats that the early ’80 market demanded, but also held their instrumentation to very high standards. This is apparent in the song’s instrumental break showcasing guitarist Michael Cooper along with their talented horn section. Of the other finest musical moments on the alum are the title track’s bass line and the keyboard work on the album’s best ballad “Can’t Say Goodbye”. The fine musicianship displayed by Con Funk Shun’s seven members is unquestionable. At a time when cheap synthesizers were the norm and poorly written songs became dance floor hits, Con Funk Shun, despite conforming to the general sound of the ear, stayed true to their history of excellence by having such great playing on their record. I’d in no way consider them amongst the finest musicians of all time, I just find their instrumentation particularly impressive considering the time of its recording.

Con Funk Shun had a lot to live up to. With the word “funk” in their name, they had to be funky. This is a goal they consistently met from their founding and according to a video of them performing this year, they still do today. I cannot think of a better way to describe the band than the way a reviewer humorously defined their interesting name on the back of one of their albums:

“CON FUNK SHUN [KON-FUNK'-SHUN] – adjective: The unique sound of combining a dynamite rhythm section with a powerful three piece horn section, topping it with outstanding lead vocals and a four and five part harmony with a touch of flashy choreography. noun: A group of versatile singers and musicians whose combined talents produce the finest entertainment that can be seen or heard.”

by Phil