TK records: Freedom-Get up and dance

[eddie]

I posted some lyrics about one month ago to this song because I was trying desparately to find it. It was big in NYC and Grandmaster Flash used to sample it. I have it on the 6 CD set the Last Soul Company on Malaco. The bass, horns, and drums are as tight and kickin' as Con funk shun or BT Express best tracks. I could not place it because samplers have interpolated the horn phrase with overdubs to make accomodate New Jack, rap, and contemporary soul. Any thoughts on this rare track. Nobody could identify it by some of the lyrics that i gave. Please post additional comments here as opposed to the song ID forum. Thank you.

[marc0]

Freedom to express yourself by Denise LaSalle?

Just throwing this in the thread. I've been known to be wrong lots of times.

[discodjinn]

Freedom was an 8-piece band from Jackson, Mississippi. Their disco-funk lp from 1979 was titled "Farther Than Imagination." It was produced by Jesse Thompson, Mike Daniels, and Vernon Weakley. The album was put out on the Malaco label and distributed, as you noted, by TK Records.

The single "Get Up And Dance" did not chart on the Disco Top 100 but did reach number 82 on the R&B Top 100 in late 1979. I haven't heard this track. I have on 12" their earlier single "Dance Sing Along," which also did not make the Disco Top 100 but climbed to number 62 on the R&B chart in the summer of 79. That single had a child-like, playground chant approach with a Whoo-Whoo-Whoo vocal hook. The flip side is called "Set You Free." It is a brassy funk dancer more in the style you described.

[eddie]

Just to clarify for others reading this. The group's name is Freedom and the song is called "Get up and dance". I can't believe nobody knows this track. A sample of this was used in Grandmaster Flash's hit ironically called Freedom.
I was looking for about 6 months with no luck with that riff stuck in my head. I just happened to play disc 3 of my Malaco box which is mostly bluesy soul like Johnnie Taylor and Latimore and ran into it.
If you like Brick, Dazz band, Con Funk Shun, Unlimited Touch, or Steve Arrington you have to check this one out.

[Giovanni]

"Get up and dance" is one of the most classic Bronx breaks and was used by Grand Master Flash and many other old school hip hop djs.
It was released as 12" on TK (TK 421) in 1979 and it is rumoured to be so rare because after its first release, the TK label began to have the problems that made it fold a little later, and never released a second issue.

[Mindmixx]

Get up and Dance was a smash for Freedom even though it didn't chart well on Radio, it did great in the Clubs. Yes it is known as the emerge Song of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five's "Freedom" but it was also used by Beck on a remix that I have called "Where it's at" which was released around 94/95. It's the actual "Get up and Dance" Track slowed down with Beck rapping and singing over it. If you loved the original like myself , you would definitely enjoy this.(Killer cut)

Not bragging but I'm one of the lucky folks in the World that actually has the original TK Records 12" on Freedom's "Get up and Dance."

[Disco Funk]

Originally Posted by Mindmixx

Get up and Dance was a smash for Freedom even though it didn't chart well on Radio, it did great in the Clubs. Yes it is known as the emerge Song of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five's "Freedom" but it was also used by Beck on a remix that I have called "Where it's at" which was released around 94/95. It's the actual "Get up and Dance" Track slowed down with Beck rapping and singing over it. If you loved the original like myself , you would definitely enjoy this.(Killer cut)

Not bragging but I'm one of the lucky folks in the World that actually has the original TK Records 12" on Freedom's "Get up and Dance."

It's definitely a tough one to get. I also enjoy their follow-up single, which was Set You Free b/w Dance Sing Along, two great songs:





Disco Funk