When R&B went totally high-tech around 1983-1984, horns became the exception instead of the rule for many urban contemporary artists. In the '80s and '90s, it wasn't uncommon for an R&B producer to act as a one-man (or one-woman) band; instead of using a lot of studio musicians, the producer could program all the synthesizers and drum machines himself/herself. But before that, horns were a big part of many R&B recordings, and no horn section was in greater demand in the '60s and '70s than the
Memphis Horns. As busy as session work kept them in the '70s,
the Memphis Horns managed to record some noteworthy albums for RCA during that decade. One of them was 1977's
Get Up and Dance, which isn't a masterpiece but is generally decent. On this diverse collection of funk, soul, and disco,
the Horns employ several guest vocalists, including
Deniece Williams,
D.J. Rogers, Jim Gilstrap, and Lani Groves. The LP's highlights range from the hit "Just for Your Love" (a pleasant ballad) to the
Parliament-influenced "What the Funk" to the sleek disco instrumental "Memphis Nights." Parts of the album are mellow, and parts of it are quite funky. Get up and Dance has been out of print for a long time, but it's worth acquiring if you happen to come across a copy somewhere. ~ Alex Henderson