Still digging Isaac Hayes (A Memphis Legend)
Still digging Isaac Hayes By Gary Jackson
Thu Nov 10, 6:55 AM ET
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Sartorially resplendent in a silken gold and magenta kaftan, Isaac Hayes took the stage at the Vault 350 in Long Beach knowing full well that his status as a cultural icon bordered on royalty.
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He certainly stood out in a club awash in black-dominated attire, both onstage and in the audience, as he strode to his keyboard to the strains of his remake of Roy Hamilton's 1958 hit "Don't Let Go."
Hayes has nurtured his 40-plus-year career by blending a mix of original songs ("Theme from 'Shaft,"' "Joy" and the tongue-twister "Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymystic") with lush, Vegas-y remakes ("The Look of Love," "Walk On By"). But most recently, Hayes has reached pop culture status via his gig as the voice of "Chef" on the riotously irreverent animated show "South Park," to which he paid just respect with the silly and suggestive "Chocolate Salty Balls."
Hayes' robust baritone was a direct influence on the late Barry White, who later retooled Hayes' trademark soap operatic approach and brought it to even greater heights. Yet, as the originator of the style, Hayes, with his Southern soul origins, brings an earthiness that is both endearing and wholly original -- despite midcareer forays into the aforementioned bloated Las Vegas excess.
Several slow patches occurred as Hayes -- obviously stretching for time -- related his trip to the club by taxi rather than limousine, saying it afforded him the opportunity to "get out amongst the people." OK. ... But the problem with time-filling is that attention wanders, as on "The Look of Love." On the flip side, Hayes offered a brilliantly charged version of "Walk On By" that was every bit the equal of the studio version from his classic 1969 album, "Hot Buttered Soul."
After the molasses of "Look of Love," Hayes jump-started the set with "Do Your Thing," from his 1972 movie soundtrack to "Shaft." Backed by a muscular and ultra-tight band that included four banks of keyboards, precise and creative percussion and adventurous guitar, Hayes gave the members free rein to explore. Kudos to keyboardist Jarrett Jackson, whose nimble playing provided solid underpinning.
Hayes ended the set with a perfunctory version of his Oscar-winning "Theme from 'Shaft,"' and exhorted the audience to chant its now-familiar refrain. Left out was such fare as "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" (which literally put him on the radar) and "Never Can Say Goodbye." However, "I Stand Accused" fulfilled the audience's need for stories of bruised relationships from a man's standpoint, an art that Isaac Hayes perfected.
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
Thu Nov 10, 6:55 AM ET
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Sartorially resplendent in a silken gold and magenta kaftan, Isaac Hayes took the stage at the Vault 350 in Long Beach knowing full well that his status as a cultural icon bordered on royalty.
ADVERTISEMENT
He certainly stood out in a club awash in black-dominated attire, both onstage and in the audience, as he strode to his keyboard to the strains of his remake of Roy Hamilton's 1958 hit "Don't Let Go."
Hayes has nurtured his 40-plus-year career by blending a mix of original songs ("Theme from 'Shaft,"' "Joy" and the tongue-twister "Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymystic") with lush, Vegas-y remakes ("The Look of Love," "Walk On By"). But most recently, Hayes has reached pop culture status via his gig as the voice of "Chef" on the riotously irreverent animated show "South Park," to which he paid just respect with the silly and suggestive "Chocolate Salty Balls."
Hayes' robust baritone was a direct influence on the late Barry White, who later retooled Hayes' trademark soap operatic approach and brought it to even greater heights. Yet, as the originator of the style, Hayes, with his Southern soul origins, brings an earthiness that is both endearing and wholly original -- despite midcareer forays into the aforementioned bloated Las Vegas excess.
Several slow patches occurred as Hayes -- obviously stretching for time -- related his trip to the club by taxi rather than limousine, saying it afforded him the opportunity to "get out amongst the people." OK. ... But the problem with time-filling is that attention wanders, as on "The Look of Love." On the flip side, Hayes offered a brilliantly charged version of "Walk On By" that was every bit the equal of the studio version from his classic 1969 album, "Hot Buttered Soul."
After the molasses of "Look of Love," Hayes jump-started the set with "Do Your Thing," from his 1972 movie soundtrack to "Shaft." Backed by a muscular and ultra-tight band that included four banks of keyboards, precise and creative percussion and adventurous guitar, Hayes gave the members free rein to explore. Kudos to keyboardist Jarrett Jackson, whose nimble playing provided solid underpinning.
Hayes ended the set with a perfunctory version of his Oscar-winning "Theme from 'Shaft,"' and exhorted the audience to chant its now-familiar refrain. Left out was such fare as "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" (which literally put him on the radar) and "Never Can Say Goodbye." However, "I Stand Accused" fulfilled the audience's need for stories of bruised relationships from a man's standpoint, an art that Isaac Hayes perfected.
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
posted by Tempie | 8:55 AM
1 Comments:
Just love him! I still have quite a lot of his music! Just groovin' to his beat!
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