This set provides an accurate overview of the
Stax era recordings of the only man fit to be called "The Black Moses Of Soul" --
Isaac Hayes. Prior to becoming a solo artist,
Hayes and partner
David Porter were collectively responsible for well over 200 sides -- including the genre defining
"When Something Is Wrong With My Baby," "Soul Man," "B-A-B-Y," " "Hold On, I'm Comin'," and
"I Had a Dream." Hayes then redefined the role of the long player with his inimitably smooth narrative style of covering classic
pop and
R&B tracks, many of which would spiral well over ten minutes. Thanks to the extended play time available on CDs,
Man!: The Ultimate Isaac Hayes 1969-1977 (2001) is able to include several of those sidelong cuts such as
"Walk On By," "By The Time I Get To Phoenix," and the
"Look Of Love." Oddly, compilers opted for the single edit of
"I Stand Accused," rather than the version found on the
Isaac Hayes Movement (1970). Otherwise, this collection gathers 21 sides from
Hayes' dozen solo platters for the Memphis-based
R&B Stax label and the subsidiary
Enterprise Records. No "ultimate" collection could be so without a fair sampling from
Hayes' seminal
blaxploitation soundtracks to
Shaft (1971) and
Truck Turner, the latter of which also featured the musician in the lead role. In addition to featuring the obvious theme songs, also included is the hard-to-find theme to the short-lived television show
The Men -- which was issued as a single, although it also popped up on the highly recommended
Live at the Sahara Tahoe (1973) set. Notably represented are some later sides such as the four/four funk of
Disco Connection, and the aggressive and greasy funk of
Chocolate Chip. Inevitably, it would be impossible to include all of the possible inclusions, and as such, tracks such as the
psychedelic "Hyperbolicsyallabicsesquedalymistic" from
Hot Buttered Soul (1969), or either of the epic renderings of
"Ain't No Sunshine," from either the
Wattstax (1973)
soundtrack or the previously mentioned
Live At The Sahara Tahoe. Those minor complaints aside, enthusiasts of all degrees of interest won't go wrong with
Man!: The Ultimate Isaac Hayes 1969-1977. ~ Lindsay Planer