Isaac Hayes

Isaac Hayes – Truck Turner (1974/2016)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 01:11:39 minutes | 2,49 GB | Genre: R&B
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Stax

This soundtrack was considerably lengthier and more varied than the one Hayes had released earlier in 1974 (Tough Guys), including Holiday Inn funk, a lugubrious vocal (“You’re in My Arms Again”), and some jazz and blues riffs peppering the instrumental grooves. While the length ensured more variety, though, it also makes it a challenge to sit through the hour-plus program when you don’t have images to fit the music.

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Isaac Hayes – Tough Guys (1974/2016)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 33:48 minutes | 1,45 GB | Genre: R&B
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Stax

One of Isaac Hayes’ richest soundtracks – deeper and more complicated than the groove of Shaft and Truck Turner, and filled with some great tunes that glow with color, life, and imagination – showing an Isaac Hayes that almost seems to be moving beyond the usual blackploitation groove! The album sports 2 really classic tunes – the title theme “Tough Guys“, and the classic “Hung Up On My Baby” – both of which have a solidly funky feel that will more than please the usual soundtrack beathead crowd. But overall, the other tunes twist and turn in a delightful mix of modes – expanding on the soulful territory Ike first explored in his original soundtracks, and offering up a great range of moods and emotion. The album’s got some especially great chromatic guitar work – and other titles include “Joe Bell”, “Randolph & Dearborn”, “Buns O Plenty”, “Run Fay Run”, and “Red Rooster”.

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Isaac Hayes – …To Be Continued (1970/2016)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 42:03 minutes | 1,59 GB | Genre: R&B
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Stax

Released in late 1970 on the heels of two chart-topping albums, Hot Buttered Soul (1969) and The Isaac Hayes Movement (also 1970), Isaac Hayes and the Bar-Kays retain their successful approach on those landmark albums for To Be Continued, another number one album. Again, the album features four songs that span far beyond traditional radio-friendly length, featuring important mood-establishing instrumental segments just as emotive and striking as Hayes’ crooning. Nothing here is quite as perfect as “Walk on By,” and the album feels a bit churned out, but To Be Continued no doubt has its share of highlights, the most notable being “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’.” The album’s most epic moment opens with light strings and horns, vamping poetically for several minutes before Hayes even utters a breath; then, once the singer delivers the song’s orchestral chorus, the album hits its sentimental peak — Hayes elevating a common standard to heavenly heights once again. Elsewhere, “Our Day Will Come” features a nice concluding instrumental segment driven by a proto-hip-hop beat that proves just how ahead of his time Hayes was during his early-’70s cycle of Enterprise albums. It’s tempting to slight this album when holding it up against Hayes’ best albums from this same era, but a comparison such as this is unfair. Even if Ike isn’t doing anything here that he didn’t do on his two preceding albums — Hot Buttered Soul, The Isaac Hayes Movement — and isn’t quite as daring as he is on his two successive albums — Black Moses, Shaft — To Be Continued still topples any Hayes album that came after 1971. It didn’t top the R&B album chart for 11 weeks on accident — this is quintessential early-’70s Isaac Hayes, and that alone makes it a classic soul album.

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Isaac Hayes – The Isaac Hayes Movement (1970/2016)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 36:24 minutes | 1,43 GB | Genre: R&B
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Stax

Although this is Isaac Hayes’ third long-player, he had long been a staple of the Memphis R&B scene — primarily within the Stax coterie — where his multiple talents included instrumentalist, arranger, and composer of some of the most beloved soul music of the ’60s. Along with his primary collaborator, David Porter, Hayes was 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.” As a solo artist however, Hayes 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. The Isaac Hayes Movement (1970) includes four extended cuts from several seemingly disparate sources, stylistically ranging from George Harrison’s “Something” to Jerry Butler’s “I Stand Accused” and even Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s “I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself.” These early Hayes recordings brilliantly showcase his indomitable skills as an arranger — as he places familiar themes into fresh contexts and perspectives. For example, his lengthy one-sided dialogue that prefaces “I Stand Accused” is halting in its candor as Hayes depicts an aching soul who longs for his best friend’s fiancée. Even the most hard-hearted can’t help but have sympathy pains as he unravels his sordid emotional agony and anguish. Hayes’ lyrical orchestration totally reinvents the structure of “Something” — which includes several extended instrumental sections — incorporating equally expressive contributions from John Blair (violin). Both “I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself” and the comparatively short (at under six minutes) “One Big Unhappy Family” are more traditionally arranged ballads. Hayes again tastefully incorporates both string and horn sections to augment the languid rhythm, providing contrasting textures rather than gaudy adornment. These sides offer a difference between the proverbial “Black Moses of Soul” persona that would be responsible for the aggressive no-nonsense funk of Shaft (1971) and Truck Turner (1974).

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Isaac Hayes – Shaft (Music From The Soundtrack) (1971/2011)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 01:14:24 minutes | 2,60 GB | Genre: R&B, Soundtrack
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Stax

Shaft, the motion picture soundtrack that garnered worldwide praise for Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Isaac Hayes remains one of the most successful soundtrack albums of all time. The well-crafted record composed and produced by Hayes spent over a year on Billboard’s pop album charts and earned Hayes a Grammy® Award for “Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture.” The album features the critically acclaimed hit single “Theme From Shaft,” which reached #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and won Hayes an Oscar® for “Best Original Song.” The funky soulful jazz score full of cinematic instrumentation is a testament to Hayes’ undeniable genius.Hayes’ laid back delivery and gorgeous arrangements are still breathtaking, and the album remains a quintessential slice of ’70s soul. “ Trevor Maclaren, All That Jazz

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Isaac Hayes – Live At The Sahara Tahoe (1973/2016)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 01:49:02 minutes | 3,84 GB | Genre: R&B
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Stax

You could expect Isaac Hayes to be in his element at a resort venue — lounge soul was his forte, and this double album offers almost two hours of it. Hayes demonstrates his versatility by getting “Shaft” out of the way right off the bat and alternating between originals and covers of a wide range of tunes, including “Light My Fire,” “Never Can Say Goodbye,” “Rock Me Baby,” “Stormy Monday Blues,” “Feelin’ Alright,” and “It’s Too Late” (yes, the Carole King song). Often these are linked together, of course, by Hayes’ brotherly raps; for Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine,” he tests the limits, stretching the tune just past the ten-minute mark. The set has a funky lounge lizard charm, but it’s too much to bear at once, except for the most devoted of fans.

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Isaac Hayes – Joy (1973/2016)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 47:41 minutes | 1,67 GB | Genre: R&B
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Stax

With seven massive number one records trailing in his wake, Isaac Hayes donned his stylin’, funky gold-chain link vest once again and capped 1973 with Joy, a set which might have proven the lucky-streak breaker — it missed the top spot by one place — but still waded into gold-record waters with ease. “Joy” itself, of course, was the album’s crowning glory, a gargantuan 15-minute piece which essentially devoured side one of the album (the accompanying “I Love You That’s All” is merely an afterthought). Heady, smoky, ubiquitous — an instrumental and vocal foray into the land of good grooves — it was sexy and sassy, with strings and innuendo stripped bare and smoothly built to lead anyone within earshot toward a classic climax. The song continued to impact via sampled revitalization from as far afield as TLC, Massive Attack, Eric B. & Rakim, and Big Daddy Kane. But don’t forget that Joy is an entire album, with Hayes continuing his silky vocal assault across a further three slow, simmering songs. The best, and perhaps most interesting, is the closing “I’m Gonna Make It (Without You).” Markedly un-steamy, the song finds Hayes trading in his come-ons, choosing instead to open up and lay himself down in the wake of a broken romance. It’s Joy’s most touching moment, equally on par with the opener. Indeed, with those two glorious bookends, this album becomes a must-have for any ’70s soul aficionado.

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Isaac Hayes – Hot Buttered Soul (1969/2011)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 56:49 minutes | 1,95 GB | Genre: R&B
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Stax

A staff songwriter with the legendary Stax label, Isaac Hayes, with partner David Porter, composed material for many of the company’s artists, including Sam And Dave, Carla Thomas and Johnnie Taylor. Frustrated with this backroom role, he began recording in his own right, and with Hot Buttered Soul, redefined the notion of soul music. Although the tracks were lengthy, there was no sense of self-indulgence, each one evolving over sensual rhythms and taut arrangements. Hayes’ vocal anticipated the ‘rap’ genre of Barry White and Millie Jackson without slipping into self-parody, lending an air of sophistication to a highly influential collection.

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Isaac Hayes – Groove-A-Thon (1976/2016)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 41:40 minutes | 1,55 GB | Genre: R&B
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Stax

The title track employs “Shaft”-like guitar licks, but the similarity ends there: It’s a lame attempt at disco done in by Ike’s lazy singing and irritatingly banal lyrics. But it’s the LP’s only sore point. Ike returns to his roots on “Your Loving Is Much Too Strong,” a slow, romantic ballad that he and his girls, Hot Buttered Soul Unlimited, make you feel. “Rock Me Easy Baby,” a slinky, syncopated shuffle, has more groove appeal than the vaunted “Groove-A-Thon,” mainly because Ike constructs it for maximum soul appeal by running it for more than eight exquisite minutes. The uptempo happy-in-love ditty “We’ve Got a Whole Lot of Love” showcases HBS’ sterling voices. Ike shows a different side on the soft, longing “Wish You Were Here,” whose horn arrangements and backing vocals are simultaneously enticing and titillating. After a weak opening, the album settles into a comfortable groove, ending splendidly with “Make a Little Love to Me.”

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Isaac Hayes – Chocolate Chip (1975/2016)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 40:25 minutes | 1,61 GB | Genre: R&B
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Stax

“Chocolate Chip” is the seventh studio album by American soul musician Isaac Hayes. It was released in 1975 by ABC Records through Isaak’ own imprint, Hot Buttered Soul Records, marking Hayes’ first release after leaving the then-financially troubled Stax label. The album was segue into the emerging disco scene and featured horns and layered beats, while maintaining his traditional soulful vocals.

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Isaac Hayes – Black Moses (1971/2016)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 01:33:40 minutes | 3,66 GB | Genre: R&B
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Stax

Stax Records, a division of Concord Bicycle Music, is proud to announce the remastering and reissue of 12 seminal titles by soul music icon Isaac Hayes. The collection, which includes Hayes’ best-loved studio albums, soundtracks and live recordings, spanning 1969 – 1976, was remastered entirely from the original analog tapes. 11 of these albums, including Shaft, Black Moses and Hot Buttered Soul, are now available in 192/24 and 96/24 hi resolution audio formats, while all 12 of the titles have been Mastered For iTunes, and can be found on Isaac Hayes’ new iTunes artist page. Hi-res formats will be available on HDTracks.

Award-winning engineer Dave Cooley (M83, J-Dilla, Madlib, Serge Gainsbourg, Jimmy Eat World) was commissioned to take on the project at his Los Angeles-based studio, Elysian Masters. Cooley explains, “Every effort was undertaken to retain both the original production team’s intent, and the most natural and truthful spatial imaging of Isaac’s voice and instrumentation.” He adds, “For the first time you can plainly hear details as small as the subtle coloration variations between the original studio setups and tape formulations from album to album. There’s renewed resolution around instruments. But you can also dive into the zoned-out atmospherics, and listen comfortably for hours as an entire body of work.” Cooley’s meticulous work has breathed new life into these classic tracks; his enthusiasm for the project palpable. He recalls, “There was an immense pressure to get it right. Having grown up transcribing the very piano licks and grooves that were sampled by such hip hop luminaries as Public Enemy and others, I was well acquainted with Isaac’s legacy as a revolutionary enigma spanning multiple generations. Remastering the catalog was a call to re-ignite that with even more transparency and a deeper pulse for the next group of listeners.”

GRAMMY® and Academy Award-winning singer, songwriter, producer and actor Isaac Hayes (1942-2008) revolutionized soul music, experimenting with extended cuts, orchestration and concept albums during the era of 3-minute, radio-driven tracks. Hayes began his career as a songwriter and producer at Stax Records, working with partner David Porter on such iconic hits as Sam & Dave’s “Soul Man” and “Hold On! I’m Comin’.” In 1968, Hayes branched out on his own with Presenting Isaac Hayes, but it wasn’t until his follow-up a year later, Hot Buttered Soul, that the artist became a genuine star in his own right, breaking ground with his deep baritone vocals and signature sonic explorations that could take up the entire side of a record. In 1971, Hayes scored Blaxploitation film Shaft; the title theme of which went number one the Billboard Hot 100 charts, and earned the artist an Academy Award and multiple GRAMMY® awards. Later that year, he released his critically-acclaimed double album, Black Moses. Hayes continued to write and record throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s, scoring several more films, and continuing to push himself artistically. In 1997, the artist gained a new generation of fans as he voiced the character of Chef on the long-running cartoon series South Park. Nearly a decade after his death, Isaac Hayes’ legacy as a multi-instrumentalist, producer, arranger, writer, and artist continues to inspire and influence new listeners.

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Isaac Hayes – And Once Again (1980/2021)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 36:08 minutes | 755 MB | Genre: Funk, Soul
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Polydor

And Once Again was the fourth solo studio album released on Polydor Records from Soul singer, songwriter, musician, producer and actor Isaac Hayes. The follow up to the hugely successful Don’t Let Go, And Once Again took a softer approach and focused more on the fantastic ballad talents of Isaac Hayes. Notable tracks on the album include the supplicating serenade, ‘Ikes Rap VII/This Time I’ll Be Sweeter’ which consistently builds and grips throughout its duration and the up-tempo ‘I Ain’t Never’ which contains the trademark driving bassline that captivates the listener

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