The very familiar strains of the Theme From Shaft begins this 3-disc retrospective of the baritone-voiced R&B legend, Isaac Hayes.  The theme went on to win not only a Grammy award but also an Academy award for its wonderfully produced funky and memorable Soul sound and edgy lyrics.  But that isn’t the only track on this excellent collection of Isaac Hayes tunes from his many excellent Stax albums.

Stax draws from his career with the label via his albums for Ultimate Isaac Hayes: Can You Dig It?.  The ‘60s, in the decade’s final few years, had “Precious, Precious” from his first Stax release, Presenting Isaac Hayes.  According to the excellent essay written by Stax historian, Rob Bowman, this single was pared down to the less than 3-minute single from an 18-minute jam piece.  But these extended pieces are what added to the legend of the man, who could comfortably create a musical epic.  This shows by his extended versions of covers as heard on Hot Buttered Soul, an album that broke him into the mainstream.

Hot Buttered Soul, in addition to a few original tunes, had an 18-minute, soul-soaked version of “By The Time I Get to Phoenix” previously popularized by Glen Campbell.  There is also a 12-minute version of “Walk on By,” a Bacharach tune previously sung by Dionne Warwick.  The album went on to Platinum status (1,000,000 in unit sales) and turned the world into an Isaac Hayes fan.

Isaac Hayes enjoyed success on a different scale than most R&B artists.  His willingness to transform covers into Soul classics as well as singing his own tunes was a key for Hayes, who recorded them in the best form that he could.  It was his Theme to Shaft, however, that sent him into the stratosphere.  The album hit Number One on almost all charts and elevated Isaac Hayes further, sales-wise.  His Grammy-winning 2LP Black Moses, offered more of Hayes’ Soul-infused covers.

Ultimate Isaac Hayes collects a wide variety of songs, trying hard to accurately represent the full range of musical acumen – and succeeding.  Over the two CDs in this set, you’ll not only hear his start, his best, and his hits, you’ll also hear his inimitable versions of covers as only Hayes could have done.  You can’t help but be amazed and charmed by his re-imagined versions of “By the Time We Get to Phoenix” (Campbell), “For the Good Times” (Kristofferson), “Baby, I’m-A Want You” (Bread), “Walk on By” (Dionne Warwick), “Let’s Stay Together” (Al Green), and “Never Can Say Goodbye” (everyone).  There are others on this set and more that aren’t PLUS his own superb works.

Stax have released several ‘best of’ Hayes collections before this but none as comprehensive as this compilation.  In addition to the 2CDs worth of music, there is a bonus DVD that includes three performance clips from his 1972 appearance at Wattstax.  There is also a piece from his South Park character, Chef (Chocolate Salty Balls).  You just cannot go wrong with Ultimate Isaac Hayes, originally released in 2005 with new re-masters of the songs.  It’s a set that I revisit from time to time.

As Isaac Hayes would say - Damn right!!

And I CAN dig it!