Ultimate Isaac Hayes: Can You Dig It? (CD - 2005)

One of the better and more thoughtful Isaac Hayes compilations, Ultimate Isaac Hayes: Can You Dig It? is a three-disc (two CDs and one DVD) set that covers his years on Stax. There's a wide range of material here, from singles to deep album cuts, that provide a very representative look at these years, and Stax is even wise enough to include "I Stand Accused" and "Walk on By" in their full 12-minute versions. Only minor quibbles could be made with the selections. The third disc, a DVD, contains three songs performed by Hayes at Wattstax. And then there's the cherry -- er, some other spherical object -- on top: Hayes' performance of Chef's "Chocolate Salty Balls." ~ Andy Kellman

Isaac Hayes's towering presence in the history of soul music is undeniable: aside from his role as one half of the legendary Porter/Hayes Stax Records songwriting team, his early-1970s albums revolutionized the sounds of the day with their lush, complex instrumentation, swirling, funky explorations, and extended track lengths. The title of this three-disc set, THE ULTIMATE ISAAC HAYES, pretty much says it all. Represented here are all of Hayes's signature tunes, including the wah-wah-driven, era-defining "Theme from SHAFT" and the spacious, symphonic "Walk On By."

The two audio discs top out at close to 80 minutes each, giving full breadth to the artist's stylistic range and the stretched-out majesty of his arrangements. His transformative covers of Glen Campbell's "By the Time I Get to Phoenix," Jerry Butler's "I Stand Accused," and Hank Williams's "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love With You)" are included, alongside rare singles, B-sides, and previously unreleased live cuts. The third disc is a DVD featuring live footage of Hayes's appearance at the 1972 Wattstax concert and footage from SOUTH PARK (on which Hayes supplied the voice of Chef). All this, plus excellent notes, photos, superbly remastered sound, and beautiful packaging, make this an essential addition to any library. minimize