Customer Reviews

Live at the Sahara Tahoe

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I pulled this set out for the first time in a while and it has lost NOTHING with the passage of time.

I remember I was fascinated with this grown folks' music back when I was 3 years old (when it was released!) and it still sounds good.

If you want to know why so many artists sample Black Moses' music ... if you want to know where Barry White and countless others around the world "went to school" for their funk/lounge/disco/R&B/soul/jazz musical ideas and film/TV scores ... if you want to know why Isaac has been so revered for his countless talents, this would probably be the best place to start.

Just one example: Isaac's take on Carole King's It's Too Late proves he's a genius. The way he weaves in musical elements of Spooky and We've Only Just Begun is amazing ... and when you consider the irony of the lyrical subject matter with those songs being mixed with It's Too Late ... man, this brotha is deep. (Literally, considering some of those low bass notes he works with.) He is a musician beyond compare and bonds vocally with the tunes like only a musician can. And his sense of humor is second to none, lol.

LIVE AT THE SAHARA TAHOE is truly the epitome of everything that was fantastic about soul music from the early 70's. An indispensable work from one of the world's greatest musical talents.

Live at the Sahara Tahoe (now called the Horizon) is one best showcase's Issac's live talent. Performed when heavyweights appeared regularly at the South Shore of Lake Tahoe. Some great dialogue between the numbers. My favorite's numbers are Never Can Say Goodbye - simply enchanting movement; The Look of Love, besides Sergio Mendes Brasil 66 version, one of the best versions of this Bacharach and David song, romantic & sensual movement; Do Your Thing - powerful & soulful movement from that period of time in which it was first released; the First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, reminds me of the first time I ever saw Molly, simply enchanting movement; and Ain't No Sunshine, while Bill Wither's original song is classic timeless movement, Ike's version with the Sax is - one heartfelt movement. I thoroughly recommend this album. It's Issac Hayes Magic Movement!

For any lover of the Ike sound this is a must. It symbolises over two disks the depth and breadth of Ike's voice and instrument playing talents. My favourite ever song has to bee Ain't no Sunshine, and Isaac Hayes delivers the most powerful rendition ever. It also includes the most incredible sax playing where Ike uses an echo machine to provide the ultimate of solo sax chords, - unbelievable and live. Whatever you do you must buy this album, or miss the epitome of soul forever!

This double album for long has been a highly prized (and somewhat hard to find) item among early '70s soul buffs such as myself, so I'm glad to see it back in print.

Though best known as "Chef" from South Park now-a-days, people of my generation (and older) remember the sizzling cymbals conveying the opening of SHAFT... A black superstar who created a unique form of orchestral soul which I suspect was later hijacked in my city and evolved into the Sound of Philly - - While many other artists in the '70s represented black power, Issac Hayes represented a liberated straightforward form of black sexuality that maybe you'd get on an Ohio Players album, but definitely not from the glitzy pop world of Motown. - - Entering the stage on a motorcycle often wearing nothing but a costume of chains, his shaved head look alone defined the fashion of a generation.

The tunes on this album are funky as you'd expect in any Memphis Shoals production, yet represent a new wave of black music. Then hitmaker Issac Hayes combines the bluesy sensuality of Arthur Pryscock, the gutbucket of STAX, with a raw mixture of funk and pop laden with strings, vibraphone and other orchestrations. It is distinctly Hayes !

Far be it for me to suggest the use of chemically altering substanced, but for sure, if any tune brings memories of a certain sweet musty odor behind the closed doors of your bedroom, the gritty mind tripping "DO YOUR THING" from Shaft definitely has to be among them. From his "raps", to soul anthems, to covers of some great tunes from his CDs, whether's its Bacharach's Look of Love, or Ellie's Love Theme their is a funky sensuality that is pure Issac Hayes straight throught the album... I don't care what anybody says... Barry White had nothing on him... and Issac Hayes was bad, stretching out as an actor in the Black Action genre himself, he could fart and knock Luther Vandross off the planet.

Overall, this incredible CD captures Issac Hayes in his prime... Its pre-disco Orchestral Soul at its sizzling best and a funky mind trip back in time... If you don't dig this music, something is definitely wrong with you. A must have... check out his performance on WATTSTAX for sure !

Isaac Hayes...what can ya say, "Barry White" didn't even come close... other than steal this mans whole act. This show is fantastic, my only regret is that it's not on DVD.

Until seeing THE EAGLES in concert in 2003, this was the greatest concert I had ever attended. In between 1973 and
2003 there have been hundreds of concerts that took my money
but never entertained me more than Black Moses himself. You
can feel the electricity of audience, even though it is in
the Sahara Hotel, and not in an arena of 12,000. The music and
rap is very tight and great. I am happy to see this on CD.. I wore out the double LP set..

I've enjoyed the musical arrangements and vocals for all of my life. I first purchased this recording, in LP format, in the 1970's. I'm just now rebuilding my collection. This recording is even better than I remember. If you are a fan of Isaac Hayes, you can't go wrong.

About 33 years ago on a special night at the Sahara Tahoe.A man is standing in front of a vibraphone and as he begins to play the instrument.A female voice from the audience calls out 'Get On Down!!..Isaac'.The man is Isaac Hayes the Black Moses of soul himself.And the song he is about to play is Ellie's Love Theme.The years 1968 thur 1973 were good years for Isaac Hayes recording on the Enterprise label.During that time he came out with the ciassic soul albums Hot Buttered Soul,To Be Continued,The Isaac Hayes Movement and Shaft.Making him a superstar.And bringing us to Isaac Hayes 'Live At The Sahara Tahoe' this was not only a show it was a event.Hayes gives us a perfect bringing together of r&b,rap,smooth jazz,blues and some comedy.Along with songs by Bacharach and David,Bill Withers and original songs by Hayes himself.The highlights of the album to me is a new version of Ellie's Love Theme,Theme From The Men'(Hayes only tv score),the down home blues feeling of Rock Me Baby and Stormy Monday Blues,Type Thang(I think this tune came from the second Shaft movie) and a new version of the Bill Withers classic 'Ain't No Sunshine'.On this tune Isaac Hayes picks up the alto sax and turns the song into a entertainment masterpiece.This is one show the audience seems to really enjoy.The only downside of this album to me is the songs left off like By The Time I Get To Phoenix,Walk On By and I Stand Accused.But I still think this is one of Isaac Hayes best albums.I only wish this show was on DVD.

At the time of this 2-LP set's release in 1973, Isaac Hayes was undoubtedly Stax Records' most important artist. His progressive, refreshing and previously-unheard-of blend of R&B, Soul, Jazz and MOR-Pop helped make classics like "Hot Buttered Soul", "The Isaac Hayes Movement" and "To Be Continued" both bestsellers and ageless masterpieces. On this 2-CD set, you will hear Isaac in all his glory and at the peak of his career. His covers of Carol King's "It's Too Late", Roberta Flack's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", Bill Withers' "Use Me" and Jose Feliciano's "Light My Fire" are all superb examples of how Isaac could take other artists' songs and make them his own. While I would not say this 2-CD set is indispensable, it does provide an entertaining and (at times) mind-blowingly intense listening experience while reminding us of how great a musical genius Isaac Hayes was.

Live at the Sahara Tahoe by Isaac Hayes is one of Mr. Hayes's better outings, the only problem for me is the songs are way too short, great disk, I miss him and his music a lot.