Shaft

Shaft

Track Listings

1. Into The Sun

2. Exhibition #1

3. Blame

Editorial Reviews
About the Artist
SHAFT is a hard working, hard rocking band based in Wichita, Kansas. They have an energy and style that is hard to resist with edgy rock and a stage presence that dares you to stand still.

Band Members: Andy Gilstrap, Drums; Jared Hobaugh, Lead Vocal; Jason Hobaugh, Bass and Backing Vocals; Jace Wilbert, Guitar and Backing Vocals.

Product Description
Debut CD single from BREAKER Records recording artists SHAFT. This single has three hard driving, ultra catchy tunes to give you a glimpse of what is to come from this talented band.

Tracks:

Theme From Shaft (Vocal)
Bumpy's Lament
Walk From Regio's
Ellie's Love Theme
Shaft's Cab Ride
Cafe Regio's
Early Sunday Morning
Be Yourself
A Friend's Place
Soulsville (Vocal)
No Name Bar
Bumpy's Blues
Shaft Strikes Again
Do Your Thing (Vocal)
The End Theme

Amazon.com

The "Theme from Shaft" is now so ingrained in popular consciousness as the blaxploitation-movie track that it's hard to listen to it without a faint smirk. ("Who's the black private dick that's a sex machine to all the chicks?"!!) But if you can get past the inadvertent humor, it's still a devilishly exciting piece of music--all hi-hat 16ths, wah-wah guitar, strings, and woodwind, like a Norman Whitfield Motown production taken to a baroque extreme. The rest of the album consists mainly of incidental mood music of no great worth: "Walk from Regio's," "Ellie's Love Theme"--you know the sort of thing. Only two other tracks feature the Black Moses pipes, while the endless "Do Your Thing" takes its place in the catalog of Hayes epics that began with Hot Buttered Soul. --Barney Hoskyns

Album Description

Of the many wonderful blaxpoitation soundtracks to emerge during the early '70s, Shaft certainly deserves mention as not only one of the most lasting but also one of the most successful. Isaac Hayes was undoubtedly one of the era's most accomplished soul artists. With the Theme From Shaft, Hayes delivered an anthem just as ambitious and revered as the film itself, a song that has only grown more treasured over the years, after having been an enormously popular hit at the time of its release. Soulsville operates effectively as the sort of down-tempo ballad Hayes was most known for, just as the almost 20-minute Do Your Thing showcased just how impressive the Bar-Keys had become, stretching the song to unseen limits with their inventive, funky jamming. This CD features cinematic moments of instrumentation, composed and produced by Hayes while being performed by the Bar-Kays - some down-tempo, others quite jazzy. A Stax records

Customer Reviews:

A Groovy Soundtrack album for a groovy movie!!.......2005-12-31

This Shaft soundtrack album from 1971 is obviously one of the best selling albums ever in the history of American music (and, I believe, one of the best selling albums released by Stax Records back then). This title made Isaac Hayes (aka "Black Moses") a mega superstar upon its release, due to the title theme, which is the first track on this album. It has an unforgettable intro sound, and the song lasts for barely over four and a half minutes, with Isaac's vocals lasting only for about one minute (or slightly more) halfway through the song. He only sang on three of the songs on this album (the title theme, "Soulsville", and "Do Your Thing"), with the remaining twelve songs being instrumental incidental music from the movie. Some of the other songs on this album are quite good. "Bumpy's Lament", "Shaft's Cab Ride" (which only lasts barely over one minute), "Ellie's Love Theme" (with its soft, easy listening sound that sounds like a song to slow dance to), "Soulsville" (this one containing a sax), "Early Sunday Morning", "Shaft Strikes Again", and the funky track, "Do Your Thing" (which is the longest song on the soundtrack album, clocking in at almost 20 minutes) (!!) and "The End Theme", which is almost two minutes long, playing at the closing credits of the movie. This is the album to get. I first heard the "Shaft" theme years ago when I was little (on a 45 that my mother had years before, not on the soundtrack album), and I consider it the first Stax recording that I listened to. I got the movie for my 24th birthday (in April, '04), and really liked it a lot. Before I got the movie for my birthday that year, I had never seen it ever on TV; not even on the Encore channel! I only knew the title theme and some of those other songs that I mentioned before I got the movie. It is really incredible and quite enjoyable. I highly recommend seeing the movie and getting this album, if you have not already done so. Very groovy! Kudos to Isaac Hayes for his wonderful voice and a good job that he did singing on this album!

But,,I'm talking about Shaft.......2004-11-13

One of the best soundtracks to come out of the 70s, if not the best was Isaac Hayes'Shaft' soundtrack.With the academy award winning 'Theme from Shaft'.I still remember seeing him performing the song at the awards show on tv. Isaac Hayes recorded Shaft during his best creative years.So what makes Shaft so special? Well to answer wy own question.Shaft is a blend of funk,smooth jazz (before it was called smooth jazz) soul and rhythm & blues.And it all comes together to produced the Isaac Hayes sound.Very few artist have manage to bring together both film and sound like Isaac Hayes did with the Shaft soundtrack.You find yourself enjoying the music just as much as the movie.Before Shaft Isaac Hayes was best known for working his magic with other people's material like 'Buy The Time I Get To Phoenix,Our Day Will Come and The Look Of Love etc,etc,etc.But Shaft if I'm not mistaking was Isaac Hayes first whole album of his own original music.And he rose to the challenge.I think Shaft gave Mr.Hayes an opportunity to record songs that weren't a part of his normal routine.And this gave us songs like Ellie's Love Theme,Early Sunday Morning and Shaft Strikes Again.Just to name a few on this great album.So thanks to Shaft we got to hear these gems.Yes Shaft is a fantastic soundtrack it's Isaac Hayes at his best and I highly recomment it.After thirty-five years the music still sounds good.The only downside to the album to me is the length of Do Your Thing.Why so long? I don't know why Isaac Hayes made it so long.Maybe he needed to fill in some space.Well I guess I'll go and watch the movie Shaft on my DVD player now.

Ikes a bad mutha-.......2004-01-18

By 1971 Ike was a big name in the R&B world. On his 1969 debut `Hot Buttered Soul' he had changed the game with his genius and innovation. However his two follow up albums had only shown flashes of the brilliance he flaunted so effortlessly on his debut.

Nevertheless much like Curtis Mayfield with `Superfly', being recruited to provide a film score (In this case Richard Roundtrees awesome Shaft) seemed to unlock the door to a hidden world of inspiration inside Ike's mind.

Everybody knows the distinctive and tongue in cheek title theme which these days seems to epitomise everything 70s. The remainder of the album is largely scene-related instrumentals and mood music that never stops being pleasing on the ear. The other two vocal cuts are the jazzy `Soulsville' and the mammoth `Do Your Thing'. In its 3 minute radio edit form `Do Your Thing' is a classic hard fonk number, however, the album version is dragged out to no less than twenty minutes(!), largely by an overly long electric guitar solo. Whereas previous extra length songs by Hayes had justified every second of their playing time, for once Ike seems to be doing it purely for the sake of it. Still it's a good tune and other than that its difficult to find fault with this album, which was a major hit and sealed Ike's name in history forever.

One of those Must Own type records.

Nothing Better!!.......2003-12-08

Simply put, the greatest movie soundtrack of all time. No other soundtrack has seemlessly tied together a storyline, mood and the time it was released. It's a lyrical painting of urban America in the 70s. And the opening cymbal/wah-wah guitar combo has NEVER been matched. Think about it. What other classic is immediately recognizable within the first five or ten seconds?? I'm a white, suburban, 42-year-old guy who grew up on great music like this. I just wish American youth (white and black) would be more exposed to guys like Issac Hayes, Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye and Al Green instead of the hip-hop garbage that passes today as urban/soul. They could learn a thing or two about arrangements and composition too!!

A Classic Soundtrack.......2003-11-30

And just a classic recording, period. I love every track. My favorite track has to be "Soulsville". I have listened to this recording all the way through three or 4 times in succession. That's how good it is.

Average customer rating:

A piece of history
A BIG disappointment!

New York New York
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Asv Living Era
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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New York Songs
Songs of New York
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ASIN: B000069HGR
Release Date: 2002-08-13

Customer Reviews:

A piece of history.......2006-06-03

Many of the songs on this recording are not available in sheet music, and although the sound quality isn't "leading edge" it makes me feel as though I am listening to actual performers back in the 30's & 40's, with young and gifted singers like Frank Sinatra, Jo Stafford, and Mel Torme, as well as others who are nameless or unknown to me on this album, and a delight to listen to. Manhattan Tower is why I bought this CD, and I got so much more from it than I bargained for. The illusion I have when I play it is that I am a young jazz artist in New York, feeling the pulse of the city and filling up with everything about being a part of New York.

A BIG disappointment!.......2004-08-19

I bought this CD for the Slaughter on Tenth Avenue soundtrack ballet by Richard Rodgers and Lennie Hayton. But none of the tracks on this CD can be appreciated. It is a mono recording, and that immediately leaves you with a very incomplete sound. No amount of treble and bass adjustment can eliminate the awful tinny sound throughout the disc.

Average customer rating:

The other essential Herrmann CD

Great Film Music

Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Music from the Great Hitchcock Movie Thrillers
Bernard Herrmann: Music From Great Film Classics
Psycho
The Three Worlds of Gulliver
Sunset Boulevard: The Classic Film Scores of Franz Waxman

ASIN: B000004265
Release Date: 1996-05-14

Tracks:

Journey To The Center Of The Earth: Mountain Top And Sunrise
Journey To The Center Of The Earth: Prelude
Journey To The Center Of The Earth: The Grotto
Journey To The Center Of The Earth: Salt Slides
Journey To The Center Of The Earth: Atlantis
Journey To The Center Of The Earth: The Giant Chameleon And The Fight
Journey To The Center Of The Earth: The Shaft And Finale
The Seventh Voyage Of Sinbad: Overture
The Seventh Voyage Of Sinbad: The Duel With The Skeleton
The Seventh Voyage Of Sinbad: Baghdad
The Day The Earth Stood Still: Outer Space
The Day The Earth Stood Still: Radar
The Day The Earth Stood Still: Gort
The Day The Earth Stood Still: The Robot
The Day The Earth Stood Still: Space Control
The Day The Earth Stood Still: Terror
The Day The Earth Stood Still: Farewell And Finale
Fahrenheit 451: Prelude
Fahrenheit 451: Fire Engine
Fahrenheit 451: The Bedroom
Fahrenheit 451: Flowers Of Fire
Fahrenheit 451: The Road And Finale
Gulliver's Travels: Overture
Gulliver's Travels: Minuetto-Wapping
Gulliver's Travels: Hornpipe
Gulliver's Travels: Lilliputians 1&2
Gulliver's Travels: Victory 1&2
Gulliver's Travels: Escape
Gulliver's Travels: The King's March
Gulliver's Travels: Trees
Gulliver's Travels: The Tightrope
Gulliver's Travels: Lovers
Gulliver's Travels: The Chess Game
Gulliver's Travels: Pursuit
Gulliver's Travels: Finale

Amazon.com

Captured on this one disc are the great film scores Bernard Herrmann did for several classic science fiction films of the '50s and '60s. Herrmann did not go in for simple atmospherics and cheap orchestral tricks with his music. He knew that the music would have to conjure a mental world all its own. This is especially true in "The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad". It's a tone poem Rimsky-Korsakov could have written. The best here is "The Day the Earth Stood Still" with its use of the (then) revolutionary theremin. It's a clear masterpiece, all on its own. --Paul Cook

Customer Reviews:

The other essential Herrmann CD.......2004-08-25

I like to think of this CD as being the "Forbidden Planet" of film scores CDs -- technically marvelous, consistently enthralling on an emotional and mental level, and way ahead of its time.

Unfortunately it is not available as I write this. Last time I visited this Amazon site, there was one CD for sale for almost $60. You'll have to make up your own mind if this music is worth that much to you. I made my choice long ago to own this and keep it in my library, conceivably forever.

With five film scores, 35 tracks and 72 minutes of the most high grade science fiction music, this CD should be considered the definitive source for Bernard Herrmann's non-Hitchcock film scores. Not only did he conduct the National Philharmonic Orchestra in these recordings, the composer approved of the Phase 4 recording and mixing. It is, as the notes say, a unique listening experience.

I have found this CD to be a constant source of imagination, vision and scope in film music that still has no peer 30 years after its production. The opening sequence to "Journey To The Center of the Earth" is better than it ever was in the theater, where the music was a hackneyed backdrop to an incredilbe film. In this CD, the music dwarfs the film action.

My favorite sequence in this issue is Herrmann's work for the Ray Bradbury novella "Fahrenheit 451", which was recast in some minds recently when "Fahrenheit 911" appeared in theaters throughout the country.

Every bit of the miracle of that little film is projected through this eerily wonderful music, which seems to comprise a world of its own. The sections help recall Sontag's first trip on the fire engine, the bedroom fire and the finale.

The lengthiest tract on this disk is the near 27 minute set from the film "Gulliver's Travels". I've never seen the movie but will attest that the music is out of this world in a very British way. This section seems closer to following the musical rules for a suite than any other on this disk.

Decca had the good sense to return the Bernard Herrmann-conducted Hitchcock scores to circulation, so maybe they will do the same with this miraculous disk. Again, the notes are nothing to write home about, but even with that considered no lover of film music or the music of Bernard Herrmann can consider their library complete without this disk.

Average customer rating:

A great idea, but incomplete
Excellent. The best of this style.

Bond and Beyond

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Beautiful Hollywood
Classics of the Silver Screen
Fantastic Journey
Selections from Victory at Sea and Other Favorites
From the Heart

ASIN: B000003CX1
Release Date: 2002-10-22

Tracks:

Theme From Goldfinger
James Bond Theme
From Russia With Love
Main Theme From Dick Tracy
Crime Spree From Dick Tracy
Main Theme From The Untouchables
Al Capone From The Untouchables
It's A Long Road From Rambo (First Blood Part Two)
Medley Of TV Adventure Themes: Dragnet/Peter Gunn/Perry Mason/The F.B.I./Hillstreet Blues/Mission Impossible/The Man From U.N.C.L.E./L.A. Law/Miami Vice/Hawaii Five-O
To Live And Let Die
For Your Eyes Only
Axel F From Beverly Hills Cop
Theme From Leathal Weapon
Woe, The Darkman, Woe! From Darkman
Nobody Does It Better
Theme From Shaft
All Time High From Octopussy

Customer Reviews:

A great idea, but incomplete.......2000-10-26

Erich Kunzel plays the Bond themes? What a great idea! In addition, there are a few more selections in the same vein, like the cops-n-robbers TV medley, music from The Untouchables, Lethal Weapon, Beverly Hills Cop, etc.

Sometimes, you want to listen to the 007 music in instrumental only, and Kunzel and the Cincinatti Pops do a good job with the arrangements. But where are the rest of the songs? Missing are three of my all-time favorites, You Only Live Twice, Diamonds Are Forever, and Moonraker. I think the album would be better with 'more Bond, less other.' We certainly don't need TWO selections from Dick Tracy. And the theme from Darkman is stylistically quite similar to Dick Tracy; nothing is gained by playing both. Don't get me wrong; I like Danny Elfman (check out his "Beetlejuice" theme on Kunzel's 'Great Fantasy Adventure Album'). I just wanted to hear all my fave Bond pieces on the one CD.

Still, it's a keeper.

Excellent. The best of this style........1999-02-15

All I can say is listen to the Trumpet solo on goldfinger. The best

Average customer rating:

Isaac Hayes' superb Polydor debut now on CD.

New Horizon
Isaac Hayes
Manufacturer: Hip-O Select
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Life on Mars/What the World Is Coming To

ASIN: B000BPL3VE
Release Date: 2006-11-13

Tracks:

Stranger in Paradise
Moonlight Lovin' (Mge Trois)
Don't Take Your Love Away
Out of the Ghetto
It's Heaven to Me

Product Description

Isaac Hayes' path to stardom began as keyboardist for the legendary Stax Records house band in Memphis, where he can be heard backing the likes of Otis Redding. He continued his career arc as a writer and producer, notably for Sam & Dave with the smash hits "Hold On, I'm Comin'" and "Soul Man." As a solo artist on Staxs Enterprise imprint, Ike broke soul and pop boundaries, setting strings against a funky bottom in extended grooves. With the score for the movie Shaft, and later movie roles, he became an icon of love, black strength and gangsta cool. Accordingly, Hayes was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2002. For his debut album on Polydor, Hayes moved his operation from his beloved Memphis to Atlanta hence the LP title. He extended his grooves and moods even further, bringing in the renowned engineer-producer Tom Moulton to mix the album. Ikes suave/swinger persona was strongly evident in "Moonlight Lovin' (Ménage á Trois)," which clearly put him at the front of the make-out music line. And for this Select Direct edition, we discovered Moultons original uncut version of the song its made for lovin at a full six minutes longer than what was on the 1977 LP release. The album also features two of Ikes greatest ballads, Its Heaven To Me and Dont Take Your Love Away.

Customer Reviews:

Isaac Hayes' superb Polydor debut now on CD........2007-04-15

After a somewhat successful stint on ABC Records, Isaac Hayes signed with Polydor and "New Horizon" was his label debut for the latter label. The big hit single "Moonlight Lovin' (Menage A Trois)" was an upbeat ballad that was equally good for both dancing and romancing (without actually being a "Disco" track per se)--the Tom Moulton-remixed version featured on this CD is quite longer than the one on the original LP. On the other hand, the stunningly-gorgeous ballad "It's Heaven To Me" is one of Isaac's most emotive but underrated songs. In all, "New Horizon" is a great late-'70s R&B album which should be in your CD collection.

Average customer rating:

A Rose By Any Other Name...
"Thus I salute the stronghold, safe from dread and dismay!
Free at last!
I Love This Recording
The Goodall Ring - 1975 - Restored and Remastered

Wagner: The Rhinegold
English National Opera
Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005B550
Release Date: 2001-05-22

Customer Reviews:

A Rose By Any Other Name..........2007-07-02

The figure of speach may not be completely correct in this instance, but, well, I hope you get the point. In any case, for a Dutch speaking person, like I, to hear 'The Ring' in a language other than the original German feels - almost shockingly(?) - natural. Certainly, this modern English translation, to me, is as least immediate, and probably even more immediate, than the original (archaic) German text. And in music drama, immediacy is essential. Maybe it is also the wonderfully natural translation, I don't know, but it works for me, the Ring in English.
But most of the credit has to go to the music, the singers, and the recording as such. I believe that this (originally analogue) remastered recording has one of the best recorded sounds and acoustics of any Ring, studio or 'live'. It is wonderfully clear but warm, kind of velvety (very unlike Solti), with beautifully natural balaces between voices and orchestra. Audience noises can be heard (including a delightful little ripple of laughter) but never really obtrusively so, thankfully. And I love the thunderclap-sound effect when Donner strikes his hammer against the rocks - very tastefully done, and lending extra power to the scene.
All the time one reads in reviews everywhere of the very slow speads at which the music is conducted by Sir Reginald Goodall. Well, that may be so, but I, for one, am certainly endeared to Sir Reginald Goodalls 'caressing' of the music, as a result of which wich the Leitmotifs come out more clearly than ever. The slow - but nonetheless very concentrated, and always involved - playing has, to me, an almost mesmerizing effect. Certainly, compared to many other recordings, the music may sound stretched almost beyond breaking point. But in the end, I think it is really just that: a matter of speed, no more. The concentration never falters and the dramatic arc never saggs. There is live 'music magic' going on here, I feel, even if the English National Opera Orchestra may not be (as precise or as diciplined as) a Wiener Philharmoniker or a Bayreuther Festspielorchester. Certainly, Sir Reginald Goodall must have loved this music and these opera's: one feels a slowly beating but constant loving pulse that energizes the drama and the music.
But we also have the singers. And what a great singers! While the best may be yet to come (with Alberto Remedios as Siegmund and Siegfried, and Rita Hunter as Brunnhilde), we here, in The Rhinegold, already have one of the most commanding of Wotans (Norman Bailey, with wonderful burnished timbre). Also, Emile Belcourt stands out as a wonderfully sleek but full-voiced Loge. Derek Hammond-Stroud's Alberich may not be as black as Gunther von Kannen's (for Barenboim), for example, but there is enough anguish, frustration and anger to lend his character a convincing reality and depth. And the giants too, are a winning pair. Especially Fafner (Clifford Grant) is as imposing and powerful as one may ever wish.
With all the rave reviews, here and elsewhere I can't wait to hear The Valkyrie, (especially) Siegfried and Twilight of the Gods. This certainly is a winning 'Ring', to be kept alongside any other 'great' recorded 'Ring' out there, IMHO. To me, it can hold its own alongside any other favorite recordings.
Please, sample this Ring (try for example the Chandos website for fragments of all of the music) and decide for yourself. Highly recommended.

"Thus I salute the stronghold, safe from dread and dismay!.......2007-06-12

Okay, so we have the Solti, Bohm, Karajan, Goodall, Boulez, Janowski, Levine, Haitink, and Sawallisch Rings on the market (I haven't listened to the other Ring recordings yet, sorry to say). And all of these leave me to one conclusion: the many differences lead me to believe that all of these ring sets have their own authenticities and setbacks. And here they are:

TIMING (Estimate):
Solti's Ring: 14 hours, 30 minutes
Bohm's Ring: 13 hours, 30 minutes
Karajan's Ring: 14 hours, 50 minutes
Goodall's Ring: 16 hours, 50 minutes
Boulez's Ring: 13 hours, 40 minutes
Janowski's Ring: 14 hours, 0 minutes
Levine's Ring: 15 hours, 20 minutes
Haitink's Ring: 14 hours, 10 minutes
Sawallisch's Ring: 14 hours, 0 minutes

CONDUCTING:
Solti: Solti's conducting is driven with sheer muscle, but sometimes he makes the Ring overemotional. His Walkure & Gotterdammerung Preludes are clear examples: they're annoyingly bombastic. Nonetheless he almost seldom loses control with anything. His clear focus on the drama is astonishing.

Bohm: I must say his live Bayreuth recording brings out some of the best. He puts more faith in the orchestral score, but he also gives it more intensity. His tempi are some of the quickest, but they still don't seem rushed at all (except maybe "Wohin schleich'st du eilig und schlau"). I especially like his "Forging Scene" & "Hagen Summons the Vassals"; both are the most energetic on disc.

Karajan: Karajan's chamber approach is very interesting. Instead of going for the drama or the energy, the conductor goes for the beauty. Almost everything in his Ring sounds very ethereal because of his excessive use of lyricism. His orchestral preludes (except Walkure Act 1) sound more beautiful than others, and much of the soft parts (such as Siegfried Act Three Scene Three) are controlled nicely. His "Funeral March" and "Immolation" are recommendable. Siegfried Act Three Scene Two could have improved with more tension.

Goodall: Oh, boy. While I do praise Goodall with his amazing attention to detail, his ridiculously sluggish tempi will tick some Wagnerites off: nothing is faster than andante. But I did enjoy listening to the slow beauty of his "Wotan's Farewell/Magic Fire Music". This was recorded live and sung in English.

Boulez: Here it is, folks - the controversial Centennial Ring. To fit the Ring Cycle in the industrial age, Boulez gives it a very Schoenbergian, Bartokian atmosphere. Much of his tempi are very quick, very Bohm-like, though they're still not as fast as Bohm. Keep in mind, though, this live Ring works only if you hear AND see it (the DVD's work best).

Janowski: This is a very classical Ring. Instead of bombast, spacious, or lyrical passion, maestro Janowski gives us the straightforward approach. He goes straight for Wagner's original intentions (precise tempi, dynamics, flow of leitmotivs, etc.), which makes this another exquisite Ring. "Hagen Summons the Vassals" is probably the fastest I've ever heard (along with Sawallisch's). Rheingold Scene Four can be best described as "sensational".

Levine: While he does stay true to the score like Bohm, this conductor makes for a somewhat dull Ring. His handling of the orchestra is nice, but the moderately slow tempi he chooses is flawed. It should be more animated. His beautiful "Funeral March" and "Erda's Warning" are two of the few flawless features.

Haitink: This might be seen as a disappointment. If you want great conducting, then this is for you. If you want a persuasive array of singers, look somewhere else. Haitink's conducting saves this work from being a total flop. There is nothing quite like his Rheingold & Gotterdammerung ("Siegfried's Rhine Journey" is a bit forced, but magnificent nonetheless).

Sawallisch: I guess you can say that Sawallisch is half-Karajan, half-Janowski. While he does stay true to the orchestral score like Janowski, he also puts in a little Karajan-like lyricism. At some points he loses track with orchestra and singers (as does every live recording) but Bohm has more control. This was also recorded live.

ORCHESTRA:
Solti's Vienna Philharmonic: The woodwinds are the most beautiful in Solti's Ring (the "Forest Murmurs" is clear evidence of that). French horns and Wagner tubas make this a recommended listening. The strings in "Heda Heda Hedo" could've added a bit more work, but they are strikingly spectacular everywhere else. The orchestra gives it their all in Siegfried Act Two & Three, but they are at their weakest in Walkure Act One & Three (Bohm's Bayreuth does it better). Overall, it's the loudest and certainly most bombastic out of all the Ring orchestras combined.

Bohm's Bayreuth Festival: The ultimate Wagnerian orchestra gives it their all. The brass both high and low are the most powerful, while the woodwinds are the most delicate. The strings are muffled only a few times, otherwise the eighteen anvils are perfectly loud and clear. Erda's scenes aren't as effective as Janowski's, but the entire Walkure is more successful than Janowski's when it comes to tone & technique. Overall, this orchestra is the most dramatic.

Karajan's Berlin Philharmonic: The entire orchestra sounds polished, not to say that it is bad. Indeed the drama is still there, but much of the suspense is lacking (the scenes with Fasolt and Fafner come to mind). The brass sometimes overpowers the strings, which can be a serious problem. Gotterdammerung "Three Norns" Scene sounds very mysterious, very eerie.

Goodall's English National Opera: This orchestra sounds nice, even if the sluggishness can bring them down at times. The Flight of the Valkyries doesn't sound too good in a slow tempo, but the entire orchestra does sound lucid here. Siegfried Act Two Prelude is the creepiest. All of the leitmotivs are heard loud and clear, just like in Janowski's version.

Boulez's Bayreuth Festival: While it doesn't really pack the same punches as Bohm's Bayreuth, it still delivers a stunning performance. Orchestral interaction between characters (Ex. Siegfried's motifs mixed in with Mime's motifs) fares better than Berlin's and English National's. Rhine maiden motifs are given more wit, while the Dragon motifs are played with less eeriness. Beauty makes up for the irritatingly quick "Wotan's Farewell".

Janowski's Staatskapelle Dresden: This orchestra has the same force & flair as does Boulez's Bayreuth Festival, only Dresden sounds much clearer due to the fantastic digital sound. Even minor details are heard clear in this Ring. The strings imitate the Siegfried forest very well, while the woodwinds representing the songbird are wonderful (but not as wonderful as Solti's songbird). Dresden's "Magic Fire Music" (along with Berlin's) is the most extravagant.

Levine's Metropolitan Opera: The brass and woodwinds are the true stars. The strings sound too tired to continue on in Siegfried & Gotterdammerung. The Finale to Rheingold is absolutely stunning (the trumpets and trombones will not disappoint), and the Second Act of Walkure is the most impressive, the most refined.

Haitink's Bavarian Radio Symphony: This may very well be like Metropolitan, only this sounds much more poignant. The strings sound better and the percussion sound clearer. The leitmotivs are almost never screwed up. First scene of Rheingold will take one's breath away.

Sawallisch's Bavarian State: Wrong notes in this live recording won't matter, as the entire orchestra gets everything going in all four nights at the opera. The strings never surrender to imperfection, and the winds are marvelously aligned. I just wish that some of the singers would keep up with the orchestra.

SINGERS:
-Wotan
Solti: Hans Hotter is the superior Wotan. He sounds powerful throughout the Ring (except Rheingold, in which a less stellar George London performs).

Bohm and Janowski: Theo Adam in Bohm's live recording is another treat. While he is not as equally impressive as Hotter, he can certainly conjure up everlasting emotions. Adam sounds weaker in Janowski's studio recording, but he still doesn't disappoint.

Karajan: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau plays Wotan in "Rheingold," while Thomas Stewart replaces Fischer-Dieskau in "Walkure" and "Siegfried". I don't think Fischer-Dieskau was a good choice; he sounds too humane and too light. Stewart makes an astounding improvement in both "Walkure" and "Siegfried".

Goodall: Norman Bailey has that divine spark that Hotter used to cherish. He's heavy and unblemished, and he handles the English text with flair and sheen.

Boulez: If you watch Donald McIntyre on the Centennial Ring production, then you can tell that he's a fine "industrial" Wotan. If you just hear him on CD, then you'll be disappointed. His diction is weak, his emotions are forced, and his voice sounds robotic. The DVD's will do.

Levine and Haitink: James Morris is a notch below Hotter, Adam, and Bailey, but he overpowers Fischer-Dieskau pretty much throughout the Levine's and Haitink's Ring.

Sawallisch: I may be biased, but Robert Hale just didn't do it for me. He sounded dull and tedious, and his Wotan's Farewell wasn't enough to sadden me.

-Brunnhilde
Solti and Bohm: Birgit Nilsson is the best Brunnhilde on the market. Her Valkyrie cry is delightful, and her final scene in Gotterdammerung is brilliant beyond belief.

Karajan: Regine Crespin is without a doubt one of the finest Brunnhildes after Nilsson. She's fantastic in Walkure Act Three. I just wish she stayed on as the Valkyrie later on in the Ring (Helga Dernesch is no good in Gotterdammerung, sorry to say).

Goodall: Rita Hunter is at her strongest in Walkure and Siegfried. She is at her weakest in Gotterdammerung. What may have caused her downfall in the fourth installment? "The world may never know."

Boulez: How can anyone not be impressed by the Brunnhilde of Gwyneth Jones? One can almost feel her excitement during Siegfried Act Three, and her fear in Walkure Act Three. Her weakest point is probably during her Gotterdammerung Prologue (a bit too stressed).

Janowski: Jeannine Altmeyer is basically the most controversial Brunnhilde on CD. Some people say that she's too light and weak, while others say she sounds young and very enchanting. I'm with those who think Altmeyer was a good choice, but you yourself (the shopper) are going to have to decide whether she's good or not.

Levine and Sawallisch: Hildegard Behrens is just like Nilsson and Crespin: while she's not the best, she is definitely another perfect Brunnhilde of choice. She's at her most dazzling when she performs Walkure (Levine) and Siegfried (Sawallisch).

Haitink: Hmph. I was hoping that Eva Marton would do well here. I was seriously let down by her strained singing. She does okay in "Annunciation of Death", but she is at her worst in "Immolation".

-Siegmund & Sieglinde
Let's see. For the Siegmunds, we have James King for Solti and Bohm, Jon Vickers for Karajan, Alberto Remedios for Goodall, Peter Hoffman for Boulez, Siegfried Jerusalem for Janowski, Gary Lakes for Levine, Reiner Goldberg for Haitink, and Robert Schunk for Sawallisch. For the Sieglindes, we have Regine Crespin for Solti, Leonie Rysanek for Bohm, Gundula Janowitz for Karajan, Margaret Curphy for Goodall, Jeanine Altmeyer for Boulez, Jessye Norman for both Janowski and Levine, Cheryl Studer for Haitink, and Julia Varady for Sawallisch. Hmm . . . Jerusalem is good . . . and so is Vickers . . . Janowitz is charming, and so is . . . Oh, what the heck? All the singers for Siegmund and Sieglinde are fantastic. Three exceptions, though: Goldberg and Schunk don't sound heroic enough, and Norman for Levine doesn't sound young and innocent enough.

-Siegfried
Solti and Bohm: Wolfgang Windgassen may very well be the best Siegfried for the ages. His `Forging Scene" in both renditions are defiantly inspiring. His last scene in Gotterdammerung is celestial and overwhelming.

Karajan: Jess Thomas (Siegfried) and Helge Brilioth (Gotterdammerung) may not be as ideal as Windgassen, but they do know how to be a magnificent heldentenor. Thomas pulls it off with Act One and Three.

Goodall: Wow! What a singer that Alberto Remedios! He never drags in either of the last two installments, and he uses the correct emotions in every scene that he is in.

Boulez: Is Manfred Jung a good tenor? Yes. Is he a good Heldentenor? NO. He doesn't have that heroic voice like Windgassen and Remedios. Again, the DVD's are your safest bet.

Janowski and Sawallisch: Rene Kollo's Siegfried is a poetically expressive one. In Janowski's version he sounds playful when he's in Mime's home, and he sounds willed when he's in the Gibich Hall. He is not good enough in Sawallisch's version, however. His tiresome "Forging Scene" is obvious evidence of that.

Levine: Oh, Reiner Goldberg. At least you tried. Seriously, he sounds too tedious (especially in Gotterdammerung Act Three Scene Two) and too old. Levine should've chose Kollo or Jerusalem when he recorded his studio Ring.

Haitink: Have you ever seen Siegfried Jerusalem on the Levine/Metropolitan DVD? Well, here he is again, and this time, he sings with more valor and enthusiasm. Bravo!

-Alberich
Solti and Bohm: Gustav Niedlinger has a heaviness that overwhelms a few other baritones. When he sings his only sequence in Gotterdammerung Act Two Scene One, his emotion is so pure that his son Hagen would've drowned himself in tears (Too melodramatic? Sorry about that.). The only problem is that his character sounds too one-dimensional. Alberich isn't just some cardboard-cutout bad guy. He has a very good reason why he wants to take revenge on the world. Overall, Niedlinger is amazing throughout Wagner's Ring (He deserves many awards for "Bin ich nun frei?").

Karajan: I guess you can say that Zoltan Kelemen tries his best throughout. He is not good in Rheingold, but he gets better in Siegfried and Gotterdammerung.

Goodall: Derek Hammond-Stroud is three-dimensional, but not that much. Still, he can sound very demanding in Rheingold Scene One and Siegfried Act Two Scene One.

Boulez: What we have here is the weak Alberich of Hermann Becht. When he's in Nibelheim, the authority isn't there. When he's in the Neid-Hohle forest, the creepiness isn't there. And when he's near the Gibich house, the misery isn't there. Even on DVD he's unsatisfactory.

Janowski: Siegmund Nimsgern may be the most humane Alberich yet, but it's all good. He sings with more passion than Kelemen and more robustness than Hammond-Stroud. Niedlinger's ferociousness puts him below, however. "Schaf'st du, Hagen, mein sohn?" is noteworthy.

Levine and Sawallisch: Ekkehard Wlaschiha is one hell of a vigorous Alberich. I praise him in Rheingold Scene One and Three. His performance in Siegfried (both versions) could've improved with more distrustfulness towards Mime and the Wanderer.

Haitink: No offense, but Theo Adam as Alberich? Come on . . .

-Mime
Solti and Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is the creepiest Mime ever known to humankind. This dwarf outsings other Mimes on the market. When he sings "Die stucken! Das Schwert!" his anger and fear is the most effective to almost all Ring listeners.

Bohm: Erwin Wohlfahrt wins second place. He gives a first-rate performance in Siegfried Act One, but loses some of his edge in Act Two. He is an exceptional Mime nonetheless. Look for him in Karajan's Rheingold, also.

Goodall: Gregory Dempsey isn't emotional enough. He doesn't sound fearful or depressed at all, which makes him the dullest Mime for the Ring.

Boulez and Levine: Heinz Zednik is yet another excellent Mime, VERY fun to listen to. There is much humor and eccentricity in his voice, and that's what makes his dwarf much more compelling than Dempsey's dwarf. His performance in Rheingold Scene Three is pure gold, while his performance in Siegfried (particularly "Willkommen, Siegfried!") is a stunning achievement.

Janowski: Peter Schreier is for Siegfried, while Christian Vogel is for Rheingold. Vogel is less than perfect, while Schreier is way beyond outstanding. Schreier is less ghoulish and more benevolent, more three-dimensional than Stolze and Wohlfahrt. He is equal to Zednik when it comes to humaneness and lyricism. The only flaw I can find is his handling of "Die stucken! Das Schwert!" He could've added a bit more fear in that sequence.

Haitink: Peter Haage sounds like he's entertaining young kids. His version of Mime is a bit childish, and the dark humor that the dwarf brings out sounds-over-the-top here. Nonetheless, he is still entertaining to listen to ("Wer halfe mir?" has never sounded better).

Sawallisch: Helmut Pampuch is just like Schreier and Zednik: he's very VERY good. Nuff said.

-Loge
Solti: Set Svanholm may be the weakest Loge. He is not very ominous throughout all of his scenes, and his lack of a sinister atmosphere is greatly affects the entire Rheingold. But he'll soon be forgotten later on during the Trilogy.

Bohm: Why the heck would the conductor have Wolfgang Windgassen play both Siegfried AND Loge? The demi-god needs to sound different from a son of a Walsung. Again, another Loge that's marred by lack of cunning.

Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is easily the most entertaining Loge to listen to. He has the wit, the craftiness, and the untrustworthiness that the character deserves. His scenes in Scene Three are delightful.

Goodall: Emile Belcourt isn't as good as Stolze, but he certainly can make some of the best of an English-speaking Loge.

Boulez and Haitink: I can summon Heinz Zednik's performance in just three words: Brilliant Beyond Belief!

Janowski: Peter Schreier is the most eccentric out of all of them, and that's a fact. Much of his singing involves imagination, peril, vengeance, and deviousness. Belcourt and Zednik depend only on vengeance and deviousness, Stolze only imagination and deviousness, Windgassen and Svanholm only peril. His odd conversations with Alberich and the gods/goddesses are classic.

Levine: Siegfried Jerusalem doesn't seem like a good choice for Loge. He's better off playing Siegmund or Siegfried, but not a demi-god.

Sawallisch: Robert Tear is on par with Stolze and Zednik. Sometimes he takes things too low, but all is forgiven with his management of character development.

-Everyone Else
Uh-huh, what can I say? Everyone else does a good job in all Ring recordings. Matti Salminen is the perfect Hagen (Janowski, Levine, and Sawallisch), while Kirsten Flagstad is the most brilliant Fricka (Solti). Anja Silja is the most memorable Freia (Bohm), while Kurt Moll makes the most fabulous Hunding yet (Janowski, Levine, and Sawallisch). The Norns and Rheinmaidens do a splendid job in Solti, Janowski, and Levine. The Vassals (male choir) are at their unsurpassed in Bohm, Goodall, and Boulez. The only flawed Erda is Anne Collins (Goodall), maybe too light and too heavy at times. All in all, no one here is graded C or lower.

CONCLUSION: I have yet to listen to Barenboim's Bayreuth presentation, Neuhold's Badische version, and the essential mono recordings (Furtwangler, Krauss, etc.), but I'm pretty sure that have their advantages and disadvantages. So there you have it. We have the histrionic Solti, the energetic Bohm, the otherworldly Karajan, the spacious Goodall, the industrialized Boulez, the truthful Janowski, the unhurried Levine, the abnormal Haitink, and the serious Sawallisch Rings. They have their own authenticities and setbacks, and they certainly have their own significances for Ring listeners everywhere.

The Box Set: Wagner: The Ring Cycle (Box Set)
-The Valkyrie (Part 2): Wagner: The Valkyrie
-Siegfried (Part 3): Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
-Twilight of the Gods (Part 4): The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)

Free at last!.......2004-09-18

I've enjoyed listening to the Ring cycles by Solti, Bohm, and Furtwangler, but my pleasure has always been dampened by the necessity to follow the dramas with a German/English libretto. This performance freed me from that burden and allowed me to listen to the Ring with my ears alone for the first time. And what a delightful experience it was! I found I could understand about half the words the first time through. but that was enough for me to understand what the characters were saying and concentrate on Wagner's great music. Some of the characters (Loge and Alberich, for example) are almost perfectly comprehensible, while others (Fricka in particular) might as well be singing in German. The sound itself is superb, with perfect balances between orchestra and voices. Goodall's conducting is famously slow (about half an hour longer than usual), but he is never slack and he reveals a wealth of detail in the orchestration. The singers are a mixed lot, with Loge, Alberich, and Mime particularly effective. Bailey is hardly the grandest of Wotans, but he is solid and convincing. In any event, for us non-German listeners, this recording is a real treat. I would not recommend it as a first Ring (Bohm is a good choice, though some of his tempi are rather hectic), but as a supplement to a recoding in the original language, it is hard to beat. Give it a try! As for me, I'm ready to go on to "Die Walkure" (pardon me, "The Valkyrie").

I Love This Recording.......2002-04-05

I was a little suspicious when approaching this English-language version of Das Rhinegold. I was considering assembling this as my third RING set (behind Solti and Levine) and had listened to THE VALKYRIE (Die Walkure) with a little initial disappointment. Although the live sound quality was very interesting, the tempo was much slower than I was used to and thus a little disconcerting, and the English words were harder to understand than I had hoped. Nevertheless, I persevered and listended to THE RHINEGOLD (probably my favorite of the four RING operas, although I know this puts me in a minority) and was amazed. Best of all, after listening to this album I revisited the Goodall VALKYRIE and discovered a new appreciation! Now the Goodall set ranks as one of the best I've heard. It just needed to get under my skin a bit.

What's so good about it? Three things stand out for me: First, the slow tempi that were a litle rough at first actually allow, upon repeated listenings, a new discovery and understanding of Wagner's unfathomable genius. Every nuance is slowed down just enough to be fully accessible. Second, the modern English translation really does make this a different experience...my initial mistake was thinking that English lyrics could allow me to listen to this as background music, and that's not the case. However, if one devotes the same attention to this as a German recording, the time wil be richly rewarded. Finally, the smaller orchestra creates an almost chamber music-esque setting, which compliments the music in an undefinable way. Despite being in English, this is almost more Germanic than original-language recordings.

I still probably wouldn't get this as the first foray into Wagner's RING (I still think Solti or Levine are the choices for that). But for someone who already has some familiarity with the work, this will provide a lifetime's enjoyment. Cudos to Chandos for resurrecting these recordings!

The Goodall Ring - 1975 - Restored and Remastered.......2001-06-08

I have been curious about this for years. When I saw the packaging, I wondered whether this was the same Ring that has been kicking around for a couple of decades from the Sadler's Wells performances of the mid-70s. News flash: It's the same. However, the box says that it's been re-mastered with something called 24-bit digital mastering. Since I never heard the old records, I have no idea if this is better. Judged on its own, the sound is terrific. This live recording really places the listener in the theater with clarity and authentic spaciousness. So often, a live recording will capture the audience up close, then the orchestra, then the singers, cataloguing every throat being cleared and every bow being tapped. Somewhere in the distance, the singers voices follow their heavy tread over the stage. Not here. There is an intimacy to the sound here that approximates sitting in about the tenth row back in a large hall. It doesn't sound like the opera's being played in your room; it sounds as though your room has been transformed into a medium sized theater. I found it uncanny.

As to the experience of the drama in English, that too is remarkable, at least for someone like me whose home-tongue is English. The drama takes on an immediacy that I have never experienced before. This factor alone is why you should explore this Ring. I can't overemphasize the impact on me that this recording had on me because it was in English and because it was well-acted. Surely this is what Wagner meant, at least dramaturgically (obviously allowing that you can't actually see the action).

Overall, the singing is competent, and in some places, it's excellent. None of the cast really stands out musically. Norman Bailey's wobbly Wotan could have certainly benefitted from a deeper, richer tone. Still, and perhaps more importantly, he creates a god who is clearly unsure of where the moral highground is, even when he's standing on "an open space on a mountain summit." Everyone, for that matter, is dramatically convincing, especially Emile Belcourt (Loge) and Derek Hammond-Stroud (Alberich) and Robert Lloyd (Fasolt), all of whom, by the way, have excellent diction. And speaking of diction, I almost could have done without the libretto when the men were singing. Not so with the women, whose diction was uniformly wanting.

Goodall's pace is notoriously glacial. Still, it's interesting to hear it parsed in this way, and I never had the feeling that I was going to fall off the world. Which is to say that the tempos were deliberate, not affected. This was definitely a labor of love for RG and the English National Opera. The orchestra is a little thin sounding, and perhaps, not entirely up to the score. Occasionally a horn mis-blew and a cello creaked. This is unavoidable in live performances, I suppose. Still, there is a surprising sense of smallness to the ensemble, even though there's never a moment when the balance between singers and players is lost. As a result, the overall effect is a balance of clarity and urgency that is clearly the upside of Goodall's idiosyncratic "vision" of the score. Not a huge or "erotic" sound, but always committed, intelligent, and sometimes impassioned.

For all of its flaws, this is an astonishing and, for me, an indispensible recording because it made me listen to this opera with new ears. While it's not the most lyrically pleasing recording (Karajan) or musically authoritative (that would be Solti, IMHO), dramatically, this Rhinegold excells any recording I know of. I will definitely buy the rest of the set.

Music From And Inspired By Shaft
Average customer rating:

Not As Bad As The Movie Was (3.5 Stars)

If You Saw Me On Church On Sunday You Can Tell...

Hit- CD, every song's just great!

Donell Saves The Day

The Coolest Soundtrack

Music From And Inspired By Shaft
Original Soundtrack
Manufacturer: Arista
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004TDXT
Release Date: 2000-06-13

Tracks:

Shaft: Theme - Isaac Hayes
Bad Man - R. Kelly
Up And Outta Here - R. Kelly
Do What I Gotta Do - Donell Jones
Rock Wit U - Alicia Keys
We Servin' - Big Gipp
Tough Guy - Outkast
2 Glock 9's - T.I.P.
Summer Rain - Carl Thomas
Automatic - Sleepy Brown
Pimp Sh*t - Too Short
Cheatin' - Liberty City
Fix Me - Parle
How You Want It? - Mil
Ain't Gonna See Tomorrow - Mystikal
My Lovin' Will Give You Something - Angie Stone
Serenata Negra - Fulanito

Amazon.com

"Who is the man that would risk his life for his brother man?" Why, the same man who nearly 30 years later is brought to life by Samuel L. Jackson in John Singleton's remake of the 1971 classic. That's private eye John Shaft--any questions? Isaac Hayes won an Oscar for the original movie's theme and that double-album soundtrack remains an essential of its genre. It's a tall order to fill those flatfoot shoes, but there's plenty of fine soul music here to go around. R. Kelly scrubs away the varnish of modern R&B with two compelling old-school grooves, "Bad Man" and "Up and Outta Here." Donell Jones, Alicia Keys, Carl Thomas, and Angie Stone also ride out the early 1970s R&B vibe with lush strings and funky guitars backlighting the romantic mood. It's not all nostalgia, however. Big Gipp (featuring Goodie Mob), OutKast, Sleepy Brown, and others represent today's hip-hop laced with a healthy nod to the days of Philly Soul, Gamble and Huff-style. --Rob O'Connor

Customer Reviews:

Not As Bad As The Movie Was (3.5 Stars).......2004-10-05

The opening track to this soundtrack is the wonderful "Theme From Shaft" by the legendary Isaac Hayes. All similarities with the original soundtrack end there. I mean that in a good way though. This soundtrack has a feel of its own. It starts off strong, but it doesn't finish very well. The first track is followed up by two songs from R. Kelly with "Bad Man" being the better of the two. Even though I'm not the biggest Alicia Keys fan, I have to admit that she does an wonderful job on the sexy "Rock Wit U". Big Gipp comes through and drops the tight "We Servin'". There's more DF music to be found from the Outkast collaboration with UGK on the incredibly funky "Tough Guy" (which Andre totally rips) and the amazing "Automatic" from the underrated Sleepy Brown which also features Backbone and Big Rube. Carl Thomas contributes "Summer Rain" which can also be found on his own album. And "Ain't Gonna See Tomorrow" is a pretty good contribution from Mystikal.

There are a few mistakes to be found on this album though. Tracks like "Fix Me", "Pimp Sh*t", "How You Want It?", and "Cheatin" could have been left off of this album and I don't think anyone would have even noticed. There weren't necessarily bad songs, but they were definitely skippable. Donell Jones' contribution (Do What I Gotta Do) was somewhat predictable and boring. The same could be said about Angie Stone's song too. And the duet of T.I. (known as T.I.P. on this album) and Beanie Sigel (Two Glock 9's) mixes about as well as oil and water. And "Serenata Negra" from Fulanito seems VERY out of place on this soundtrack. I'd have to say that the negatives all end there.

Overall, I'd have to say that this soundtrack is pretty solid. It's not as fluid as its predecessor, but it's funky and fun in its own right. This was a great soundtrack in an era of cookie cutter soundtracks that accompany most "black" movies. I'd reccomend getting this album if you don't have these albums already. The good songs on this album definitely make it worth the money.

Standout Tracks: Bad Man - R. Kelly, We Servin' - Big Gipp, Automatic - Sleepy Brown feat. Backbone & Big Rube, Rock Wit U - Alicia Keys, Tough Guy - Outkast feat. UGK, and Summer Rain - Carl Thomas

If You Saw Me On Church On Sunday You Can Tell..........2001-10-09

That This is the best soundtrack released for a very long time! Featurings such great artists as Donnell Jones, Carl Thomas, Liberty City and of course Isaac Hayes. The old school groove is really great without sounding dated.

But the shining moment for me is R Kelly's song "Up and Outta Here". It is in the same league as "I Believe I Can Fly". Here is an artist who really puts an effort in his soundtrack work. Anyone who has heard "I Believe I Can Fly", "Gotham City", "Take My Time Tonight" and "Freak Me" will know that R Kelly is at his best on soundtracks.

Hit- CD, every song's just great!.......2000-10-02

Mostly Soundtrack- Compilations aren't very good. That's because most of the artists don't work as hard for a Soundtrack as for their albums. But sometimes there's a light that shines through the fog. For me the new Shaft- Soundtrack is that light. Since I have it I listened so many times to it that I can't count it. The CD contains the best song of Mystikal and I find that Parlé sang one of the most beautyful r&b- songs ever made. R. Kelly gave all of his skills and created two wonderful old school- ballads. It seems like almost half of the artists really tried hard to keep their songs old school and respect so the original, like Alicia Keys, Angie Stone, Big Gipp, Outkast and many others. This album is superior.

Donell Saves The Day.......2000-07-30

I honestly don't think much of the soundtrack but it does showcase the immensely talented and smooth Donell Jones. This is one of the most slept on artists in the industry. Do what I gotta do is one of the best tracks that I've heard in a long, long time. Pick up the Where I wanna Be cd because is R and B with a bit of an edge.

The Coolest Soundtrack.......2000-07-12

so far this year. I am really feeling the R. Kelly, the Donell Jones, and the Carl Thomas. And they absolutely HAD to put Isaac Hayes in there. This soundtrack is great.

Average customer rating:

Are You Man Enough?

Shaft in Africa
Original Soundtrack
Manufacturer: Hip-O Select
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000BJ1QNA
Release Date: 2006-08-01

Product Description

The way the film was billed was "The Brother Man In The Motherland." And that may be about as much as you really need to know about the plot of Shaft In Africa, the movie. This was the third and final outing for Richard Roundtree as the blaxploitation hero John Shaft, and the beginning of a 27-year hiatus for the character, who returned in 2000 with Samuel L. Jackson in the title role (although Roundtree made an appearance as "Uncle John" Shaft in that film). Score composer Johnny Pate had had some small chart success back in 1958 with his Johnny Pate Quintet's "Swinging Shepherd Blues," which grazed the Top 20 of the R&B charts. Pate also collaborated with the Impressions (as arranger) for a string of hits in the early Sixties, which led to an A&R gig at ABC-Paramount. The signature tune from the movie, "Are You Man Enough," was performed by the Four Tops, who had recently exited their long-term relationship with Motown and had signed to ABC. It captures the flavor of the film magnificently, with classic blaxploitation lyrics such as "Are you man enough/Big and bad enough/Are you gonna let 'em shoot you down?" Two minutes and twelve seconds of pop perfection, that.

Customer Reviews:

Are You Man Enough?.......2006-02-08

One of the toughest soundtracks to come from the early '70s' Black action cinema movement. The core of the soundtrack is The Tops' "Are You Man Enough"; here, Levi isn't beggin' for her to come back, but for you to come correct. The magnificent Johnny Pate fleshes out the album with his score, with the opening track "You Can't Even Walk In The Park" one of the most blistering jazz funk soundtrack cuts around.

The mini-LP jacket is a nice reminder of why we bought records - the feel of the jacket in your hands, the artwork, slipping the inner sleeve out, putting the record on, and getting lost in the album for about 40 minutes. Right on, right on.

Average customer rating:

A Soundtrack Better Than The Movie - A Sonic Masterpiece

Shaft
Isaac Hayes
Manufacturer: Stax
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000YTP84
Release Date: 2004-01-20

Tracks:

Theme from Shaft [Vocal Version]
Bumpy's Lament
Walk from Regio's
Ellie's Love Theme
Shaft's Cab Ride
Cafe Regio's
Early Sunday Morning
Be Yourself
Friend's Place
Soulsville [Vocal Version]
No Name Bar
Bumpy's Blues
Shaft Strikes Again
Do Your Thing [Vocal Version]
End Theme

Customer Reviews:

A Soundtrack Better Than The Movie - A Sonic Masterpiece.......2004-07-25

It's not often that a movie soundtrack surpasses the film for which it is created. Too often today, soundtracks are simply slapped-together compilations of songs by various artists that don't flow well as albums. However, this soundtrack from the early '70s is an exception to that rule.

Those who only know Isaac Hayes as the voice of Chef on South Park are missing out on one of the true giants of early 70s soul/jazz/pop/rock music. His recordings for Stax are legendary, but perhaps nothing he did is more well known than The Theme From Shaft. With the Bar-Kays and The Movement laying killer grooves, the music here breaks all the rules and can't be pigeonholed - tough, gritty street music that is as smooth as satin at the same time.

A lot of care was taken in the original recording, and that shines through on this SACD. From the high-hat and wah-wah guitar riff that opens the CD, you know that you are in for a sonic treat. The whole CD is full of surprises, both musically & sonically. George Horn did a terrific mastering job on this and the warmth and detail of all the instruments here is breathtaking.

This is an incredible version of a classic recording!!

Average customer rating:

A much-welcome Celtic-prog treasure trove

Anthology
Dando Shaft
Manufacturer: Rpm Records UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

Folk | Imports | Stores | Music

Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
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Early Morning Hush: Notes from the UK Folk Underground 1969-1976
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The Garden of Jane Delawney
Alchemy/Elements

ASIN: B00006BC7I
Release Date: 2005-04-18

Tracks:

Rain
Cold Wind
September Wine
Cat Song
In The Country
Drops Of Brandy
End Of The Game
Lazily Slowly
Coming Home To Me
Railway
Whispering Ned
Sometimes
Riverboat
Kalyope Driver
Waves Upon The Ether
Dewet
'Til The Morning Comes
Pass It On
Prayer
Lullaby

Tracks:

Spring Clog Dance
Thruxton Flute
Digging Up The Roses
Don't Forget The Animal
Sun Clog Dance
Road Song
Is It Me
Down To You, Up To Me
Melancholic Fervour (It's Only Us)
It Was Good
The Harp Lady I Bombed
The Plack Prince Of Paradise
When I'm Weary
I Heard Somewhere
The Magnetic Beggar

Album Description

Collects the groups first three albums, An Evening With, Dando Shaft & Lantaloon plus two bonus tracks 'Lullaby' & 'Sun Clog Dance' (single A-side). Formed in 1968 Dando Shaft were a 5-piece folk-band from Coventry. 2002.

Customer Reviews:

A much-welcome Celtic-prog treasure trove.......2004-01-18

An extraordinary 2-CD reissue of three early-'70s British folk-fusion albums by this little-known but quite accomplished English group out of Coventry. This collects all the material from the LPs "An Evening With Dando Shaft" (1970), "Dando Shaft" (1971), and "Lantaloon," from 1972, along with a few added outtakes and rarities. The musical calibre and adventurousness on all three albums was quite high: at a time when many of their hippie contemporaries were groping in the dark (both literally and figuratively...) the members of Dando Shaft were quite solid in their musical abilities and conceptual/compositional structure. Their original material was marked by jazzy, dancing mandolin work, hearty trad-folk vocals and a touch of loping Balkan melodies, the group sounded quite accomplished and assured, and yet loose and limber enough to be kinda fun as well... and still as fresh sounding today as it was back then! Fans of contemporary acts such as The Incredible String Band, Pentangle and Planxty owe it to themselves to check this one out.

Music:

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