New Horizon

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 Stax’s 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. Ike’s 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 Moulton’s original uncut version of the song – it’s made for lovin’ at a full six minutes longer than what was on the 1977 LP release. The album also features two of Ike’s greatest ballads, “It’s Heaven To Me” and “Don’t Take Your Love Away.”