Live at the Sahara Tahoe

by Richie UnterbergerYou could expect Isaac Hayes to be in his element at a resort venue -- lounge soul was his forte, and this double album offers almost two hours of it. Hayes demonstrates his versatility by getting "Shaft" out of the way right off the bat and alternating between originals and covers of a wide range of tunes, including "Light My Fire," "Never Can Say Goodbye," "Rock Me Baby," "Stormy Monday Blues," "Feelin' Alright," and "It's Too Late" (yes, the Carole King song). Often these are linked together, of course, by Hayes' brotherly raps; for Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine," he tests the limits, stretching the tune just past the ten-minute mark. The set has a funky lounge lizard charm, but it's too much to bear at once, except for the most devoted of fans.