From FoxNews.com’s Roger Friedman: “Kudos to Isaac Hayes. The great writer-producer-performer was back in form on Saturday night at B.B. King’s (New York), one year after suffering a debilitating stroke that caused him some career trouble. While Isaac was recuperating and unable to speak, the Church of Scientology ‘resigned him’ from South Park and denied he had had the stroke. It was ugly.
“On Saturday, Hayes bravely tackled two shows. I saw the late one, and he didn’t disappoint. After telling the audience that he had ‘health challenges’ last year and had been in rehab, Isaac let loose with ‘Shaft,’ ‘By the Time I Get to Phoenix,’ ‘Walk on By,’ ‘I Stand Accused’ and all his jazz-soul inflected hits from the 1970s with great ease.
“It was an impressive showing. Along with Dick Clark, who continues to improve from his stroke and make TV appearances, Isaac is an inspiration to anyone who has suffered from this calamitous brain attack.
“Satisfactory recovery is possible, and they are the proof of it. Watch for Isaac to release a new album in the next year or so, on the revitalized Stax Records, now owned by Norman Lear’s Concord Records.”
Read all of Friedman’s column.
