Instrumentals

by Richie UnterbergerInstrumentals is just what it says: instrumental tracks by Hayes, from the first half of the 1970s. As could be expected, most of the songs are from soundtracks that Hayes did during the period, with over half of them originally appearing on Shaft or Truck Turner. While this funk is more atmospheric than innovative, it's mood music par excellence on those occasions when you want to simulate the vibe of cruising dimly lit, but not quite menacing, bars in search of a good time. Hayes let some of his jazzier inclinations come to the fore on some of the compositions (like "Cafe Regio's," the B-side to "Shaft"), and his band was tight but smooth. As far as rarities for the Hayes fan who might already have a lot of this, there's not much. But there is a previously unreleased instrumental version of "Type Thang" (which appears on Shaft in a vocal take), as well as an instrumental arrangement of "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" that didn't surface until a 1998 compilation.