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Title: Captivating funk and jazz
Review: Like the man himself, 'Raw and Refined' is at once tough, gritty, soulful and ever so smooth. I have alot of memories tied up with this album (purchased whilst living in America for a year in '96) and whenever I play this it calls back memories of late-night carousing, dalliances and excursions around the USA. Like Isaac Hayes' legendary album 'Shaft', this too serves as a good soundtrack for the more adventurous side of you. Interestingly, while the sturdy funk workouts here are prototype Isaac Hayes, he really excells on more breezier, laid-back jazz oriented material such as the delicious 'Tahoe Spring' or the 'Night Before'. 'Southern Breeze' and 'The 405' are also tremendously evocative pieces of work. 'Raw and Refined' eclipses anything of Hayes' 80's output and continues to show the flexibility and evolvement of this soul icon. Would love to hear more like this.
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