The second appearance in our History of Popular Music for Isaac Hayes. 'Shaft' might not have existed were it not for the film of the same title. Before 'Shaft' crime thrillers were soundtracked by the orchestral music of band leaders like Roy Budd (Get Carter) and Elmer Bernstein (the Man With The Golden Arm).
'Shaft' was the first of what was to become known as 'blaxploitation' film. For the soundtrack they brought in Isaac Hayes to make a blck sounding soundtrack. Heavily wah-wahed guitar was played over the orchestra backing and a new musical form was born. Soon afterwards every crime thriller on film or TV would be sporting a plethora of wha-wha guitar. In 1972 Curtis Mayfield took the 'blaxploitation' genre to a higher level with his own soundtrack to the film 'Superfly' which was so well composed and arranged that it stands as a piece of music in its own right rather than just the soundtrack to a film.
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