Recent Passings

I was sorry to hear that both Isaac Hayes and the comedian Bernie Mac had died over the weekend.

The 65 year-old Hayes was found dead by his wife just yesterday. The cause of death was unknown or hadn't been disclosed yet. Hayes was a pioneer of funky, "Southern Soul." He was well-known in his own right, but Hayes also wrote many of the hits that came out of the recently revived soul label Stax Records, for which Booker T. and the MGs were the house studio band (much like the Funk Brothers were for Motown). He also scored films, and, in fact, the world at large will probably remember him most for his theme from the blaxploitation film Shaft. That, and the fact that he was the voice of Chef on South Park. I'll remember him as the man who wrote some of my favorite soul grooves, including "Soul Man" and "Hold On, I'm Comin'," both of which were performed by Sam and Dave.

Two days ago, on August 9th, Bernie Mac passed away at the age of 50 from what was declared complications of pneumonia. Mac was a comedian from the Red Foxx school, with a gruff delivery that, at the same time, echoed the sing-songy rhythmic cadences of a Baptist preacher. He had plenty of movie roles and a popular sitcom (The Bernie Mac Show), but to me his stand-up performances will go down as his most memorable work. His set from the Original Kings of Comedy is a classic, as were his appearances on the old Def Comedy Jam on HBO.