The energy at The Orpheum Theater - where Concord Records was hosting the Stax 50th Anniversary celebration concert was palpable as one by one, both new signings to the revived Stax imprint and original artists who helped create the label’s illustrious legacy brought real soul music to life with energy, emotion and excitement.

In Part 1 of the blog on this momentous occasion, we shared how The Soul Children blew everyone’s mind with their passion-filled two-song set. The rest of the evening had its fair share of standout moments. Kicking off, senior-in-stature soul man Eddie Floyd had everyone on their feet with his perennial “Knock On Wood.” Lalah Hathaway (the daughter of Donny), already established as a superb song stylist in her own right and one of the new artists on Stax, turned in a rousing rendition of Jean Knight’s “Mr. Big Stuff” and here we offer just a word of advice to the event producer (for the Hollywood Bowl July 18 show): if fellow new Stax signing N’Dambi and Lalah are on the same show again, we suggest having N’Dambi (complete with Afro and mini-skirt) sing “Mr. Big Stuff” and Lalah (a master of the ballad) give her reading of Luther Ingram’s “If Loving You Is Wrong.” As a veteran soul music man, I’m offering my (unrequested but nonetheless valid) thoughts on the matter - after all, what are blogs for?!

Maybe because of the historical significance, maybe because as a unit, the group is simply without parallel but the appearance of Booker T. Jones, Donald ‘Duck’ Dunn and Steve Cropper was just mind-blowing. Naturally their ’60s anthem “Green Onions” was an instant crowd-pleaser : for this attendee, the gorgeously bluesy opening for “Time Is Tight” (as heard in the 1969 film “Uptight” and on the original soundtrack) was absolutely beautiful. The interplay between these three musicians was exceptional, as if each knew on cue what the other was about to play without even a glance at one another. Unbelievable!

Equally unbelievable and comparable in emotional deliver, the Rance Allen Group. Renowned in gospel circles and unquestionably, the most popular gospel act signed to the Stax imprint, Truth Records, the intense delivery of Rance and his brothers has been known to bring inspiration and comfort to many an audience over the past three decades-plus. On this occasion, with the tunes “Ain’t No Need Of Cryin’” and “That’ll Be Good Enough For Me,” Rance sang with such honesty and authenticity that tears flowed. Simply outstanding if you like your music delivered with unabashed freedom.

What better artist to follow than one who also grew up in the church and was considered for many years part of gospel music’s “First Family.” The Staples Singers provided Stax with a succession of major hits in the late ’60s and early ’70s: ever energetic and dynamic, Mavis reprised two of those memorable hits in the form of the anthemic “Respect Yourself” and “If You’re Ready (Come Go With Me).”

New Stax group Soulive kept the energy up with a funky rendition of Sam & Dave’s classic “I Thank You” before solid soul man William Bell returned to the stage for his highly memorable 1969 hit “I Forgot To Be Lover” managing to give a musical nod to some of his early contemporaries including The Temptations and Sam Cooke.

Rounding out an evening that will stay with those of us who were fortunate to be in attendance for many years to come, the incomparable Isaac Hayes. A recent stroke has obviously affected Ike’s movements but not his ability to deliver. The Dionne Warwick-Burt Bacharach-Hal David chestnut “Walk On By” was definitively transformed into a veritable epic when Isaac Hayes revisited it for his groundbreaking “Hot Buttered Soul” LP. Isaac didn’t disappoint in his performance of the song on this occasion, bringing new meaning to those heartfelt Hal David lyrics. And what better way to end the night than with the Oscar-winning “Theme From Shaft,” Ike conducting the excellent band and background vocalists before all the artists joined Mr. Hayes for a collective “I’ll Take You There.” A night of dreams fulfilled and in the words of the late, great Otis Redding, “I’ve Got Dreams To Remember.” Amen!

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