Maxwell

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MAXWELL

Born: Brooklyn, New York, 23 May 1973

Genre: R&B

Best-selling album since 1990: Now (2001)

Hit songs since 1990: "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)," "Lifetime"

Along with fellow performers Angie Stone, D'Angelo, and Erykah Badu, Maxwell helped define the late 1990s "neo-soul" movement, which, veering from the tough hip-hop sound, infused modern R&B with the kinds of lush, rhythmic funk and soul grooves popular in the 1970s. Like 1980s superstar Prince, Maxwell produces, writes, and plays most of his own material, basing it on his romantic and spiritual experience. In this way, his music is more direct and personal than the slicker, heavily produced sounds of artists such as Boyz II Men and Usher. At the same time he avoids the raunchy explicitness of singers such as D'Angelo and R. Kelly, focusing instead on the romantic side of love.

Professionally Maxwell uses his middle name, keeping his full name confidential to ensure the privacy of his family. Born in Brooklyn, New York, to Puerto Rican and West Indian parents, Maxwell suffered the death of his father at an early age and found comfort through singing in church. In his teens he bought a small keyboard and began composing songs, eventually recording them as demo tapes in a professional studio. After performing on the New York club circuit in the early 1990s, Maxwell signed a contract with Columbia Records in 1994. Initially his future with Columbia seemed anything but promising. He recorded his first album, Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite, shortly after signing but saw it delayed for a year due to internal management problems within the company. When finally released in 1996, sales were slow until word of mouth spread. Gaining power through a hit single, "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)," the album eventually went platinum and was nominated for a Grammy Award.

In a 1998 interview with the BBC, Maxwell described Urban Hang Suite as "a rough sketch of a moment in time," based on a past romantic relationship. Unified by themes of love, matrimony, and commitment, the album has a cohesive feel further enhanced by Maxwell's influence on every track: He wrote the songs and played many of the instruments. In addition, he recruited the expertise of veteran guitarist Wah Wah Watson, whose funky style enlivened many R&B recordings of the 1970s. The most important ingredient in the album's success, however, is Maxwell's voice: Gliding and seductive, it recalls classic singers of the 1960s and 1970s such as Smokey Robinson and Curtis Mayfield. On the tender ballad "Whenever, Wherever, Whatever," Maxwell exudes the gentle purity of a choirboy, singing highly and sweetly. The lyrics reinforce one of his favorite themes, self-renunciation in love: "Take my heart and my love / Take of me all that you must." "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)" became the album's biggest hit on the strength of Maxwell's smooth, creamy falsetto gliding over a sensuous groove. On other

songs, such as the sinuous "Sumthin' Sumthin,'" his voice displays a compelling tough edge more in keeping with the gritty side of R&B. Taken as a whole, the album bears a cumulative power that increases with each listen.

Performing on MTV's Unplugged in 1997, Maxwell proved that his initial success was no fluke. Released as a live album later that year, Maxwell Unplugged finds the singer expanding his horizons through an intimate, ethereal version of "This Woman's Work," a ballad originally recorded by artsy rock performer Kate Bush. Singing with subtlety and passion, Maxwell is movingly vulnerable on lines such as, "I should be crying but I just can't let it show." Referring to his sudden commercial success, Maxwell tells the live audience, "I never thought this would happen," a statement in keeping with his shy, self-effacing public personality. Although most critics felt that Maxwell's next in-studio album, Embrya, obscured his romantic message in obtuse songwriting and overlong tracks , his 2001 release, Now, was a return to form. Maxwell is at his best on "For Lovers Only," a ballad enhanced by a pedal steel guitar, an instrument usually associated with country music. Another ballad, "Lifetime," became a hit on the basis of its strong melody and Maxwell's sincere, emotive vocal delivery.

A multitalented musician who oversees each aspect of his recordings, Maxwell fashioned a reputation in the 1990s as an old-fashioned love balladeer, applying his sweet-tempered voice to supple, fluid rhythms. As he gained stardom Maxwell became a gentle sex symbol, known for music that stirred emotions while creating a backdrop for romance.