COSTA MESA, Calif. (News4usonline) – When Maxwell came on the music scene in the mid-1990s with his debut album (Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite), R&B was still a dominant force. That’s not the case. Today, a lot of the musical airwaves are dominated by hip hop.
Somewhere, somehow, R&B lost its way and has been bumped down a couple of notches in the popularity department among Millennials and Gen Z. So where does that leave artists like Maxwell and other R&B singers as it pertains to the future? In good hands. There will always be a demand for love songs and romanticism.
As long as those items are still in play, good soul music will continue to thrive. It doesn’t matter what generation this is or will become. People are always going to date. They are going to fall in love. Sensuality will remain as the candleholder to romance. A big part of all that is music that identifies with what your heartstrings are feeling.
And that is why we need a Maxwell to make and perform the kind of music that has grown folks purring. Ok, let’s be real about this. As he orbits around the country putting on live performances with The Night Tour, Maxwell represents the old and the new.
He’s old-school in that the Maxwell sound is strongly attached to the Marvin Gaye vibe. Like Gaye in his heyday, the Maxwell sound is sexy, sensual, substantive, and has plenty of soul to it. Like Gaye, Maxwell is a bonafide sex symbol. Also, like Gaye, Maxwell’s music comes with grit and soulful expressions.
As far as how all that translates into drawing in the younger crowd, Maxwell’s music is not limited to one particular era. Maxwell is one of those rare performers that is good across the board. As this writer mentioned before, love and romance are not going anywhere soon.
And Maxwell is a musical master in hawking both through his illustrious songs. Including his Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite, the longtime crooner has only recorded six albums to date. But those six albums are all standard-makers. And in those six albums, you have plenty of passion-stirring songs that are quite memorable and music that makes you want to squeeze the one you love even tighter.
Yes, with the right partner, the sound of Maxwell will make your toes curl. This brother knows how to put it down. With all of that said, the multiple Grammy Award winner didn’t disappoint the audience on the stage of the Pacific Amphitheatre at the Orange County Fair in Costa, Mesa, California.
Maxwell really captivated the attention of his audience. He knew how to woo the women and make them feel appreciated and respected. He looked out for the fellas, too! It was an overall great vibe from his show. The band was phenomenal and really complemented the soulful ballads that Maxwell entertained the audience with.
As he interacted with the crowd in between songs, Maxwell spoke about how he wanted his music to have more substance to them and, if lucky, be one of those wedding songs that people will play on and on. On the flip side, putting on one of his songs when ya gotta clean the house or having his music played at those backyard parties, would be cool.
The last time I checked, Maxwell’s music is always played at those backyard parties. With Maxwell, he wants his music to have longevity and is thankful to still be able to wow the audience after 26 years of making music. As far as this photojournalist can see, Maxwell had the audience up on their feet dancing and singing in unison to the lyrics of his songs.
Now that’s how you put on a concert! So glad to have experienced The Night Tour. Maxwell’s music will never grow old. He admitted that he studied the old school singers and wanted to honor them on how they paved the way for artists today through their struggles that led to success! Much respect for Maxwell on that part.
Featured Image Caption: Maxwell on stage at the Pacific Amphitheatre in Costa Mesa, California. Photo by Mark Hammond/News4usonline
Mark Hammond is the creator and founder of Dream Passion Photography. He can be reached by email at markanthonyhammond@me.com.