In the ‘90s D’Angelo and Maxwell were the male faces of the musical moment that got labeled “neo soul.” Along with Eryah Badu, Jill Scott, Anthony Hamilton, and a host of singers and musicians who emerged in that decade, they brought an appeciation for ‘70s sounds and aesthetics to a epoch when black pop music was dominated by new jack swing and hip hop. Both were sex symbols for their generation and had debut albums that were hailed as instant classics — Maxwell’s ‘Urban Hang Suite’ and D’Angelo’s ‘Brown Sugar.’
Their careers have been defined by great peaks and long gaps between album releases. This past weekend a quirk of sceduling had both performing in Los Angeles in the same weekend. No longer the hot new things, both are now connectors of the past of soul and funk to the present moment when those traditions are fading in contemporary music.
Maxwell is the headliner of the very successful Night tour, with veteran singers Joe and Anthony Hamilton, bringing an evening of soulful singing and love lyrics to arenas all over the country. It’s the kind of adult night out that had couples and groups of women in their '30s to 50s dressed to impress and in a celebratory mood. The audience at the Forum in Inglewood on a Friday was the blackest crowd I’ve been part of it many many years. Hamilton, a very underappreciated singer, sang several of his modern soul classics, including “Charlene,” in his signature churchy, low tenor. He even covered Luther Vandross’ version of “Superstar,” a nice nod to the master of seduction.
Which set up Maxwell to come stage with a gorgeous stage set and a band that included long time collaborator Hod David on guitar. Maxwell, dressed in a suit sprinkled with glitter, is the consumate new school old school performer, someone who’s studied the masters of on stage movement and interprets them in his own agile style. His catalog of hits since the ‘90s is so deep that he doesn’t sing “This Woman’s Work” and “Urban Hang Suite” and still did a satisfying show. He re arranged several tracks to give them a fresh feel (eg: “Lake by the Ocean” with a Caribbean flavor), while doing a tasty cover of Heatwave’s “Always and Forever.” Maxwell also referenced a genre that people don’t mention often today — the blues, using it as way to frame one of his love songs. It’s no suprise that, twenty-six years after his debut album, Maxwell was given the Soul Train lifetime achievement award this year. Through his commitment to romantic music and always impeccable stage performance, Maxwell has come to represent the best contemporary extension of the Sam Cooke/Marvin Gaye love man tradition. The Night tour still has some dates around the country. Catch it if you love soul music.
I got word that D’Angelo was doing a suprise guest spot opening for Dave Chapelle at the Hollywood Bowl early on Saturday morning and after a bunch of text messages and calling in a favor, I got a backstage pass but no ticket. Ran into someone I knew who had an extra ticket and so lucked into a seat. D’Angelo has been quiet since the release of ‘Black Messiah’ in 2014 and the subsequent tour, so this would be his most high profile gig in years. The band was outstanding with his close friend Amir Thompson on drums, Jesse Johnson on guitar, Keynon Harrold on trumpet, and Raphael Saddiq playing guitar on one tune.
Sonically the five song set was in the same guitar driven style of ‘Black Messiah.’ “Shit, Damn, Motherfucker" from ‘Brown Sugar’ is now a loud rock anthem very different from the moody original. D’Angelo sat at the keys for only one song, mostly playing rhythm guitar with Johnson playing most of the leads. The vibe of the show was more rebellious rock star than groovey soul man. Made me think of Sly & the Family Stone, a connection made explicit when the band flowed into a cover of Sly’s “Babies Making Babies.” D’Angelo has evolved far from the corn rolled love man of the ‘90s into an edgy rocky psychedelic bluesman, updating Sly, Jimi Hendrix and others playing that particular freak flag. There was one new song in the set, which I didn’t get the name of, but it was in the pyschedelic soul style that’s D’Angelo’s new sweet spot. While waiting around for D’s next album, you should revisit ‘Black Messiah.’
Meanwhile Maxwell has the hit single “Off” out now and with an album coming later this year. Also Hamilton has a 2021 album out titled ‘Love Is the New Black,’ that worth your time. Support the new traditionalists.