   |
| Maxwell (born in
Brooklyn, New York on May 23, 1973) is an American R&B artist. He
played an important role in the development of the subgenre of
neo-soul music. Contents [hide] 1 Biography 2 Musical Career 2.1 Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite 2.2 Maxwell MTV Unplugged 2.3 Embrya 2.4 Now 3 Current News 4 Discography 4.1 LPs 4.2 EPs 4.3 Singles 4.4 Soundtrack contributions 4.5 Other works 5 Awards and nominations 5.1 Awards 5.2 Nominations 6 See also 7 External links [edit] Biography Maxwell is his middle name; he chooses to keep his full birth name private. He was born to a Puerto Rican father and Haitian mother. The loss of his father at the age of three, greatly impacted him as a person and as an artist. Maxwell first performed in a Baptist church, and was heavily inspired by the work of artists such as Marvin Gaye and Prince. Maxwell began his interest in music at the age of 17 by writing songs. He eventually got a record deal with Columbia Records in 1994 when he was 21 years old. [edit] Musical Career Maxwell began working with songwriter Leon Ware and noted guitarist Wah Wah Watson to record his debut Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite in the early 90s. When the album was finished, Columbia had doubts about the album's potential, and shelved it for two years, but finally issued it in 1996. [edit] Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite was finally released in 1996. It was heavily inspired by the sound of classic soul music. It did not catch on until the release of its second single, "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)", which became a hit. Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite sold over 500,000 copies, earning gold status, and was nominated for a Grammy Award. [edit] Maxwell MTV Unplugged Maxwell performed his famous R&B and soul (aka neo-soul) songs for his Maxwell Unplugged session in New York on 6/15/1997. He clashed with his label about the release of an album of his unplugged session, so only an EP Maxwell Unplugged CD of the 1st 7 songs below was released for sale. Set List: Suite Urban Theme [the Hush] Mello: Sumthin [the Hush] Lady Suite This Woman's Work Whenever Wherever Whatever Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder) Gotta Get: Closer Now Embrya [edit] Embrya Maxwell's second album, Embrya, was released in 1998 and became a critical success. The following year, Maxwell released "Fortunate", a single written by R. Kelly and featured on the soundtrack for the 1999 film Life. To date, "Fortunate" is Maxwell's most-successful single, and was Billboard magazine's #1 R&B single of 1999. [edit] Now Now, Maxwell's third album, was released in 2001, and featured the hit singles "Lifetime" and "This Woman's Work" (a Kate Bush cover [1] originally featured in his 1997 live Maxwell Unplugged MTV Unplugged setlist). [edit] Current News According to Billboard, Maxwell was to release a studio album on Columbia Records in February 2006 under the title 'Black Summer's Night'. Rumors circulated that the release date was pushed back to April 2006 before the album was finally shelved. Recent news from Maxwell's official website announced the material to be released as a trilogy, with the first disc appearing February 13, 2007, followed by two subsequent discs in 2008 and 2009. [edit] Discography [edit] LPs Unplugged Album Cover Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite Album Cover1996: Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite (2x Platinum) #37 US 1998: Embrya (Platinum) #3 US 2001: Now (Platinum) #1 US, #46 UK Release Date : February 13, 2007- Black Summer's Night [edit] EPs 1997: MTV's Unplugged: Maxwell #53 US [edit] Singles 1996: "Til the Cops Come Knockin" #79 R&B 1996: "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)" #36 US #8 R&B 1996: "Sumthin', Sumthin'" #23 R&B 1997: "Whenever, Wherever, Whatever" 1998: "Luxury: Cococure" 1998: "Matrimony: Maybe You" #79 R&B 1999: "Let's Not Play the Game" #55 R&B 1999: "Fortunate" #4 US #1 R&B 2000: "Get to Know Ya" #25 R&B 2001: "Lifetime" #22 US #5 R&B 2001: "This Woman's Work" #58 US #16 R&B [edit] Soundtrack contributions Songs listed in italics were issued as singles. 1996: Love Jones ("Sumthin', Sumthin': "Mellosmoothe") 1999: Life ("Fortunate") 1999: The Best Man (Let's Not Play the Game, As My Girl) 2000: Love & Basketball (This Woman's Work) [edit] Other works 1996: Red Hot + Rio ("Seguranca") 1996: Sweetback ("Softly, Softly") 2004: Cottonbelly NYC Sessions ("Luxury") Appears as a Featuring Artist 2004: Nas' Street's Disciple ("No One Else in the Room") Singles on compilation albums 1999: R&B From Doo-Wop to Hip Hop ("Ascension Don't Ever Wonder") 2000: Platinum Hits 2000 ("Fortunate Jay Denes Club Remix") 2002: Blazin Hip Hop and R&B ("This Woman's Work") 2002: The Classic Chillout Album ("Ascension") [edit] Awards and nominations [edit] Awards Soul Train Awards (1996) (11th Annual): Best R&B/Soul Single - Male, "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)"; Best R&B/Soul Album - Male, Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite; Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist, "Ascension" Billboard Music Awards (1999) (10th Annual): R&B single, "Fortunate", Maxwell Soul Train Awards (2000) (15th Annual): Best R&B/Soul Single - Male, "Fortunate" by Maxwell [edit] Nominations Embrya (1998)Grammy Awards- 1996 (39th Annual): Best Rhythm & Blues Album, Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite - Maxwell Grammy Awards- 1997 (40th Annual): Best Pop Male Vocalist - "Whenever Wherever Whatever" Grammy Awards- 1998 (41st Annual): Best R&B Male Vocalist - "Matrimony: Maybe You"; Best R&B Album - Embrya - Maxwell Grammy Awards-1999 (42nd Annual): Best R&B Male Vocalist, Maxwell - "Fortunate" Blockbuster Entertainment Awards- 1999 (6th Annual): Favorite Song, "Fortunate" Soul Train Music Awards- 1999 (14th Annual): Best R&B/Soul Album - Male, Embrya NAACP Image Awards- 2001 (33rd Annual): Outstanding Male Artist - "Lifetime" Soul Train Music Awards- 2002 (17th Annual): 2002- Best R&B/Soul Single - Male, "This Woman's Work" Grammy Awards-2001 (44th Annual): Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, "Lifetime" BET Awards 2002 (2nd Annual) :2002- Best Male R&B MTV Video Music Awards- 2002 (19th Annual) :2002- Breakthrough Video- "This Woman's Work" [edit] See also List of famous Puerto Ricans [edit] External links Official website www.musze.com Fan sites Fortunate Maxwell Maxwell Chronicles Maxwell Fan Forum Maxwell's Groove Room Maxwell Lyrics Maxwell Musze Group Maxwell's Place Maxwell Style Muszewell Nite's Auraqual Family The Latest Maxwell News Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxwell_%28musician%29" Categories: 1973 births | African-American singers | American rhythm and blues singers | American soul singers | Neo soul singers | Puerto Rican-American singers | Living people |