When one hears ‘Intimate Nights’ as a tour title for soul crooner Maxwell, It’s pretty easy to assume the type of musical evening you’re in for. The title essentially sums up the experience of his shows since he reemerged just under a decade ago after a lengthy hiatus from the music industry following the release of his third studio album, 2001’s “Now.” His standard concert includes Maxwell dressed to the nines (tens and elevens) in a Euro-tailored Rat Pack inspired suit offering first tenor and falsetto seduction through his most sultry slow jams and mid-tempo hits backed by the infectious groove of his incredible band (that includes St. Louis natives Shedrick Mitchell and Jon Jon Webb).
The typical Maxwell show is phenomenal – even if it is predictable. He gives a throwback to the great crooners – who put as much care and intention to total package and presentation of the music and instrumentation. His concerts are a sure thing, to say the least. On the rare occasion when his voice wasn’t in mint condition due to illness or the wear and tear of a lengthy road stretch, Maxwell maneuvers through the limitations of the moment to give fans a show to remember.
Thursday night at Stifel Theatre was phenomenal as per usual, but the quality of the show was the only common denominator with respect to a Maxwell performance. After a mix of opening music that paid tribute to the Quiet Storm radio format, Maxwell emerged in a black jacket and matching suit pants paired with an African print shirt and a knit beanie cap.
According to Maxwell, St. Louis got him 34 nights into the “50 Intimate Nights” tour – which was a good thing. He was loose, he was comfortable, he was chatty –open in a way that gave more insight to Maxwell the man as opposed to just the musician. He danced like no one was watching – or like he didn’t care that they were.
He kicked his set off with “Pretty Wings,” which has served as the finale for more than one Maxwell tour and jumped right into the funky groove of “Bad Habits.” The show was front loaded with fan favorites, including “Fortunate,” “Lake By The Ocean” and “Lifetime” – a song he dedicated to people of color who have suffered police violence and the activists fighting for justice.
It was during “Lifetime” that Maxwell began to open up during them musical interludes that are typically reserved for the band to show off. He told fans to pursue their dreams, he spoke of his days working as a busboy in his native New York. He spoke of how he forged a creative partnership with his rhythm guitarist, producer and co-writer Hod David a quarter-century ago. He introduced the Houston native on stage as he pointed out the Grammy Award winning (“Pretty Wings,” “Lake by the Ocean”) contemporary R&B magic that was the result of their continuing musical teamwork.
“I hope this is the only way I experience the police,” Maxwell said before diving into his 1996 debut single “…Til The Cops Come Knocking” – which was also co-written with David.
He took the liberty to commemorate a creative milestone.
“It’s the 20th anniversary of the weirdest record of my career, “Maxwell admitted as he paid homage to “Embrya” with a few selections that included “I’m You: You Are Me and We Are You (Pt. Me & You)” “Matrimony: Maybe You.” “People said that album was creative suicide,” Maxwell said.
He’s been going against the grain from the very beginning – including his hiatus from the music industry while at the very top of the R&B charts. “I’ve never been interested in the celebrity or the fame,” Maxwell told fans. “For me it was always about the music – the art.”
For the St. Louis leg of the show, he seemed to freestyle over any type of rigid format. “I’m just vibing off the top of my dome,” Maxwell told the crowd at one point as he continued to sing through an instrumental break. He also seemed intentional about engaging with fans. He grabbed hands, he called out Ayesha Snow, a woman who he met during a meet and greet, and he promised – at his own urging – to take a selfie-with a woman following the performance.
Known for being ultra-private about his family, he talked about being the product of a Puerto Rican father and Haitian mother. “But at the end of the day we are all black- even bigger than that, we are all human.” He briefly talked politics and with a nod to Ferguson he gave props to St. Louis for shedding light on the systemically broken relationship between black people and the police.
He thanked the city for braving the snow and said that he felt the show was his favorite on the tour thus far. He felt so connected and comfortable it compelled him to test out his latest single “Shame.”
He described the song as a tribute to the black woman.
“My mother is a black woman and I watched everything she went through,” Maxwell said. “I’m not anti-anybody, but I feel like it’s time we give them a little shine. It’s about time we speak on the power of the black woman.”
He then jumped back into familiar favorites from his catalog, including “Sumthin’ Sumthin’” “Get To Know Ya” and his “Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder)” finale.
British soul singer and former Floetry songstress Marsha Ambrosius opened the door for Maxwell’s candor with her unapologetically sensual set filled with her usual truth bombs.
“I’m in love,” the newly married new mother told the audience after starting her portion of the show with “Butterflies” and “Late Nights Early Mornings.”
I’m in love. I’m in love, love – like say it [love] two times and clap after everything you say love,” Ambrosius said. She worked in R&B classics from Prince and Maze featuring Frankie Beverly in her set that also included “Far Away” from her debut solo album and “Say Yes” from her Floetry days.
