It’s Maxwell season! The neo-soul maverick is coming on strong with a new single – his cover of Al Green’s seminal classic “Simply Beautiful” – and forthcoming concert tour – The Serenade Tour with special guests Jazmine Sullivan and October London. Before he hits the road in a few weeks, Maxwell made a quick stop in Washington, D.C. to visit NPR Music’s hallowed headquarters to make his Tiny Desk Concert series debut.
Maxwell pulled up to Tiny Desk with his six-piece band and two background singers to give a sneak preview of what fans can expect on his tour. Ever the style star, Max rocked a cream ensemble with a sheer short-sleeved shirt and gold jewelry while everyone joining him was dressed in neutral tones of brown, khaki and beige. His signature fro replaced by his signature cornrows adorned with gold beads, he was quite a handsome sight.
Known for working the stage during his live shows, Maxwell didn’t have adequate space to do any splits, bust a move or show off his Maxwell The Stallion knees given the constraints of the Tiny Desk workspace. Instead, he sat on a stool like he does during the cool-down portion of his concerts for most of his NPR set.
Max began his performance with an oldie but goodie, taking us back to 1996 with “Sumthin' Sumthin’” from his classic debut album Urban Hang Suite. He then jumped around his catalog, treating viewers to live renditions of “Bad Habits” (from BLACKsummers’night), “Lifetime” (from Now) and “Pretty Wings” (also from BLACKsummers’night).
He expressed some nervousness at the magnitude of performing a Tiny Desk Concert, saying at one point, “This is where real music can’t lie.” Maxwell brought his vocal A-game, however, so he had nothing to worry about. The warm reception from those in attendance during the recording also helped to allay his fears.
Maxwell continued his swoon-worthy set with the penultimate song “Simply Beautiful” in his first live performance of the single since its release earlier this month. He put a bow on top of the gift that was his Tiny Desk showcase and circled back to Urban Hang Suite with his iconic cut “Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder).” The groove got into Max, and he finally stood to his feet to bust a smooth two-step and activate his Maxwell The Stallion knees as he dropped it low.
While other male singers squabble over who’s the King Of R&B, Maxwell has the King Of Neo-Soul title on lock. Watch his royal appearance on Tiny Desk below.
