David Maxwell

David Maxwell
Boston pianist David Maxwell specializes in re-creations of postwar blues standards, and his original tunes are based largely on those same themes. He brings a propulsive boogie feel to up-tempo numbers; on more introspective fare his playing has an unself-conscious intimacy. David Whiteis - Chicago Reader

David Maxwell quite simply is the best Blues Keyboardist alive. While so many pianists in that early post-war Chicago style seem to blend in the mix and get lost under the guitar, Maxwell sparkles, dances and makes every use of the precious spaces allowed him to shine.

Donald E.Wilcock - Norteast Blues Society Newsletter

ROOM WITH A VIEW
of the blues.....
David Maxwell
"Max Attack"
BlueMax Records
David Maxwell has apprenticed and is the most in demand blues piano player today. David appears on albums by James Cotton, Ronnie Earl, Joe Louis Walker, Louisiana Red, Luther Guitar Jr. Johnson, Jimmy Rogers, Bob Margolis, Paul Oscher, just to name a few. His first cd was the critically acclaimed Maximium Blues Piano, an instrumental showcase, on The Tone-Cool label. He has just released “ Max Attack” on Dixie Frog Records and I have listed it as one of the Best New Blues Releases of 2003. Is is sub-titled David Maxwell and Friends and includes performances by Liane Carroll, James Cotton, Ronnie Earl, Duke Robillard, Kim Wilson, Pinetop Perkins, and Hubert Sumlin.

David finally let’s us hear him sing and he possesses a rich baritone voice, but it’s his piano playing that is most notable. David seem’s to have absorbed the piano stylings of Otis Spann, among others, with whom he was able to study with early on in his career.

In 1972 David became the piano player in Freddie King’s band and in 1977 joined The James Cotton Band. Later David became the piano player for Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters before re-joining James Cotton. On January 30th David will once again be featured in The Howlin’ Wolf Tribute Band with Hubert Sumlin, when they will appear at BB King’s.

David’s piano playing is in the “deep down’ Chicago style. The opening song “Backseat of a Greyhound Bus” has not only got David’s deep down piano but also his deep down voice. Straight forward and totally believable David eloquently elevates himself to be the the most important blues piano player today.

“Twisted Endons” is an instrumental in the Otis Spann style. James Cotton says “"David Maxwell plays with fire and soul. He keeps the spirit of Otis Spann alive”. “Long Distance Driver” is reminiscent of The Muddy Waters Blues Band and features James Cotton on harp. David writes all the songs here, most notable is “Moving Out of his world”, and “Thanks for All The Women”.

Otis Spann’s piano playing included an almost barrelhouse roll and it can be heard especially well on “Coming Home, Baby”. The vocal and guitar here are by Hubert Sumlin. The barrelhouse roll can be heard again on “Hip House Rock”, another fine instrumental.

“Thank you Pinetop Perkins” is a tribute to David’s friend and our 90 year old national treasure, Pinetop Perkins. It is a piano duo between Max and Top. I recently met Pinetop Perkins in the WFDU studios during an interview he was having with Bob Putignano on his “Sounds of Blue”. Another disc jockey “Beverly” kindly called him Mr. Pinetop and he spoke of his years with Muddy and his love of fishing.

The cd is beautifully produced by Tino Gonzalez and should be in every blues piano collection.

Richard Ludmerer

- NYJBS - Rich's Room

David Maxwell is many things - all of which are fascinating, important and unique. Besides being one of the greatest living Blues pianists, he’s also a walking keeper-of the-flame whose 40 years in Blues experiences are unique, profound and documentation-worthy (an understatement). In addition to playing with all of the great Blues legends of the last 40 years and contributing mightily to their live and recorded sounds, Dave has been a very keen observer of Blues life and lives. I’d love to write a book with him and if any aspiring writer is looking for an untapped vault on Blues history, Mr. Maxwell will be more than willing to share his rich observations and experiences. Chances are that you have already heard and/or seen David many times if you have any sort of CD/DVD/video collection related to modern Blues. My first experiences with him go back to the El Mocambo in Toronto circa 1971-72 and The Colonial Tavern on Yonge St. His love for the music combined with his superb piano skills (a big-time Otis Spann and Johnny Jones student) impressed every Blues artist who heard him and for most of the last 4 decades, David Maxwell was the First-Call Piano Man for tours and recording sessions. His serious friendships with all other remaining veterans of 1960s/70s Blues scene is highlighted on this disc with star contributors such as James Cotton (a long time employer), Kim Wilson, Pinetop Perkins, Duke Robbillard, Ronnie Earl, Hubert Sumlin and longtime rhythm section all-stars Michael ‘Mudcat’ Ward (bass) and Per Hanson (drums), who I feel deserve to be as well-known as Shannon/Layton of Double Trouble.
What’s fascinating is that this disc is produced (mainly) in England by Tino Gonzales, who may be the greatest living, in-exile Blues genius, a fact only really recognized by the fortunate European audience and a handful of East Coast peers which includes David Maxwell.
David has decided that it is time for him to sing and he does well delivering an honest, ragged-ruff-gruff voice devoid of pretension and he succeeds in conveying his life experience lyrics to our ears. Hubert and Lianne Carroll (a big British vocal star) get one vocal track each and David gets seven with 4 knockout (and diverse) instrumentals, including David’s pianistic Chicago-style tour-de-force, “Twisted Tendons”.
While one might possibly get the wrong impression as to musical content thanks to the contemporary groove/instrumentation of the opening title track, the album quickly changes gears back to stompin’ boogie sounds and intense, slow Blues tunes. Even though “Max Attack” is an anomaly compared to the other tracks, it’s still killer a la ‘Max-meets-Herbie Hancock’ and Fayaz Virgi (trombone), Kevin Robinson (trumpet), and Pat Claher (sax) are magnificent while Mr. Maxwell gets funky on the old wurlitzer. “Hip House Rock” is a heavy-on-the-bass-keys boogie instrumental that the Shag/Beach music scene will dig and very quickly David asserts his pianistic prowess while Duke R. answers choruses with vintage Pee Wee Crayton-style guitar. Very hot!
Now, I’ve said this several times now over the last 2-3 years, but again it needs to be repeated: Kim Wilson is singing/blowin’ harp better now than he ever has and his contributions to “Long Distance Driver” are spirited and right-on-the-money – HE WAILS! Dave pounds those keys in Spann-like fashion and the results are infectious. Another great dance floor tune. Deep, dark, somber ‘you did me wrong’ vibes on “Moving Out Of This World” with Ronnie Earl’s stinging guitar adding tremendous atmosphere. It’s actually on this slow piece that Maxwell shows the height of his skills on the keys (just as his mentor before him). “Thanks For All Women” is a great, ribald, ‘Mannish Boy-styled’ Chicago thumper that has lots of commercial potential especially with other artists looking for great material.
“What’s The Use (Of A Broken Heart)”, the flaming duet with British vocal sensation Lianne Carroll, is a smoky masterpiece, the kind of man-woman dialogue that we used to get back in the 1960s. Maxwell’s deep baritone anchors Lianne’s beautiful voice and makes you wish that it was 5 minutes longer. “Sticky Buns” is a funky Blues shuffle that will get ‘em up dancin’ while “Back Of A Greyhound Bus” is deep, deep, Blues with Mr. Earl showing his mastery and Maxwell proving that he’s got classic Blues piano stylings covered from A to Z. “Coming Home Baby” is a MUST HEAR track with Hubert Sumlin MAGIC on guitar/vocals and David sounding like Chicago 1952.
“Twisted Tendons” is our pick for a Shag hit and easily the Blues Piano Tune of the Year. Per Hanson shows how to play drums with a piano man. Killer! (Jerry Lee Lewis would dig this!)
“Thank you Pinetop Perkins”, a 4-hands tribute to Pinetop with Maxwell and Pinetop on the same bench, is just plain beautiful and fitting. Nice closing tune. So yes, we have what you would call a Blues Masterpiece and let’s hope this fantastic Pure - Real Blues

Who knew blue came in so many shades?On this remastered re-release,veteran bluesman
Maxwell wails through a wide-ranging but cohesive collection of bouncing boogies,grungy honky-tonks,and wipping ballads.Tight arrangements played by even tighter horn and rhythm sections set off David’s barritone vocals and rancous keyboard work,keeping each tune fresh,souful and punchy.Perhaps most impressively,David pulls the whole thing off with a playful sense of humor.
- Michael Gallant,Keyboard Magazine

David Maxwell Max Attack

Originally released on the {@Blue Max} label in 2003
with this {@95 North Records} version appearing in
2005, the gifted {$David Maxwell}'s piano opens this
fun and important disc up with the mostly instrumental
{&"Sticky Buns"}, which drives like a cross between
the {$J Geils Band} debut and {$Traffic} during their
{^John Barleycorn Must Die} phase. That jazz vs.
blues battle continues later on the cd with the
majestic and grooving {&"Moving Out Of His World"}
which absorbs moods from different genres and delivers
true Modern Electric Blues. Picture {$Jim Morrison}
sitting at the piano in his sixties (though {$Maxwell}
is a good decade younger than Jimbo would've been at
the time of this release) assuring the woman that the
change in partners is nothing to fret over.
{&"Hip-House Rock"} changes things dramatically, an
entertaining instrumental with plenty of lively space
in between. Producer {$Tino Gonzales} does a superb
job keeping things crisp and not getting in the way of
{$David Maxwell}'s arrangements on this material
recorded between July and November of 2005. The piano
on {&"Thanks For All The Women"} is bright yet still
dark in tone, a nice balance as the guitar answers are
separated in the stereo mix. With {$James Cotton},
{$Ronnie Earl}, {$Duke Robillard}, {$Pinetop Perkins},
{$Liane Carroll} and the redoubtable {$Hubert Sumlin}
as just some of the marquee guests, {^Max Attack} is
an engaging follow-up to 1997's {^Maximum Blues
Piano}. While {&"Handyman"} is pure blues (not the
{$Del Shannon}/{$James Taylor} hit {&"Handy Man"}
written by {$Otis Blackwell} and {$Jimmy "Handyman"
Jones} - this disc is all Maxwell originals) the title
track, {&"Max Attack"}, opens jazz with chirping horns
before morphing back into a pattern of bluesy showcase
- perhaps a nice intro to {$Buzzy Linhart} concerts as
{$Dave Maxwell} is also that legend's music director.
Liner notes by {$Ted Drozdowski} of {$The Devil Gods}
and the latter-day {$Scissormen} make for a very nice
package on this hours worth of music by a superb
musician deserving of more noteriety.

Rock Journalist Joe Viglione - All Music Guide

"If you enjoy blues and roots music piano, these Maxwell originals will put you in ecstasy and have you casting a vote, for pianist of the year."
--Living Blues magazine - Living Blues Magazine

There's plenty to recommend musically; the players have serious chops, and Maxwell's tunes are wise and well-written. - Jeff Calvin- Blues Revue