MAXWELL at the Air Canada Centre (40 Bay), Friday (September 25), 7:30 pm. $47.50-$150. 416-870-8000.
“Prodigy” isn’t a word to be used lightly. But in the case of neo-soul ambassador Maxwell, it fits.
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Fed by strong Baptist values following his father’s death when he was a young boy, the Brooklyn singer first picked up a Casio keyboard at 17, eventually adding guitar and Moog as accompaniment to his quivering counter-tenor.
At 21, he signed to Columbia, and his resulting first album, Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite, sold double-platinum and earned him a Grammy nod.
Today, the 36-year-old is poised and approachable, speaking softly in TIFF-engulfed Toronto on a break from a large-scale, arena-hopping tour for his fourth album, BLACKsummers’night (Columbia).
“Man, there are some beautiful women here!” he says with a laugh.
“It feels great to be touring. Common, who is a total inspiration, is on the bill, and so is Chrisette Michele, who has become an outright tour de force. I’m just beyond grateful to my fans for supporting me.”
The album comes after an eight-year hiatus spent soul-searching and rejuvenating his creativity. And it’s the premiere chapter in a trilogy that showcases Maxwell’s subtly evolving sound.
“The main theme is love lost,” he says. “The second album will be about love found, essentially a gospel album. The third will be about love made, and, yeah, it’ll be a bedroom record. Use a condom or don’t, but be safe!”
Though the wildly popular singer openly embraces love, respect and religious values, he’s not militant about spreading these messages.
“I grew up religious,” he says, “but I don’t force it on people. I like it because it honours everyone. Also, the organ is one of the rudiments of gospel music.”
The soul-baring gospel enthusiast considers himself a conduit between men and their emotions.
“As men, we’re prone to heartbreak but feel the need to repress it. It’s a great blessing for me to act as a representative voice.”
music@nowtoronto.com
