Maxine Brown with special guest Baby Washington

Show Description

Two iconic voices from the heyday of soul and R&B perform together on a double bill for the first time. These artists, both born in South Carolina and raised in New York City, may be less familiar than their more mainstream contemporaries, but have had an immeasurable -- and largely overlooked -- impact on American soul.

Queens-bred Maxine Brown developed her innocent but self-assured vocal style during a youth spent singing gospel and listening to the great jazz singers. She made her professional debut at the Apollo Theater in 1961 and recorded throughout the sixties and early seventies, scoring several hits, including All in My Mind, Funny, and the Goffin/King composition Oh No, Not My Baby. She also toured extensively, sharing bills with the likes of Ray Charles, Jackie Wilson, Otis Redding, and Curtis Mayfield. In 1991, the Rhythm & Blues Foundation recognized Maxine's contributions with a Pioneer Award in 1991.

Justine "Baby" Washington started out on the Harlem doo wop scene, but branched out as a solo artist at age 19, scoring big hits with The Time in 1959 and That's How Heartaches Are Made in 1963. She hit the R&B charts several more times on her own and in duets with soul legend Don Gardner, and composed many of her own recordings. Her haunting delivery was a major influence on many soul singers, especially young British icon Dusty Springfield, who cited Baby Washington as her favorite all-time artist.

Both singers will be backed by a new generation of rhythm and blues musicians, The Divine Soul Rhythm Band and female vocal group The Sweet Divines, known for approaching old-school soul with youthful energy and a reverent attention to detail. This rare bill promises to be one of New York's most exciting nights of soul music since the days when Maxine Brown and Baby Washington's famous hits were in regular rotation on radio stations and turntables across America.