Maximum Love
 
It is with bruised heart that we acknowledge the passing of our great
friend and unequalled inspiration, David Maxwell. While many of you

know David chiefly as one of the finest practitioners of
Post-War Chicago blues, he was just as engaging off stage as he was on
it. And while he performed with fellow luminaries such as the great
Otis Spann — the pianist to whom David is most often linked— and had
his praises sung by a Who’s Who chorus, everyone from John Lee Hooker
to Junior Wells and Otis Rush, David was exceedingly humble and
genuinely shrugged off any thoughts of seeking the attention his
genius warranted. It was, thus, perfectly in character for David to
choose to keep his diagnosis of cancer private. He undoubtedly didn’t
want anyone fussing over him, even though he had to give up that
notion the minute anybody ever heard his fingers dance across the 88s
with his unabashed energy, grace and dexterity.
This is surely where David would self-effacingly rebuke us with some
of his legendary dry wit. And because we hear you, David, we will call
upon some of your most eloquent New Orleans jazz stylings and remind
everybody to form a second line and get this jazz funeral kicked into
high gear. David Maxwell’s fingers may been quieted, but his joyous
music is a celebration that will live on. So, cue up those records,
and let’s boogie woogie and raise a toast to our friend.
Your mastery still tickles us, David, and don’t even try to shrug it off!
—Nate Dow, Boston Herald, February 2015

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