Maxine Braham - If... (2004)

It seems as though Maxine has been singing all her life, through her life and through her various experiences. "If..." mirrors those experiences and the various paths that she has chosen in her life. Whether right or wrong, these have defined her life and the songs contained within this album. She regrets nothing.
Shall we start at the beginning? Well Maxine taught herself to sing by listening to jazz and funk records, at the same time as being heavily influenced by her father, who was a promoter at the time, putting on shows in and around the Luton area, and her elder brothers who used to dance in clubs and the like. Music therefore, in one format or another, would constantly blare from one room to another, the house where she grew up, never being quiet.
With regard to her varying musical influences, these range from Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye (see a later tribute), Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Jean Carn, Diane Reeves and Steve Arrington (for the funk!) to name but a tiny few. Songwriters have played a deeply significant role in her own personal development as a songwriter, her favourites being, Roberta Flack, Carly Simon and Brenda Russell for whom " In The Thick Of It " still plays a very emotive role. If ever a songwriter got Maxine thinking about her life as a whole, it was and still is this track that indeed set the wheels in motion, from childhood and very much into the present day.
Maxine began her singing career doing sessions and featuring on a variety of projects across a range of musical genre. She has also worked a various projects for major Japanese labels. Maxine also had various tracks out of her own including the original version of "If", as well as "Seasons" a duet with Ray Simpson which also featured the Watchman. Her last single was a remake of the Thelma Houston classic, "You Used to Hold Me", produced by Martin Lascelles. The latter was generously received in Japan and she was in fact "State of the Artist" in Muzik Magazine.
The biggest kick for Maxine, however, is performing live and she is no doubt relishing the prospect of sharing her experiences with an audience. She has had the pleasure of opening shows for the Sounds of Blackness on no less than three occasions, as well as performing with Lo Key. She has also had the honour of performing on the same stage as Jean Carn and Willi Hutch to name but a few. She has also performed in honour of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
Maxine is now reunited with long time collaborator, Martin Lascelles, to make this album. Her life has taken a variety of twists and turns and until almost a year ago, she was not contemplating making an album. She was on a different path but indeed, her life has gone full circle. She is strong, educated, fiercely independent, complex, determined, stubborn and sensual and her songs reflect these issues. Most of the songs were written about certain incidences and people who have touched her life. There are songs of happiness, love, anger, frustration, sorrow, death, determination and hope.
"If" was conceived in circumstances that were not easy and what you hear on the album is most certainly what you get from Maxine, her emotions exposed on each and every one of the tracks. "I Miss You So" is a song dedicated to Marvin Gaye and written about the day she learned that he had died in such tragic circumstances. "Love Heals" was written about her fight and determination to struggle through adverse times, always believing that if one never gives up, there is always hope. "Wherever" was written on her daughter's (Christy) birthday as a gift, saying that they will always be together, if not in body, always in spirit. "No Need To Pretend" is dedicated both to her beloved father and a childhood friend who have since passed away.
This album illustrates Maxine's thoughts and her viewpoint on life and if you listen carefully to the songs, they reveal more than you think.