Maze, also known as Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly and other Frankie Beverly & Maze, is an American group formed in San Francisco in the early 1970s by Frankie Beverly.
Originally the group was called Raw Soul and it was Marvin Gaye himself who, taking them regularly as the first part of his concerts, advised them to rename themselves Maze. We are then in 1976.
The group released their first album "Maze featuring Frankie Beverly" in 1977. The album was a real success, in particular thanks to 2 tracks which are "While I’m alone" and "Lady of magic".
A year later in 1978, the album "Golden Time of Day" was released, an album that did even stronger than its predecessor in terms of Charts rankings. But without producing major hits.
The album "Inspiration" which came out in 1979 was also a success and gave the group a notorious hit with the title "Feel that you’re feelin". This is not the case with the album "Joy and Pain" which came out in 1980 and which despite its certain quality struggled to produce a hit worthy of the name.
It was therefore not until 1983 and the album "We are one" to see the group finally rewarded for their efforts. Album of the planetary consecration and which will remain as the best classified of all their discography in particular thanks to the top hit "Love is the key".
Another major success two years later in 1985 with the album "Can’t stop the love" from which the main Single "Back in stride" will be extracted. Their highest ranked Single to date across the Channel.
Four years went by before the album "Silky Soul" was released in 1989. New success, and for the album, and for the Single "Can’t get over you" which hit the world.
Once again, we had to wait four years and the year 1993 to see them experience a last major success thanks to the album "Back to basics" which mainly produced the hit "The morning after".
To discover or rediscover...
Discography (among others ...) :
70s Decade :
While I’m alone 1977
Lady of magic 1977
Golden time of day 1978
I whish you well 1978
Feel that you’re feelin 1979
80s Decade :
Southern girl 1980
The look in your eyes 1980
Running away 1981
Before I let go 1981
We need love to live 1982
Love is the key 1983
Never let you down 1983
We are one 1983
Back in stride 1985
Too many games 1985
I wanna be with you 1986
When you love someone 1986
Can’t get over you 1989
Silky soul 1989
90s Decade :
Love’s on the run 1990
The morning after 1993
Tracks :
1977 ... a first title which hits the mark immediately and which launches the group as best it can. Of course, we are far from the top of the Charts but this is what we call a promising start ...
1977 ... a beautiful year 1977 which sees them aligning a 2nd hit with this title once again full of finesse. Know-how in this obvious field !
1978 ... the confirmation of an obvious talent for a group which begins to establish himself more and more as one of the rising values of the time
1978 ... an Intimist mode which is undoubtedly their area of predilection. Their know-how is obvious and it would therefore be a shame to do without ...
1979 ... in jazzy-funky mode, a mode that takes them out of their usual register. And my faith, all that works quite well too !
1980 ... here they are in the 1980s with a clear desire to speed things up. In particular the tempo of their songs ...
1980 ... a title once again full of finesse and lightness. We saw them left for an uninterrupted series of Dance titles, oh no. Here they are again in their comfort zone, once again !
1981 ... they still take the time to alternate more and more title Intimist and title Dance. And the least we can say is that this one pulses !
1981 ... a groovy sound typical of this kind of formation, recognizable among all and that only black Americans were able to produce. One of a kind !
1983 ... success is now global. Starting with this title with obvious good humor and communicative rhythm
1983 ... we start again in the 'emotional' register. Hunt the natural, it comes back at a gallop. Who would blame them when we see the quality of the product...?
1983 ... a BIG year 1983 with several very high caliber titles. The year of full maturity where everything is successful !
1985 ... but it is the year 1985 which will bring them the final consecration. Starting with this title which allows them to afford their 2nd biggest global success
1985 ... a new global top hit in the wake. The group is at the height of its art and connects the hits with disconcerting ease
1986 ... a decade of 80 clearly more dancing in terms of titles. A particularly versatile group that will have excelled in all areas
1986 ... a beautiful new Ultimate Slow which enriches an already particularly busy discography in this area
1989 ... small air hole for 3 years. A comeback at the end of the decade with this title which will be their last notorious hit. What better way to end this blessed decade in style !
1989 ... a year 1989 which saw them particularly inspired, from where a production of title to the quality more than certain !
1990 ... they will have successfully crossed the 1970s, then the 1980s. Here they are in the 90s. Will they have the same level of success...good question ?
1993 ... success there will certainly be. But this decade will be one too many for the group. A remarkable career that will have made them one of the groups that were particularly important during the end of the 20th century
Wiki :
Official Website :
http://www.mazemuze.com/flash/Renaissance/index2.html Greatest Hits:
Discography :
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