Maxwell History

Meet The Maxwell Project

The Maxwell Project features one of Central Pennsylvania’s few five-piece horn sections as well as three strong lead vocalists. The group specializes in 70s and 80s R&B, funk, and soul music and is known for their crowd-pleasing tribute set to “Earth, Wind, and Fire.” They also offer up smooth jazz and ballad arrangements that allow members of the band to show off their improvisational skills. Not your everyday cover band, The Maxwell Project features fine vocal harmonies, dynamic horns, and a tightly meshed rhythm section that compels listeners to dance—but they also enjoy entertaining audiences and really connecting with the crowd. Originally from Columbia, PA, the group now consists of musicians from all over Central Pennsylvania as well as Philadelphia. In recent years, the band has appeared in concert with The Stylistics, Philly Intruders, Clayton Miller Band (“America’s Got Talent”) and New Orleans recording artists, “Bonarama.” They were also featured at the City of Harrisburg’s 2010 July 4th Jazz & Multicultural Festival. For a complete list of recent appearances, please see our press kit.

A little history...

Back in 1979, Liz Curtis, a program director at Q106 in York, aired a song by a local R&B group known as “Maxwell.” The group wasn’t signed and was known mostly in their home town of Columbia, PA—a few miles from the Three Mile Island nuclear plant. When the song, aptly titled, “Radiation Funk” was played, the station’s switchboard lit up with requests to hear it again, quickly pushing it to the #2 spot on area charts. When the flip side, “A New Star,” climbed to #5, Maxwell was asked to open for Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, The Trammps, The Temptations, The Spinners and other well-known R&B recording artists. The 45 single eventually made its way across the Atlantic, where it became a cult classic sought after by collectors today.

Formed when most of its members were still in high school and escorted to gigs by parents, Maxwell enjoyed a large family of devout fans in Central PA in the mid-70s and early 80s. However, their 1981 album went unreleased, and they disbanded in 1984, only to be resurrected in 2002 with a reunion concert that drew thousands of fans—and requests for the band’s return. The group’s 2005 CD as “The Maxwell Project”—entitled “Jamaphonic”—features a special guest appearance by Nippy Hawkins—the voice on both of Maxwell’s top-ten hits of the 70s. The CD also includes “Radiation Funk” as a bonus track.

The Maxwell Project is:

Jeff Aston

Jeff, who comes from a musically talented family, began blowing trumpet at age eight, but he was only three when he started singing and developing his remarkable talent for vocal harmony. Hailing from Columbia, PA., Jeff joined his first band, Soul System, at the age of 15. He is one of Maxwell’s founding members and performed with the band for over 12 years – initially as a trumpet player and background vocalist, and eventually emerging to sing lead and co-front the band in 1979. Since the beginning, Jeff has been Maxwell’s musical arranger. He produced the group’s first two albums and appeared with Maxwell when they opened in concert with Cactus, The Trammps, GQ, The Spinners, Tom Browne and other recording artists. Since Maxwell’s sensational reunion in 2002, Jeff has been the driving force behind the group’s reemergence, which has included concert appearances with Russell Thompkins, Jr. (“Voice of the Stylistics”) and the Philly Intruders and the reformation of the group as “The Maxwell Project” in 2005. Jeff wrote, arranged, and produced several songs on the band’s latest CD, “Jamaphonic” and continues to deliver the powerful, soulful vocals that have been his trademark over the years.

Corby Myers

Corby- a cornerstone member of Maxwell – has been the group’s guitar player since 1972. He has written some of the band’s most popular original music, including the Top-40 hit “A New Star” and several cuts from the group’s 1981 album. He has also contributed several songs to the Maxwell Project’s CD, “Jamaphonic”.

As a founding member of the band he has appeared with Maxwell in all their concert shows, opening for such renowned acts as; Cactus; The Village People; The Trammps; Howard Melvin and the Blue Notes; The Spinners; Tom Browne; GQ; McFadden and Whitehead; and other national recording acts. He also played briefly with the band Liquid Smoke and was the guitarist and also sang lead vocals for the Charlie Van Horn Big Band.

In addition to his talents as a guitarist and composer, Corby, who has a doctorate in Adult Education and Psychoeducational Processes from Temple University, is a published author in his field and has taught college classes in criminal justice administration. He is an avid runner having completed over twenty marathons and several more 50 mile ultra-marathons and triathlons. He is also an outdoor enthusiast involved in rock climbing, winter mountaineering and endurance racing.

Corby cites Tower of Power guitarists Bruce Conte and Jeff Tamilier, as well as Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, and BB King as influences.

Kathy Aston (Kat)

Kathy, who started singing in grade school talent contests at age six, began her professional career in music at 18, singing, playing guitar and penning original music. She spent her earlier musical career in NYC where she recorded for projects at Record Plant and Electric Lady studios and performed in East Village coffee shops and clubs throughout upstate New York and New England. After returning from New York, Kathy landed the front spot with local recording artists, Maxwell, with whom she performed for three years. In 1981, she recorded an album with Maxwell and appeared with the group when they opened for “The Spinners” and funk trumpeter, “Tom Browne.”

After leaving Maxwell in 1983, Kathy performed with various jazz artists around the Harrisburg area, recorded a demo at Power Station in New York for producer Tony Bonjovi, and played a bit part in the Movie “Heart” starring Brad Davis (“Midnight Express”). Later, she moved to Philadelphia to work with eight-piece funk band, "Half Moon," playing throughout the East Coast, Canada, and Japan. Since the Maxwell reunion in 2002, Kathy has continued to perform with the newly reformed Maxwell Project at clubs and events in the Central Pennsylvania area. These have included concert openings for “Voice of the Stylistics – Russell Thompkins, Jr.,” “The Philly Intruders,” and “The Clayton Miller Band” as well as regular appearances at the Hollywood Casino and special events for the City of Harrisburg.

Vance McGhee

Vance, who originally decided to play an instrument in sixth grade “to get out of classes,” claims his first choice was the trumpet, “but all they had left was a trombone.” Somewhere along the way, he also discovered he could sing, with a richly textured tenor that easily shifts into a Phillip Bailey-style falsetto.

After high school, Vance played with a number of R&B groups in his hometown of Norristown, PA, including “The Cashmeres” and “Aphrodesia.” He also attended Philadelphia’s Granoff Music School, but dropped out before graduating to tour the eastern U.S. and Canada with Philadelphia-based funk band “Half Moon.” The group performed in concert with GQ, Breakwater, LTD and Millie Jackson.

Following the breakup of Half Moon, Vance covered a lot of ground with his own group, City Lights Orchestra. The band appeared regularly in the Philadelphia and Atlantic City areas and played to enthusiastic crowds during a 1993 tour of Japan, where they gained recognition for their dynamic sound and tightly choreographed shows.

Vance lists Earth, Wind & Fire, Tower of Power, Luther Vandross and Peabo Bryson as his major musical influences. Since joining “The Maxwell Project” in 2005, Vance has contributed music to the group’s CD, “Jamaphonic” and draws a loyal group of fans wherever the band performs.

Gary Waters

Gary, who was born into a musically talented family, started playing drums at age 14, joining his sister and cousins to form his first band, Supreme Court, at age 15. Naturally talented, he was soon polished enough to play with Latent Image, a Harrisburg-based jazz ensemble led by his father, trumpeter and keyboard player, Ronald Waters. “My dad is still my biggest musical influence,” he remarks, adding that he has also learned a lot from listening to drummers like Dave Weckl and Omar Hakim and artists like Miles Davis, Chaka Khan, and Earth, Wind and Fire.

An "in the pocket” drummer, Gary joined Maxwell at 19, supplying the heartbeat for the group through one of its most exciting and productive eras. He appeared with the band in front of thousands at their 1980 Spinners/Tom Browne opener and recorded and contributed original music for Maxwell's second album.

After leaving Maxwell in 1982, Gary toured the eastern U.S. and Canada with the band, Half Moon, and performed with Central PA R&B bands, The Glow, Hit and Run, Synergy, and his own group -- Seven. In addition to his studio experience with Maxwell, he has worked on numerous other recording projects in Central Pennsylvania and Florida and has also appeared in concert with Melba Moore, Pieces of a Dream, Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Robert Clay, Spur of the Moment, and other nationally known artists. Gary has performed regularly with The Maxwell Project since its inception in 2005. He appears on the group’s CD, “Jamaphonic.”

Steve “Shaulls” Lentz

At the age of eight, Steve started his musical career as a clarinet player, and by Junior High, he was performing with his musically talented family’s 15-piece big band. He has played all types of music – beginning in high school with The Serenaders Jazz Band, whose alumni include Dick Price, Tim Warfield and Chris Bacon, and the Crown Royals soul band (when he switched to tenor sax). While attending Austin Peay University, where he earned a B.S. degree in Music Education, he played with rock, soul and variety bands in and around Nashville. After graduating, he spent two years as a staff musician at the New Opryland Park before returning to his hometown of York, PA. Steve is best known in the Central PA area for his stint with “Hit and Run,” with whom he recorded and toured for eight years, opening for Pat Benatar, the Trammps, and numerous other recording acts.

Steve, who met his wife of 27 years, Cathie, while touring with “Hit and Run,” has three daughters and is a partner in a thriving contracting business in York. In addition to performing and recording with The Maxwell Project, he also plays with Harrisburg’s “Music Thru Science.” He describes his experience with TMP as a “throwback to a time when money was not my first priority and I played in bands for the love of performing live. There is nothing like it.” Music is Steve’s first love and he hopes to continue playing for a long time to come.

Mike Burton

Mike, who is a jazz performance major at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, has been playing trumpet and flugelhorn since the age of 12, and he is serious about his craft. After four years of private tutoring with Tim Leahey of the "Airmen of Note" -- who is one of Mike's "playing inspirations" -- as well as many hours of practice, he has quickly become one of the areas most accomplished young musicians. While still in high school, Mike won best jazz soloist in Canada for his performance on the fluegelhorn and secured a spot with the All County Band, Orchestra, and Jazz Band for two years in a row. He has also performed with the All State Jazz Band and District Jazz Band for two years. Although he enjoys playing a wide variety of music, including funk, R&B, rap and hip hop, Mike prefers to play jazz. His major musical influences are Wynton Marsalis, Sean Jones, Roy Hargrove, Lee Morgan, Dizzy Gillespie, Nicholas Payton, and "all the jazz greats." In addition to his work with "The Maxwell Project," he has done stints with several Central Pennsylvania groups including the Jonathan Ragonese quartet and Harrisburg-based R&B group, "Chemistry."

image here Mark Huber

Mark Huber is one of Central PA’s “does-it-all” pianists/keyboardists with experience in jazz, funk, soul, classic rock, and light classical as well as theatre. From a childhood background in classical piano, he has branched out into most genres involving piano or keyboard performance.

Growing up in an atmosphere of intensive training in Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, and Mendelssohn, Mark developed his own learning curve in the realm of Bacharach, Ellington, Stevie Wonder, and Motown. After that, he discovered Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Bill Evans, and Keith Jarrett, and tried to involve those influences in his playing.

Recently, Mark has become more immersed in jazz situations involving interpretation of the “Great American Songbook” repertoire.

“The fun part of playing keyboards with The Maxwell Project is trying to bring an element of earthiness, funky soul, and at times, sophistication, to the great repertoire that the band covers.”

When not playing gigs with TMP, you can catch Mark performing at numerous jazz venues or theater situations in Central Pennsylvania.

Dave Buffington

Dave Buffington is a graduate of Lebanon Valley College where he was the student director of the LVC Jazz Band in 1982. He brings a diverse background that includes performances in clubs, casinos, corporate events, and private engagements as well as shows in Philadelphia and Atlantic City. His musical experience includes a variety of genres including jazz, Latin salsa, R&B, funk, big band, and sacred music.

In addition to The Maxwell Project, Dave has been a regular member of a number of local R&B bands over the years and has also freelanced with several top area bands, including the popular “Bunchafunk” out of Reading. He has also been associated with Dave Stahl’s Big Band for close to 25 years.

Through most of the 90s, Dave covered the trumpet book as well as wrote and arranged for local R&B band “Blitz Dynette,” appearing coast-to-coast, including stops in New York City and Las Vegas. The group gained a large, loyal following and recorded three original CDs along the way. Other credits include the original run of “Hit Wave” at the American Music Theater in Lancaster, work with R&B legends The Temptations, and a reunion concert of the mfsb band (TSOP) at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia.

Dave lives in Lebanon with his wife Heather who is a vocal music teacher in the Northern Lebanon School District. They have two sons, Nick and Ben, both guitarists and vocalists who perform locally on occasion.

Nippy Hawkins

Nippy reversed the tradition of bringing an apple for the teacher when, at the age of six, teachers began paying him in apples to sing in front of the class. When asked why he pursued a career in music, he explains simply, "Everyone said I sounded good, so I just kept doing it." Nip’s early musical experiences included performances at church, weddings and family gatherings, but his professional career began with the formation of his own group, Nippy and the Nip Tones, with whom he performed until 1966 when he entered the military for two years. After his discharge, he joined Soul System, Yezidees, and finally Maxwell, with whom he performed until 1979.

Those who remember Maxwell’s 1978 release of "Radiation Funk" and “A New Star” are familiar with Nippy’s impressive vocal talents and his ability to work a crowd. With a large and loyal following, he fronted the band through one of its most successful eras, performing in concert openers for McFadden and Whitehead, GQ, The Trammps and Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes. Since the 2002 reunion, Nip has been a featured artist at Maxwell's 2003 New Years Eve party with “Voice of the Stylistics” -- Russell Thompkins, Jr., as well as various clubs and special events. In 2010, he began performing locally with his own four-piece group, “Mug Shot Soul and Blues Band.” Fans can find him on Facebook.

Mike Aston (Uncle Mike)

A founding member of Maxwell, Mike began playing flugelhorn at age ten and cut his teeth, both instrumentally and vocally, on 40’s and 50’s pop music. However, it was his experiences at the Navy School of Music in Washington D.C. that influenced him to become a professional musician. While serving aboard the heavy cruiser, U.S.S. Newport News, he played for a radio broadcast concert with Putte Wickman, Sweden’s answer to Count Basie. During his stint with the Navy, Mike’s friendship with renowned jazz baritone sax player, Hamiett Bluiett, and working with musicians who shared the stage with players like Stan Kenton, Duke Ellington, and Charlie Mingus, profoundly affected his musical aspirations. In the early 70s, Mike also played a showcase with The Platters in D.C.

Soon after leaving the Navy, Mike returned home and began a 10-year musical career that included six years of club appearances and concerts with Maxwell before “retiring” from the music scene in 1979. Highlights of his career with Maxwell included concerts with recording artists Cactus and The Trammps. Then, in 2002, he dusted off his fluegelhorn to appear at Maxwell’s 2002 Reunion Dance Party and the band’s 2003 NYE appearance with Russell Thompkins, Jr. Although no longer active in music, Mike continued to perform with The Maxwell Project until 2010 and appears on the group’s 2005 CD.