Maxwell Friedman Group performs at the Jack London
The Future of Neo-Jazz Funk soul fusion.
Maxwell Friedman (aka Muhlaika Washington), is living proof that some musicians are indeed “born with it." At 22 years old, Maxwell has already been playing live for 11 years and their ferocious and inspired keyboard playing, tasteful and clever compositions and musical poise and maturity are already becoming truly legendary while their skill, knowledge, taste, phrasing, artistry and professionalism are already on-par with many accomplished players on the national scene who, without hesitation, already call Max their peer. One of the youngest players to have ever been endorsed by Hammond Organ, Max has already been invited to share the stage with many musical heavy hitters including Karl Denson, George Porter Jr., Lettuce, The New Mastersounds, Skerik, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, The Nth Power, Stanton Moore, ALO, TAUK, Leftover Salmon, Jennifer Hartswick Band, and many more. Max has also already been an artist-at-large multiple times at West Coast festivals including the legendary High Sierra Music Festival. This emerging young genius’ star continues to rise and perhaps the most impressive work Max has done thus far has been with their own band, MFG aka Maxwell Friedman Group. Assembling veteran players, many years their senior, including guitarist “Brother Gabe” Johnson and bassist Mark Karwan, and for their current tour, drummer Machado Mijiga, the band delivers what Max likes to call “Inspired Neo-Jazz Funk Soul Fusion”. This illustrious young player not only has shown a maturity beyond their years in leading their elder musicians, but also continues to write mature compositions while creating extremely colorful soundscapes that are beyond compare. MFG is set to release a new EP in Spring 2026 featuring Adam Deitch of Lettuce on drums and they recently toured through with Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe for some West Coast dates. The band has several previous tours including high profile support dates with The Greyboy Allstars, KDTU and The New Mastersounds.
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Soul’d Out Productions (SOP) was founded in the Pacific NW in 2008 in order to bring a diversity in programming and cultural curation that was sorely lacking. Additionally, SOP has produced thousands of shows and events from LA to Vancouver BC, from Washington DC to NYC and founded the Jazz Fest by Nite series in New Orleans that ran from 2009 – 2019. As producer of the Soul’d Out Festival for 10 years and operator of several successful venues in Portland, SOP has helped evolve the NW musical landscape by changing who gets a ‘seat at the table’ in terms of community building and engagement through the arts.
