Maxi Jazz, The Lead Vocalist Of Faithless, Passed Away At The Age Of 65

(CTN NEWS) – It has been reported that Maxi Jazz, the lead singer of the British dance act Faithless, passed away at age 65.

Maxwell Fraser was a core group member best known for its club classic Insomnia.

Sister Bliss, a former bandmate, said he died “peacefully in his sleep” in his south-London home.

In her tweet, she said, “Sending love to everyone who shared our musical journey. Take care of each other, y’hear.”.

https://twitter.com/thesisterbliss/status/1606684888505016320

The band was known for singles like We Come 1, which reached the top three in 2001, and Insomnia, which reached third in 1996.

In 2017, UB40 paid tribute to Jazz concerning the Insomnia single: “A lovely guy, again who has gone too soon, but at last Maxi, you can rest.”

Jazz’s former bandmates said in a statement on his Instagram: “He changed our lives in so many ways. He gave our music a proper meaning and message.”

“The privilege of working with him was an honor and a true pleasure; he was a wonderful human being with time for everyone, a wisdom that was both profound and accessible.”

“He was a brilliant lyricist, a DJ, a Buddhist, a wonderful stage presence, a car lover, an endless talker, a beautiful person, a moral compass, and a genius.”

A native of Brixton, Jazz also fronted Maxi Jazz & The E-Type Boys and released music with Soul Food Cafe.

From the mid-90s, Faithless became “an iconic force in UK dance music and touched so many lives”. He said jazz was “dance music’s poet” and a “warm, cool, friendly soul”.

In 1995, Faithless formed and pioneered stadium dance music. In 2002, they headlined the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury, one of the world’s largest festivals.

At the Brit Awards in 1999 and 2002, they were nominated for Best UK Dance Act.

Almost a decade later, during the Covid pandemic, the band returned to release a new studio album. Jazz, who had formed another band, Maxi Jazz & The E-Type Boys, did not join them.

During Faithless’ hiatus in 2013, Jazz began writing material for the guitar band.

Their website describes their sound as “melodic funk and blues mixed with reggae beats, dub baselines, and Jamaican melodies”.

Crystal Palace FC was Jazz’s favorite football team, and he became an associate director in 2012.

As a tribute to the late singer, the team will walk out to Faithless on Boxing Day at Selhurst Park.

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