Tragic news in the world of electronic music. This Saturday, December 24, the British group Faithless announced on Facebook and Twitter the death of one of its members: Maxi Jazz. The singer has indeed died at the age of 65 in his sleep, while he was at his home in south London. For the moment, the causes of his death have not been revealed.
“We are heartbroken to learn that Maxi Jazz passed away last night. He was a man who changed our lives in so many ways. He gave appropriate meaning and message to our music,” Sister wrote. Bliss and Rollo Armstrong, the other two members of the trio, before paying a very nice tribute to their friend: “He was also an adorable human being who had time for everyone and a wisdom that was both deep and accessible. It was an honor and, of course, a real pleasure to work with him. He was a brilliant lyricist, a DJ, a Buddhist, a magnificent stage presence, a car lover, an endless talker, a beautiful person, a moral compass and a genius”.
We are heartbroken to say Maxi Jazz died peacefully in his sleep last night. He was a man who changed our lives in so many ways. He gave proper meaning and a message to our music. He was a lovely human being with time for everyone and wisdom that was both profound and accessible. pic.twitter.com/VcFe7OpTh6
— Faithless (@faithless) December 24, 2022
A successful band
Born in 1957 in Brixton, Maxi Jazz, whose real name is Maxwell Fraser, formed the band Faithless with Rollo and Sister Bliss in 1995. They released their debut album Reverence the following year. Their second opus, Sunday 8PM, was nominated for the Mercury Prize while God is a DJ became a huge hit, allowing the group to appear as one of the pioneers of dance music at the time. Faithless released their last album, dubbed Blessed, in 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic, but without Maxi Jazz. Separated from the group since 2011, the singer had nevertheless continued his career by founding the group Maxi Jazz & The E-Type Boys, with which he was still touring.
Maxi Jazz © ALPHA AGENCY
