Taking leave
Faithless singer Maxi Jazz has died
Maxi Jazz, singer and frontman of British trip-hop dance band Faithless, has died. photo
© Peter Klaunzer/KEYSTONE/dpa
“He gave our music the right meaning and message,” his former bandmates write of the Faithless singer. Now Maxi Jazz is dead. Especially with a song line he became an icon.
There are probably few songs to which so many people around the world have danced, celebrated and sweated: Faithless singer Maxi Jazz has with his voice in “Insomnia”, the line “I can’t get no sleep” and the following techno sample immortalized in music history. Now Maxi Jazz has died at the age of 65.
His former bandmates said on Christmas Eve via the group’s official social media channels: “We are heartbroken to learn that Maxi Jazz passed away peacefully at his home in south London last night.” It was an honor and a real pleasure to work with Jazz, whose real name was Maxwell Fraser. “He was a brilliant lyricist, DJ, Buddhist, great stage presence, car enthusiast, endless talker, beautiful person, moral compass and genius. His colleagues continued: ‘He gave our music the right meaning and message.’
Faithless are best known for songs like “Insomnia”, “God is a DJ” and “We Come 1”. The band formed in 1995, have produced seven studio albums and headlined some of the world’s biggest festivals. Clubs, house parties and many fitness courses would be unthinkable without their hits.
Born in Brixton, Jazz also fronted the band Maxi Jazz & The E-Type Boys and has worked with the likes of Robbie Williams. The musician had been a supporter of London football club Crystal Palace for many years, and the club posted a photo of Jazz on Saturday night, expressing their sadness. And he announced that on Boxing Day, Boxing Day, the team would come to the game in commemoration to a Faithless song.
Statement on Instagram Sister Bliss on Twitter Post Crystal Palace Football Club