Sign In

British singer, DJ, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter Maxi Jazz died on Saturday, according to a social media post made by his bandmates. He co-founded the electronic music group Faithless in 1995, which saw massive success in the UK and Europe, and scored three number one hits on the U.S. dance charts with “Salva Mea,” “Insomnia” and “God is a DJ.” The cause of death was not given. He was 65 years old.

“We are heartbroken to share that Maxi died peacefully in his sleep last night. Sending love to all of you who shared our musical journey. Look after each other y’hear,” Faithless member Sister Bliss shared on Twitter after the initial announcement was made.


“He was a man who changed our lives in so many ways. He gave proper meaning and message to our music,” Faithless said in a separate statement. “He was also a lovely human being with time for everyone and a wisdom that was both profound and accessible,” the band continued, “He was a brilliant lyricist, a DJ, a Buddhist, a magnificent stage presence, car lover, endless talker, beautiful person, moral compass and genius.”

Born Maxwell Fraser in London, he emerged as Maxi Jazz in the 1980s club scene by DJing on pirate radio. His first group, Maxi Jazz and the Soul Food Café System, blended hip hop with funk, and saw a degree of success in Europe. He later formed Faithless with keyboardist Sister Bliss, singer Jamie Catto, and producer Rollo in 1995, attracting immediate attention for their trancelike grooves and Jazz’s vocal counterpoint. On the worldwide hit “Insomnia,” his chant of “I can’t get no sleep” colliding with a strobe of synthesizer chords made for an irresistible call to the dance floor. He also looked real cool in the video.

Faithless's subsequent 1990s work saw incredible success, with multiple gold and platinum singles throughout Europe, particularly for the track “God is a DJ.” Singer and music video director Catto quit the group in 1999 to form 1 Giant Leap. In 2002, Jazz guested on a 1 Giant Leap track, “My Culture,” that also featured Robbie Williams. The music video was nominated for a Grammy, Jazz’s sole recognition by the Recording Academy.


Jazz was the frontman for Faithless during their peak club years of the 1990s through 2011, during which time they played to festival crowds at Coachella and Glastonbury. He left the group to form Maxi Jazz and the E-Type Boys, which featured a packed stage of musicians running the gamut from Bossa nova-inspired jazz to straight-ahead rock ’n’ roll.


Jazz reunited with Faithless (forming Faithless 2.0) in 2015. In more recent years, he split his time between London and Jamaica, and was fond of collecting race cars. (An accident in 2001 left him with some broken bones and cancelled shows, but he maintained his packed garage of classic autos.)

In an interview from 2017, the musical omnivore said the first album he ever bought was the classic rock war horse “Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs” by Derek and the Dominoes, but it was first hearing hip hop that led him to realize he could have a career in music. “When I discovered hip-hop, particularly Straight Out The Jungle by The Jungle Brothers, I realized I could make hip-hop, too, and write lyrics. Mike D and Afrika Bambaataa … their lyrics are playful, funny, intelligent and wise, and all that stuff I realized I could do. I realized there was a niche I could at the very least pop my toe into.”

On social media, Jazz was commemorated by Boy George, DJ Pete Tong, producer Armin van Buuren, and countless fans.