Faithless share tribute to late singer Maxi Jazz following private funeral

Faithless have shared their first online message since the death of Maxi Jazz, paying tribute to their late friend and former bandmate. 

Real name Maxwell Fraser, the founding Faithless member – who sung, played guitar and produced in the band – died on December 24, 2022 at the age of 65. He fronted the band from its inception in 1995 until its breakup in 2011. The group then reunited in 2015, however Jazz left the fold again a year later. 

The band themselves broke the news of Jazz’s passing, with surviving members Sister Bliss and Rollo describing him in a social media post as “a man who changed our lives in so many ways” and “a lovely human being with time for everyone and a wisdom that was both profound and accessible”.

A second tribute was posted on New Year’s Eve, however the band had since kept silent, only emerging overnight to confirm that a private memorial had taken place in Jazz’s honour. “We wanted to let you know that Maxi’s funeral was held today in his hometown [of] South London,” they wrote. “It was kept private following the wishes of his family.”

The group went on to invite fans to share tributes of their own, writing: “We welcome [Jazz’s] Faithless family to raise a glass and celebrate Maxi’s life together, wherever you are in the world. If you are moved to contribute anything, Maxi’s wish was not for flowers, but for donations to Centrepoint. Centrepoint is an amazing charity that provides accommodation and support to homeless people in the UK.

“We would also like to say a huge thank you all for all the beautiful messages, amazing art and love for Maxi that you have shared. They are hugely appreciated.”

The statement ends with a lyric from Faithless’ 2001 song ‘Not Enuff Love’ – the second track from their third album, ‘Outrospective’ – “Upon each other we all depend, message end.” See the full tribute below, followed by a stream of ‘Not Enuff Love’.

Tributes flowed in the wake of Jazz’s death, with notable figures paying tribute including MistaJam and UB40.

Hundreds of fans, too, have flocked to Faithless’ social media pages to share messages of love. “I’ll always cherish the memories I have of the times I saw [Jazz] live,” wrote one commenter on the band’s new post, while another wished the late singer “a wonderful journey across the rainbow”.

Earlier this month, the “Monster Mix” version Faithless’ 1995 single ‘Insomnia’ – which was included on the original UK and European release – made it into the top 10 of the Beatport Top 100.

The post Faithless share tribute to late singer Maxi Jazz following private funeral appeared first on NME.