Faithless frontman Maxwell Fraser, better known by his stage name Maxi Jazz, died at the age of 65 at his home in South London on Friday night.

The lead vocalist of the British electronic band Faithless performed alongside band members Rollo and Sister Bliss.

The death was announced in a Facebook post by his fellow Faithless performers as well as The E-Type Boys with whom he was rehearsing at his home this November, having fun “making joyful noises” the vocalist had said in a previous Facebook post on the 24th November.“

"He gave a proper meaning and message to our music,” said the band members.

Maxi joined Faithless in 1995, performing with them for a record 27 years. Their records topped charts in numerous countries.

Two of Faithless’s better-known singles are "We Come 1" and “Insomnia” which Mixmag ranked as the 5th greatest ever dance track of all time.

The performers looked back at their journey alongside Maxi saying he was a “lovely human being with time for everyone and a wisdom that was both profound and accessible.”

They described having worked with Maxi Jazz as an honour.

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

Thousands of fans and friends have reacted to the news on Facebook with hundreds expressing their sadness at the news and reminiscing about meeting him, working with him and listening to his music.

A fan dubbed Maxi “the best lyricist” adding that it was a pleasure to have seen him perform live and ending “You made the dance floor so many people’s church”.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.