Faithless singer Maxi Jazz has died aged 65.

Faithless singer Maxi Jazz has died at the age of 65, his colleagues have confirmed in a statement posted on Facebook.

“It breaks our hearts to say that Maxi Jazz passed away last night,” Rollo and Sister Bliss wrote in the post. “He was a man who changed our lives in so many ways. He gave the right meaning and message to our music.

“He was a beautiful person, with time for everyone and wisdom that was profound and accessible. It was an honor and, of course, a real joy to work with him. He was an excellent lyricist, a DJ, a Buddhist, an instantly brilliant scenic artist, a car lover, an undeniable charlatan, a beautiful person, a moral compass and a genius”.

Jazz was born in Brixton in 1957 and started DJing as The Soul Food Cafe System in 1984. The Soul Food Cafe Band signed with Tam Tam Records in 1989. The group opened for Jamiroquai, Soul II Soul, etc., and d They released an album, “Original Groovejuice Vol. 1”, in 1996. However, they disbanded soon after.

In 1995, Faithless Jazz was formed by Rollo and Sister Bliss, and they released their first album “Reverence” in 1996. Its follow-up, 1998’s “Sunday 8pm,” was nominated for a Mercury Music Prize, and also spawned the hit single ” Dia. Is A DJ”, earned the group a BRIT Award nomination for Best British Dance Band in 1999.

In 2002, the trio gave a legendary performance on Glastonbury’s iconic Pyramid Stage, following their third album, Outrospective, released a year earlier. Their cultural muscle was shown again in 2005, when the group’s greatest hits album “Forever Faithless” went four times platinum and became the best-selling dance album of 2005.

Their power remained high thereafter, with the band headlining California’s Coachella Festival in 2017 and collaborating with the likes of Cat Power and The Cure’s Robert Smith on their fifth album, ‘To All New Arrivals’. In 2020, after a seven-year hiatus, they returned with their seventh album, ‘All Blessed’.

In 2015, Faithless formed a new band called Maxi Jazz & The E-Type Boys, in which she sang and played guitar. He also enjoyed a sporadic solo career, first releasing singles in the late eighties, until this year with the Vintage Culture collaboration “Commotion.”

In 2012 he became associate manager of Crystal Palace FC, of ​​whom he was a lifelong fan. The club have already confirmed that they will pay tribute to Jazz at their game this week. “We mourn the loss of the legendary musician Maxi Jazz, who died at the age of 65,” he said in a statement. “The team will come out to beat Faithless on Boxing Day in tribute.”

The star was also the subject of a painting by British artist Joe Simpson, which was shown across the UK, including at the Royal Albert Hall. After being shortlisted for the BP Portrait Award, it was also exhibited in the National Portrait Gallery.

DJ Dave Pearce wrote on Twitter: “Sad to learn that Maxi Jazz has passed away – Faithless were an icon of UK dance music from the mid-90s and touched many lives. During their meteoric rise to fame Maxi was still warm, fresh and a kind soul – the poet of dance music – thoughts with his family and friends RIP”.

MistaJam added, “I only saw him in person once and he was a very kind person with a special aura. His words and performances touched many of us and he will be greatly missed.” With love to @thesisterbliss and the whole @faithless family. Be in the power of Maxi Jazz.”

See more tributes below.

This is a developing story and will be updated