Maxi Jazz
Maxwell Alexander Fraser (14 June 1957 – 23 December 2022), better known by his stage name Maxi Jazz, was a British musician, rapper, singer, songwriter and DJ. He was the lead vocalist of British electronic band Faithless from 1995 to 2011 and 2015 to 2016.
Maxi Jazz
Maxwell Alexander Fraser
14 June 1957
Brixton, London, England
23 December 2022 (aged 65)
London, England
- Musician
- rapper
- singer
- songwriter
- DJ
1982–2022
Music career[edit]
Hip hop beginnings[edit]
Maxi Jazz was born Maxwell Alexander Fraser on 14 June 1957[1] in Brixton, south London.[2] Jazz founded The Soul Food Café System as a DJ in 1984, having discovered hip hop a year earlier. He first aired the sound as a DJ calling it "In the Soul Kitchen with DJ Maxi Jazz" on pirate radio station Reach FM London from 1985 to 1986. He transferred this sound to pirate radio station LWR in 1987.
In 1989, The Soul Food Café Band was picked up by Tam Tam Records, which is the dance wing of Savage Records. Jazz founded Namu Records in 1992 to release the band's material in the form of three EPs and the band toured as a support act to various artists, including Jamiroquai in Amsterdam, Soul II Soul in Barcelona, Galliano in Switzerland, and Jason Rebello in Brazil. In 1996, Maxi Jazz and the Soul Food Cafe recorded and released the album "Original Groovejuice vol.1" with Revco Records in Deptford, South London. After the band dissolved, Jazz worked throughout Europe, and took time out to collaborate with Jah Wobble on the Invaders of the Heart album, followed by live dates with the Wobble Collective.
Personal life[edit]
Jazz lived in West Norwood, in the London Borough of Lambeth. A Soka Gakkai Buddhist, he advocated the work of the Burma Campaign UK.[3]
A supporter of Crystal Palace F.C., in September 2012 he became an associate director of the club.[11]
In 2011, a portrait of Jazz was painted by British artist Joe Simpson; the painting was exhibited around the UK, including in a solo exhibition at the Royal Albert Hall.[12] The portrait was shortlisted for the 2011 BP Portrait Award and exhibited at The National Portrait Gallery.[13]