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Daily Mirror
02-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Faithless star Maxi Jazz leaves jaw-dropping sum in will with huge donation to charity
The musician's will has revealed the huge sum he left behind after his death, some of which Maxi Jazz set aside for donation to a Buddhist charity Faithless frontman Maxi Jazz left behind a £3 million fortune in his will, along with an impressive gift to a Buddhist charity close to his heart. The pioneering dance music star, born Maxwell Fraser, died in December 2022 at the age of 65 following a long illness. Jazz was the voice behind Faithless anthems like Insomnia, God Is A DJ and We Come 1. Newly released probate records reveal that the musician's estate was valued at £3,119,567 before deductions, with around £60,000 reduced due to costs. It comes after Sir Michael Palin says he is preparing for the end of his life in sad update. Katie Price worries fans with appearance in family photo after explaining weight loss Cruz Beckham 'steals' his dad's tiny white trunks and family have epic response According to The Sun, 20 percent of the estate, amounting to approximately £624,000, was left to Soka Gakkai International (SGI), a global Buddhist charity. Jazz became a devoted follower of SGI's Nichiren Buddhism after being introduced to the practice by a girlfriend in the early 1990s. SGI teaches that individuals can transform their lives through chanting and personal empowerment. Despite its widespread following, the group has attracted criticism from some former members, and it remains a controversial presence in global religious circles. The remaining estate was left to friends and his niece, Michaela, who will inherit her share once she turns 30, according to the 2019 will signed off by the High Court last week. Maxi Jazz had no children. Jazz was born in Brixton, South London, and first made waves on pirate radio in the 1980s before co-founding Faithless in 1995 at nearly 40 years old. He once said the group's name reflected his feelings of spiritual emptiness before discovering Buddhism. The group's breakout single Insomnia was written during a sleepless night caused by a painful tooth abscess. Jazz said writing music was the only thing that kept him going. The track became an instant club classic and is still a defining anthem of the era. Jazz remained with Faithless for over two decades, performing in front of massive festival crowds including a 100,000-strong audience at Glastonbury in 2002, before leaving in 2016 to pursue new creative projects with his blues-reggae band, Maxi Jazz & The E-Type Boys. After his death, Faithless paid tribute to the frontman with a heartfelt statement, which read: "He was a man who changed our lives in so many ways. He gave proper meaning and message to our music. He was also a lovely human being with time for everyone and a wisdom that was both profound and accessible. It was an honour and, of course, a true pleasure to work with him. "He was a brilliant lyricist, a DJ, a Buddhist, a magnificent stage presence, car lover, endless talker, beautiful person, moral compass and genius." Jazz was also a devoted Crystal Palace supporter and became an associate director of the South London football club in 2012. After his passing, players walked out to Faithless music at Selhurst Park in his honour. Club chairman Steve Parish also commemorated him, saying: "He was such a huge talent, a massive supporter of the club in every way and just a wonderful kind-hearted man. He made the world dance, sing and laugh and someone I was privileged to call a friend. RIP Maxi."
Daily Mail
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Faithless star Maxi Jazz left staggering amount in his will - and left hefty sum to Buddhist charity
Faithless star Maxi Jazz has left a huge £3million in his will - as well as a hefty sum to a Buddhist charity. The lead singer of the dance group died in his home in December 2022 from a long illness at the age of 65. Court documents show he left an estate worth £3,119,567, which was cut by £60,000 after costs. But he also passed on a staggering £624,000 - worth 20 per cent of the estate - to controversial Buddhist charity Soka Gakkai International (SGI), according to The Sun. Jazz, whose real name was Maxwell Fraser, was a follower of the spiritual religion after he was introduced to it by his girlfriend in the early 90s. However the group has faced criticism from former members despite being one of the largest organised Buddhist groups in the UK. As the musician had no children, beneficiaries in his will are friends. The remainder of his estate was passed to his niece, Michaela, once she turns 30. Faithless is best known for the 1995 hit Insomnia which topped the UK dance charts and peaked at number three in the UK chart when it was re-released a year later The 2019 will was signed off by the High Court last week. Faithless is best known for the 1995 hit Insomnia which topped the UK dance charts and peaked at number three in the UK when it was re-released a year later. The group wrote a number of other hit tracks together including We Come 1 and God Is A DJ. As a solo artist Jazz collaborated with stars including Robbie Williams on 1 Giant Leap's track My Culture and with Tiesto and Jamiroquai. Following his death, Faithless keyboard player Sister Bliss wrote on Twitter: 'Maxi Jazz 1957 - 2022. 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.'
Scottish Sun
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Faithless star Maxi Jazz left staggering sum in his will – with 20 per cent of fortune going to Buddhist charity
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FAITHLESS rapper Maxi Jazz left a staggering sum in his will – including 20 per cent to a controversial Buddhist charity. The dance music frontman, best known for 1995 club hit Insomnia, died from a long illness at his home in London in December 2022. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 5 Left to right Dave Randall, Maxi Jazz and Sister Bliss of British dance act Faithless Credit: Redferns 5 Maxi Jazz left more than £3million in his will Credit: Getty Images - Getty 5 Court docs show 20 per cent was left to a controversial Buddhist charity Credit: Getty New court documents show he left an estate worth £3,119,567, which was reduced by £60,000 after costs. Documents seen by The Sun show he passed 20 per cent of the estate – £624,000 – to Soka Gakkai International (SGI), a Buddhist charity based in India. Jazz, real name Maxwell Fraser, was a devout follower of Buddhism after his then-girlfriend introduced it to him in the early 1990s. SGI follows the teachings of Nichiren Buddhism, which promotes personal empowerment through chanting. The group has faced criticism from former members, though is one of the largest organised Buddhist groups in the UK. Jazz had no children, meaning other beneficiaries in his will were pals. The remainder of his estate was passed to his niece, Michaela, once she turns 30. The 2019 will was signed off by the High Court last week. Born in Brixton, South London, Jazz was best known for stints on pirate radio stations in the late 1980s and was nearly 40 when Faithless formed in 1995. The band's name is said to have come from its frontman's retelling of his journey to Buddhism and his feeling of faithlessness before he converted. Maxi penned the group's best hit, Insomnia, days after suffering a sleep-depriving tooth abscess, which left him writing music to numb the pain. The group's success saw their music on the DJ decks of every nightclub in the country, and in 2002 they played to 100,000 people in a sunset slot at Glastonbury. He fan spent 21 years in Faithless until he left the group in 2016 to form a blues-reggae band called Maxi Jazz & The E-Type Boys the same year. Faithless led tributes to its former leader after Maxi was found dead at his South London home. In an emotional statement at the time, they wrote: 'He was a man who changed our lives in so many ways. He gave proper meaning and message to our music. "He was also a lovely human being with time for everyone and a wisdom that was both profound and accessible. "It was an honour and, of course, a true pleasure to work with him. "He was a brilliant lyricist, a DJ, a Buddhist , a magnificent stage presence, car lover, endless talker, beautiful person, moral compass and genius.' The star was a huge fan of Crystal Palace and became an associate director in 2012. After his death, the South London side walked out to Faithless at Selhurst Park as a tribute. Club chairman Steve Parish said: "He was such a huge talent, a massive supporter of the club in every way and just a wonderful kind-hearted man. "He made the world dance, sing and laugh and someone I was privileged to call a friend. RIP Maxi." 5 Jazz, real name Maxwell Fraser, was a devout follower of Buddhism Credit: Getty
The Irish Sun
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Faithless star Maxi Jazz left more than £3million fortune in his will – with 20 per cent going to Buddhist charity
FAITHLESS rapper Maxi Jazz left more than £3million in his will – including 20 per cent to a controversial Buddhist charity. The dance music frontman, best known for 1995 club hit Insomnia, 5 Left to right Dave Randall, Maxi Jazz and Sister Bliss of British dance act Faithless Credit: Redferns 5 Maxi Jazz left more than £3million in his will Credit: Getty Images - Getty 5 Court docs show 20 per cent was left to a controversial Buddhist charity Credit: Getty New court documents show he left an estate worth £3,119,567, which was reduced by £60,000 after costs. Documents seen by The Sun show he passed 20 per cent of the estate – £624,000 – to Soka Gakkai International (SGI), a Buddhist charity based in India. Jazz, real name Maxwell Fraser, was a devout follower of Buddhism after his then-girlfriend introduced it to him in the early 1990s. SGI follows the teachings of Nichiren Buddhism, which promotes personal empowerment through chanting. Read More The group has faced criticism from former members, though is one of the largest organised Buddhist groups in the UK. Jazz had no children, meaning other beneficiaries in his will were pals. The remainder of his estate was passed to his niece, Michaela, once she turns 30. The 2019 will was signed off by the High Court last week. Most read in Showbiz Born in Brixton, South London, Jazz was best known for stints on pirate radio stations in the late 1980s and was nearly 40 when Faithless formed in 1995. The band's name is said to have come from its frontman's retelling of his journey to Buddhism and his feeling of faithlessness before he converted. Maxi penned the group's best hit, Insomnia, days after suffering a sleep-depriving tooth abscess, which left him writing music to numb the pain. The group's success saw their music on the DJ decks of every nightclub in the country, and in 2002 they played to 100,000 people in a sunset slot at Glastonbury. He fan spent 21 years in Faithless until he left the group in 2016 to form a blues-reggae band called Maxi Jazz & The E-Type Boys the same year. Faithless led tributes to its former leader after Maxi was found dead at his South London home. In an emotional statement at the time, they wrote: 'He was a man who changed our lives in so many ways. He gave proper meaning and message to our music. "He was also a lovely human being with time for everyone and a wisdom that was both profound and accessible. "It was an honour and, of course, a true pleasure to work with him. "He was a brilliant lyricist, a DJ, a Buddhist , a magnificent stage presence, car lover, endless talker, beautiful person, moral compass and genius.' The star was a huge fan of After his death, the South London side walked out to Faithless at Selhurst Park as a tribute. Club chairman Steve Parish said: "He was such a huge talent, a massive supporter of the club in every way and just a wonderful kind-hearted man. "He made the world dance, sing and laugh and someone I was privileged to call a friend. RIP Maxi." 5 Jazz, real name Maxwell Fraser, was a devout follower of Buddhism Credit: Getty 5 Faithless led tributes to its former leader after Maxi was found dead at his South London home Credit: Getty
The Sun
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Faithless star Maxi Jazz left more than £3million fortune in his will – with 20 per cent going to Buddhist charity
FAITHLESS rapper Maxi Jazz left more than £3million in his will – including 20 per cent to a controversial Buddhist charity. The dance music frontman, best known for 1995 club hit Insomnia, died from a long illness at his home in London in December 2022. 5 5 5 New court documents show he left an estate worth £3,119,567, which was reduced by £60,000 after costs. Documents seen by The Sun show he passed 20 per cent of the estate – £624,000 – to Soka Gakkai International (SGI), a Buddhist charity based in India. Jazz, real name Maxwell Fraser, was a devout follower of Buddhism after his then-girlfriend introduced it to him in the early 1990s. SGI follows the teachings of Nichiren Buddhism, which promotes personal empowerment through chanting. The group has faced criticism from former members, though is one of the largest organised Buddhist groups in the UK. Jazz had no children, meaning other beneficiaries in his will were pals. The remainder of his estate was passed to his niece, Michaela, once she turns 30. The 2019 will was signed off by the High Court last week. Born in Brixton, South London, Jazz was best known for stints on pirate radio stations in the late 1980s and was nearly 40 when Faithless formed in 1995. The band's name is said to have come from its frontman's retelling of his journey to Buddhism and his feeling of faithlessness before he converted. Maxi penned the group's best hit, Insomnia, days after suffering a sleep-depriving tooth abscess, which left him writing music to numb the pain. The group's success saw their music on the DJ decks of every nightclub in the country, and in 2002 they played to 100,000 people in a sunset slot at Glastonbury. He fan spent 21 years in Faithless until he left the group in 2016 to form a blues-reggae band called Maxi Jazz & The E-Type Boys the same year. Faithless led tributes to its former leader after Maxi was found dead at his South London home. In an emotional statement at the time, they wrote: 'He was a man who changed our lives in so many ways. He gave proper meaning and message to our music. "He was also a lovely human being with time for everyone and a wisdom that was both profound and accessible. "It was an honour and, of course, a true pleasure to work with him. "He was a brilliant lyricist, a DJ, a Buddhist , a magnificent stage presence, car lover, endless talker, beautiful person, moral compass and genius.' The star was a huge fan of Crystal Palace and became an associate director in 2012. After his death, the South London side walked out to Faithless at Selhurst Park as a tribute. Club chairman Steve Parish said: "He was such a huge talent, a massive supporter of the club in every way and just a wonderful kind-hearted man. "He made the world dance, sing and laugh and someone I was privileged to call a friend. RIP Maxi." 5 5
