Jean Adebambo
| Jean Adebambo | |
|---|---|
| Born |
1 July 1962 Islington, London, England |
| Died |
15 January 2009 (aged 46) London, England |
| Genres | Lovers rock |
| Years active | 1980–1986, 2007–2009 |
| Labels | Ade J |
Jean Adebambo (1 July 1962 – 15 January 2009[1][2][3]) was a British black caribbean singer, best known for songs in the lovers rock genre. It is believed she committed suicide.[3]
Biography
Jean Adebambo was born in Islington, London, to a Montserratian mother and a Nigerian father. Her entry into the music business was by chance; She was invited to do a cover version of two records entitled "Again" and "Reunited" by Ital Records in the early 1980s, while she was studying to be a nurse.[1][4]
She eventually met the Jamaican producer Leonard Chin, for whom she recorded the single "Paradise",[5] and had a successful solo career, mainly recording for her own Ade J label.[6] A string of hits followed such as the singles "Reaching For A Goal", "Hardships of Life" and "Pipe Dreams". Despite all the success, Adebambo quit the music industry and went back into the medical profession and became a health visitor in Bermondsey.[2][4]
A successful lovers rock concert was held in 2008 at the Brixton Academy, where Adebambo was persuaded to perform and restart her music career;[7][8] however, she was found dead on 15 January 2009, aged 46.[2][8]
A tribute concert was held on at Hackney Empire on Sunday 15 March 2009, with the aim of raising funds to help raise her two daughters.[2][4][8]
Discography
Albums
- Feelings (1983), Ade J
- Off Key Loving (1985), Ade J
Singles
- "Paradise" (1980), Santic
- "Reaching for a Goal" (1981), Third World
- "Say That You Love Me" (1981), Ade J
- "Pipe Dreams" (1982), Ade J
- "Hardships of Life" (1983), Ade J
- "Tell Me" (1983), Ade J
- "I Like It" (1984), Ade J
- "Never Before" (1984), Ade J
- "I've Made Up My Mind" (1986), Ade J
- "All the Way" (1987), Ade J
- "Pain" (198?), Now Generation
- "Never Gonna Give You Up" (198?), Pioneer International
References
- 1 2 Africa Woman, Issues 31-36, 1981 (via Google Books)
- 1 2 3 4 Lokko, Andres (2009) "Jean Adebambo har glömts bort" (Swedish), Svenska Dagbladet, 13 March 2009, retrieved 2012-06-05
- 1 2 "Jean Adebambo, Brother Confirms Suicide", bamboo.co.uk, 28 January 2009, retrieved 2012-06-05
- 1 2 3 "Jean Adebambo", itzcaribbean.com, retrieved 2012-06-05
- ↑ Moskowitz, David V. (2006) Caribbean Popular Music: an Encyclopedia of Reggae, Mento, Ska, Rock Steady, and Dancehall, Greenwood Press, ISBN 0-313-33158-8, p. 5
- ↑ Steward, Sue & Garratt, Sheryl (1985) Signed, Sealed, and Delivered: True Life Stories of Women in Pop, South End Press, ISBN 978-0896082403, p. 70
- ↑ "Lovers Rock Singer Jean Adebambo Dies", bamboo.co.uk, 17 January 2009, retrieved 2012-06-05
- 1 2 3 Morris, Davina (2009) "Tributes pour in for lovers rock queen", The Voice, Issue 1356, 27 January 2009, retrieved 2012-06-05