Jean Adebambo

Jean Adebambo
Born	(1962-07-01)1 July 1962 Islington, London, England
Died	15 January 2009(2009-01-15) (aged 46) Leytonstone, 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 singer, best known for songs in the lovers rock genre. It is believed she died by 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 at home in Leytonstone 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" (1987), Now Generation
• "Never Gonna Give You Up" (1987), Pioneer International

References

1. Africa Woman, Issues 31-36, 1981 (via Google Books)
2. Lokko, Andres (2009) "Jean Adebambo har glömts bort" (Swedish), Svenska Dagbladet, 13 March 2009, retrieved 2012-06-05
3. "Jean Adebambo, Brother Confirms Suicide", bamboo.co.uk, 28 January 2009, retrieved 2012-06-05
4. "Jean Adebambo", itzcaribbean.com, retrieved 2012-06-05
5. 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
6. Steward, Sue & Garratt, Sheryl (1985) Signed, Sealed, and Delivered: True Life Stories of Women in Pop, South End Press, ISBN 978-0896082403, p. 70
7. "Lovers Rock Singer Jean Adebambo Dies", bamboo.co.uk, 17 January 2009, retrieved 2012-06-05
8. Morris, Davina (2009) "Tributes pour in for lovers rock queen", The Voice, Issue 1356, 27 January 2009, retrieved 2012-06-05

External links

• Jean Adebambo discography at Discogs