(b Oshogbo, Nigeria, 1946). Nigerian performer. ‘King’ of Jůjú music and born into a royal Yoruba family, Adé first performed as a guitarist with Moses Olaiya and his Rhythm Dandies. In 1964 he shifted from the Highlife style to jůjú, and in 1966 he formed his first jůjú group, the Green Spots. Referred to as ‘King’ by his audiences and ‘Chairman’ by his musicians, in 1974 he formed his own record label and has released over 40 albums since then. In the early 1980s Adé was promoted by Island Records as the ‘African Bob Marley’, with the release of Juju Music (1982) with his African Beats band, but he was eventually dropped by that label in 1984. His ensemble normally has up to six guitars and can include eight or more drummers, including talking drums. The lyrics of Adé's songs draw on traditional Yoruba praise-singing traditions, proverbs, as well as offering social and political commentary, and he sings with a beautifully flexible voice.
G. Ewens: ‘Monarch of Music’, Africa O-Ye! a Celebration of African Music (Enfield, 1991), 104 only
Juju Music, Island ILPS 9712 (1982)
Synchro System, Island ILPS 9712 (1983)
E Dide/Get Up, Mesa 2-92664 (1995)
GREGORY F. BARZ