Justin Adams

by Evan C. GutierrezGuitarist/producer and composer Justin Adams is both one of Britain's great bluesmen and African crossover music's leading proponents. First coming to prominence in 1990 with Jah Wobble's Invaders of the Heart, Adams laid the foundations of his career through working as a respected sideman. His list of credits grew to include internationally known artists such as Sinéad O'Connor, Damien Dempsey, and more. His love affair with the music of North Africa first became evident with the release of his debut solo record in 2001. Desert Road stylistically explored the African heritage of blues melodic concepts, blurring the line between 20th century America and the timeless Sahara. That same year Adams worked with the breakout world music success Tinariwen, producing their debut record, The Radio Tisdas Sessions. Adams began collaborating with rock legend Robert Plant in 2002, playing on his Grammy-nominated Dreamland record. His relationship with Plant would flourish over the years, as Adams played in his Strange Sensation band and was a co-writer on his 2005 release, Mighty Rearranger. As Adams' reputation as an Afro-crossover super-producer developed, so did his ability to uncover and promote new talent. Adams launched a collaboration with Gambian musician Juldeh Camara, who had been featured on both Tinariwen and Robert Plant projects. The relationship bore fruit in 2007 with the release of joint venture Soul Science. The album earned a BBC World Music Awards nomination for Best Album and enjoyed a lasting presence on World Music Charts Europe. Adams went on to produce the award-winning Tinariwen's third record, Aman Iman, which was also released in 2007.