Adesose Wallace – African Drumming Tutor

Adesose Wallace Has been a musician, singer and visual artist for over 40 years and has been described as a ‘mainstay of the British African scene’

His career began in Lagos, as a child singing in school and church choirs. During his teenage years, he lived in Sierra Leone and was exposed to the music scene there. In the early 1970s he stood in as lead singer for a group called the Heartbeats when their regular vocalist couldn’t make it. He was a great success and became part of the bands regular line up. This incident kick started Ade’s desire to experiment and he went on to master many different types of percussion including the Shekere ; the Dundun; the Conga; the Brekete; the Djembe and many more. His skill as a percussionist and vocalist has been expressed in many different bands; festivals CDs and music projects. Ade has a rich and varied performance experience having played worldwide with musicians and Bands of the calibre of Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Hugh Masakela, Miriam Makeba, Francis Fuster, Osibisa, Miatta Fahnbulleh. to name a few.

In 1976 when the Heartbeats disbanded, Ade and a few of the band formed a group in Lagos called Baranta, he then came to London and became one of original members of Gaspar Lawal’s Oro band, also forming his own band Ibile at around the same time. Ibile means Children of the world and this is significant since another aspect of his work has been his practical application of that well known African proverb, namely: ‘It takes a whole village to raise a child.’ Using an exiting blend of songs, rhythms and percussion, Ade has been running workshops for children in schools and community centres across the UK and internationally for many years. He loves working with young people because he believes that like himself, they can learn best if they learn ‘music from the root.’ He is accomplished as a teacher and his methods enable both children and adults to learn thoroughly at basic, intermediate and advanced drumming levels. Many of the people he has taught have moved on to become serious professional percussionists. He was one of the first people to popularise Djembe drumming in England and his adult Djembe workshops and teaching classes are a well established success

Adesose is also an accomplished visual artist and has exhibited in the UK and internationally.

One of the bands that Adesose has been a key player with is the London based collective Soothsayers this is apt because this ‘Elder statesman of the African Scene ’ is a man with a vision. In his own words he says 'I just pray that we continue to spread the message of peace and love through music and art’ This is a dream he has made manifest in many ways: he has been instrumental in creating, supporting and presenting at major UK music festivals and along with the Drummers of Burundi created the African vibe at the first ever WOMAD in Shepton Mallet. He also has been a lynchpin of the specialist intercultural and summer school Tribe of Doris.

Adesose teaches a weekly African percussion and songs class to a mixed group of parents and children at KORI ARTS Youth programme: Haringey and adults only class at Jackson’s Lane Community Centre: Highgate.

Enabling young people to learn to use rhythm and creativity in their lives is a mission that he has made manifest. At present he can be contacted for work in Schools colleges etc on adesosewallace@yahoo.co.uk