WINDHOEK – On the eve of Valentine’s Day the local music industry were greeted with the sad news that one of Namibia’s most adored musicians of all time, Joni Adams, had taken the bow from the game of life.
The highly gifted Joni Adams of the Ugly Creatures fame and a regular face in the advancement of cultural music, notably traditional Nama music, died in Mariental State Hospital in the early hours of Thursday last week, aged 58.
‘Bra Joni’ or ‘Good Jakes’, as the author used to call him during our unbroken relationship, be it on the line or physical contact, was born Johannes Adams on 14 December 1955 and was raised by strict religious parents.
He originally hailed from the southern part of Namibia but went on to further his secondary education at the famous Martin Luther High School (MLH) near Okombahe in the Erongo Region, where he started singing in the church choir before he learned to play the trumpet.
It was at MLH where Bra Joni hooked up with an enthusiastic bunch of musical and football crazy young boys and within months, the boys explored their musical potential when they formed a musical pop band, baptized Ugly Creatures. Inspired by the likes of Mick Jagger, Steelers Wheel, Leyden Naftali, Kharixurob, Falcon Five, Co-Bees, Warmgat Mureko, Ottis Redding, Percy Sledge and Dawid Thekwane, the boys took a long musical journey that will be enshrined in the Namibian music folklore for generations to come.
During the peak of his flourishing musical career with the Uglies, Bra Joni became best known for explosive stage performance with hits such as Exit to the Artist Exit, Creatures of the Earth, Shirley, Friends of Mine, and Give Your Heart A Little Chance, Eyes of Ice, Let Her Shadow Die – all composed and written by Ugly Creatures.
However, Bra Joni will be well remembered for the virtuosity in which he made the girls shout from the top of their lungs, when he hummed through the lyrics of his favourite tune, “I will be your everything” by Percy Sledge.
Bra Joni was blessed with a unique voice, which was often described as sexy and seductive and could hold songs containing situation-challenging lyrics during the mid-70’s. A formidable singer, songwriter, cultural and community activist, visual artist and noted schoolteacher by profession, his last musical works includes hits such as Mata tite, Ti Autab !khos, all traditional, and his expressions on real life issues, life’s struggles and reminiscences of days gone by.
The highly gifted singer left for England, United Kingdom to further his academic and musical interests. He had stints with various British rock bands and got married in the UK. It was not long before Bra Joni abandoned Rock and Roll and foreign sounds when he retreated to his native land musically richer to follow the traditional music, mainly Nama Stap and rhythm.
Bra Joni last performed with his Ugly Creatures at the Katutura Community Hall in 2010. A new material recording was planned to start in May this year.
Bra Joni was not only a well polished singer with a golden voice, he was an organic intellectual, composer, arranger and salty saxophonist and will be forever remembered for his silky-smooth voice and on-stage electric performance.
Good Jakes, may your soul rest in eternal peace in one piece! Funeral arrangements will be announced in due course.
By Carlos Kambaekwa