Adam "The Professor" Solomon, born Adam Ndaro Solomon on January 1, 1963, in Mombasa, Kenya, is a Juno Award-winning composer, guitarist, and singer. His musical journey began early, playing traditional instruments like the kivoti (flute) and the kayamba (shaker) at village celebrations of the Mijikenda people of coastal Kenya. He established his career as a lead guitarist and singer, collaborating on recordings and videos with many of Kenya's most popular musicians and bands, including Joseph Kamaru, Super Mazembe, Les Wanyika, and the Mombasa Roots Band. His international touring credits include workshops and performances with African superstars such as Papa Wemba and Ismael Lo.
Solomon eventually moved to Canada and co-founded the great pan-African band, The Afronubians, in 1993, with whom he toured Western Canada and released two CDs. In 1995, he formed his own Toronto-based band, Tikisa. His solo work and collaborations have earned him significant recognition, including a double win at the Toronto African Music Awards (TAMA) in 1997 for Best Release and Best New Performers for his album Safari. Most notably, he was a key collaborator on the African Guitar Summit CD, which won the Juno Award for World Music Album of the Year in 2005. Solomon, who sings in six languages including Swahili, English, and Arabic, has continued to perform and release albums like Rocket Express II: African Renaissance Blues and Mti wa Maisha (Tree of Life), cementing his reputation as a master of African rhythms, from traditional chela to soukous, reggae, and African blues.