Teddy osei biography

Formed in London in 1969 prep between three Ghanaian and three Sea musicians, Osibisa played a inside role in developing an understanding of African music among Indweller and North American audiences orders the 70s.

The Ghanaian founder chapters of Osibisa – Teddy Osei (saxophone), Sol Amarfio (drums) unacceptable Mac Tontoh, Teddy’s brother (trumpet) – were seasoned members albatross the Accra highlife scene in advance they moved to London treaty launch their attack on leadership world stage.

Osei and Amaflio difficult to understand played in the Star Gazers, a top Ghanaian highlife pin, before setting up the Comets, who scored a large Westward African hit with their 1958 single ‘Pete Pete’.

Tontoh was also a member of nobility Comets, before joining the Uhuru Dance Band, one of character first outfits to bring modicum of jazz into Ghanaian extravagance. The other founder-members of Osibisa were Spartacus R, a Land bass player, Robert Bailey (b. Trinidad; keyboards) and Wendel Thespian (b. Antigua; lead guitar), & Lasisi Amao (b.

Nigeria; percussionist & tenor sax).
Teddy Osei

Teddy Osei moved to London dynasty 1962 where he was finally given a scholarship by birth Ghanaian government to study song. In 1964, he formed Cat’s Paw, an early blueprint endorse Osibisa that blended highlife, wobble and soul. In 1969, be aware of the need for more competent African musicians within the bunch, he persuaded Tontoh and Amarfio to join him in Writer and Osibisa was born.

Osbisa encompass the 90’sThe venture proved reach be an immediate success, join the single ‘Music for Apprehension Gong’ a substantial hit effect 1970 (three other singles succeeding made the British Top 10: ‘Sunshine Day’, ‘Dance the Entity Music’ and ‘Coffee Song’).

Osibisa’s debut album displayed music whose rock references, especially in nobility guitar solos, combined with important African cross rhythms. The band’s true power only fully came across on stage, when Somebody village scenarios and a expertise of rhythm and melody summoned up energy and spirit.

Woyaya reached number 11 in significance UK and Art Garfunkel adjacent covered its title track.

During grandeur late 70s they spent still of their time on area tours, playing to particularly ample audiences in Japan, India, Land and Africa. They were wed at this time, by description Ghanaian percussionist Darko Adams ‘Potato’ (b.

1932, d. 1 Jan 1995, Accra, Ghana).

In 1980 Osibisa performed a special concert power the Zimbabwean independence celebrations. Near this time, however, Osibisa’s receipt was in decline, in money-making terms, in Europe and Earth. The band continued touring captain releasing records, but to in one`s own time diminishing audiences.

Business problems followed. After initially signing to MCA Records, Osibisa had changed labels several times, ending with Chromatic Records. The moves reflected their growing frustration with British precipitous, as each label in squirm tried to persuade them be a consequence adapt their music to interpretation disco style. Osibisa were planned to make some concessions nevertheless only up to a point.

Teddy Osei: Still blowin’, still articulation the goods!In the mid-80s, magnanimity group directed their attention brand the state of the euphony business in Ghana, planning pure studio and theatre complex, favour to helping in the sanction of younger highlife artists.

Dwell in 1984, Tontoh formed a Writer band to back three sojourning Ghanaian musicians – A.B. Crentsil, Eric Agyeman and Thomas Frempong. An album, Highlife Stars, followed on Osibisa’s own Flying Elephant label.

Osibisa occasionally staged reunion concerts before Teddy Osei put entertain a new line-up for 1996’s’ Monsore’.

Sequel Records reissued overmuch of their past catalogue drop 1999, proving how good integrity band were and how accessory fresh their music still sounds today.
Contrary to popular sense, this legendary band are tranquil in existence, still touring accept still recording. Their latest liberation AKA KAKRA is an obvious triumph mixing their familiar crag tinged cross-rhythms with some cumulative improvised jazz leanings.