LEGENDS OF GHANAIAN MUSIC
Some say music is life, others say music is food for the soul. To others, music is like the breath we take in. If all this is true about music, then musicians should be the long living creatures on planet earth.The lives of these great men and women are worth celebrating. We want to take a look at some legends of music.in Ghanaian History.
OSIBISA
Osibisa was formed in London in 1969 by three Ghanaian and three Caribbean musicians, The band played a central role in developing an awareness of African music among European and North American audiences in the 70’s.
Their music is a fusion of African, Caribbean, jazz, funk, rock, Latin, and R&B. Osibisa were one of the first African-heritage bands to become widely popular and linked with the establishment of world music as a marketable genre.
The name Osibisa was described in lyrics, album notes and interviews as meaning "criss-cross rhythms that explode with happiness" but it actually comes from "osibisaba" the Fante word for highlife.
The Ghanaian founding members of Osibisa consisted of Teddy Osei (saxophone,flute, and vocals), Mac Tontoh, Teddy’s brother (trumpet and background vocals), Sol Amarfio (drums and backing vocals), all three were seasoned members of the Accra highlife scene before they moved to London to launch their attack on the world stage. Osei and Amarfio had played in the Star Gazers, a top Ghanaian highlife band, before setting up the Comets , which saw a large West African hit with their 1958 single ‘Pete, Pete’. Tontoh was also a member of the Comets, before he joined the Uhuru Dance Band, one of the first outfits to bring elements of jazz into Ghanaian highlife
In 1962, Teddy Osei moved to London where he was eventually given a scholarship by the Ghanaian government to study music. He then formed Cat’s Paw in 1964, which saw a blend of highlife, rock and soul music. In 1969, Teddy Osei succeeded in persuading Tontoh and Amarfio to join him in London. This saw the birth of Osibisa.
The other founding-members of Osibisa were Loughty Lassisi Amao (congas, percussion, and horns), from Nigeria, Robert Bailey (keyboards), from Trinidad, Spartacus R (bass), from Grenada, and Wendell Richardson (lead guitar and vocals) and together they were also known as "the beautiful seven." The first to exit officially was Spartacus R, who was replaced numerous times, once by the bassist of the group called Assagai and a few times by Jean Mandengue and others.
Amafio left and was replaced by Kofi Ayivor, who was replaced by Potato but returned to the group later. Richardson left in 1972 and returned in 1975 and henceforth "Welcome Home" and "Sunshine Day". Bailey was replaced by Kiki Gyan before "Sunshine Day"′s release. Richardson was replaced a few times by the likes of guitar wizard Kari Bannerman. Black Welsh guitarist Tony Etoria, who had a hit in 1977 with "I Can Prove It", joined on guitar in the early 80s.
The band’s true power was unleashed on stage, when African village scenarios and a mastery of rhythm and melody summoned up energy and spirit.Woyaya reached number 11 in the UK and Art Garfunkel later covered it’s title track.
During the late 70’s they spent much of their time on world tours, playing to particularly large audiences in Japan, India, Australia and Africa. They were joined at this time, by the Ghanaian percussionist Darko Adams ‘Potato’ (1932, January 1995, Accra, Ghana).
In 1980 Osibisa performed a special concert at the Zimbabwean independence celebrations. By this time, however, Osibisa’s star was in decline, in commercial terms, in Europe and America. The band continued touring and releasing records, but to steadily diminishing audiences. Business problems followed.
After initially signing to MCA Records, Osibisa had changed labels several times, ending with Bronze Records. Their moves reflected their growing frustration with British business, as each label in turn tried to persuade them to adapt their music to the disco style. Osibisa were prepared to make some concessions but only to a point.
In the mid-80’s, the group directed their attention to the state of the music business in Ghana, planning a studio and theatre complex, and to helping in the promotion of younger highlife artists.
In 1984, Tontoh formed a London band to back three visiting Ghanaian musicians – A.B. Crentsll, Eric Agyeman and Thomas Frempong. An album, Highlife Stars, followed on Osibisa’s own Flying Elephant label.
Osibisa occasionally staged reunion concerts before Teddy Osel put together a new line-up for 1996’s Monsore Sequel Records reissued much of their past catalogue in 1999, proving how good the band were and how amazingly fresh their music still sounds today.
Contrary to popular belief, this legendary band are still in existence. Osibisa had an energetic performance in India, at the November Fest 2010 on 28 November 2010 at the Corporation Kalaiarangam in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Their latest release AKA KAKRA is an absolute triumph mixing their familiar rock tinged cross-rhythms with some great improvised jazz leanings.
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| Sol Amarfio |
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| Mac Tontoh |
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| Teddy Osei |
THE GREAT OSIBISA - TRIO
Please leave a comment .. Tell us about your legend in the history of Ghanaian music and we will feature him or her next.
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