Osibisa
Osibisa | |
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General information | |
Genre (s) | African rock , Caribbean rock |
founding | 1969 |
Website | www.osibisa.co.uk |
Founding members | |
Teddy Osei | |
Mac Tontoh | |
Tenor saxophone, percussion
|
Lasisi Amao |
Sol Amarfio | |
Robert Bailey | |
Wendel Richardson | |
Bass guitar |
Spartacus R |
Lead vocals changed, choir all | |
Current occupation | |
saxophone |
Teddy Osei |
Trumpet |
Colin Graham |
Percussion, congas |
Kofi Ayivor |
Drums |
Sol Amarfio |
Keyboard |
Bessa Simons , Kwame Yeboah , Chris Jerome |
guitar |
Kari Bannerman |
Bass guitar |
Victor Mansah |
Osibisa is a musical group founded in London in 1969 . The three Ghanaian , three Caribbean and the Nigerian founders wanted to strengthen the African influence in modern music and bring it closer to a wide audience, especially in Europe and North America .
history
The band members freely translate the name Osibisa from Ghanaian with criss cross rhythms that explode with happiness . Their combination of African and Caribbean musical elements with rock , jazz , Latin and rhythm and blues paved the way for other greats like Bob Marley . From the mid-1970s they had established a firm place as the pioneers of world music .
The single Music for Gong Gong was Osibisa's first major hit in the UK charts . The follow-up singles Sunshine Day , Dance the Body Music and Coffee Song also reached the top 10. The album Woyaya rose to number 11 on the LP charts at the time.
In the 1980s the band was at its peak. In 1983 they performed in Zimbabwe on the national holiday there . The band was also a great success on a commercial level in Europe and America. However, public interest in the concerts sank and there were also bigger problems in the management area. The British record companies wanted to push Osibisa onto the then flourishing disco track , but the band successfully resisted. After several label changes, the band finally signed with Bronze Records .
The promotion of African artists unknown in the West was a major concern of the members of Osibisa. For this reason, they built their own recording studio and theater complex in Ghana in the mid-1980s . A record label called Flying Elephant was also founded.
In the late 1980s, the band was barely noticed in the western world. In 1996 Teddy Osei reformed the band and toured with her again in Europe and North America. The concerts were well attended.
Discography
- 1971 - Osibisa
- 1971 - Woyaya
- 1972 - Heads
- 1973 - Best of Osibisa
- 1973 - Superfly TNT
- 1973 - Happy Children
- 1974 - Osibirock
- 1975 - Welcome Home
- 1976 - Ojah Awake
- 1977 - Black Magic Night (Live)
- 1980 - Mystic Energy
- 1981 - African Flight
- 1983 - Unleashed
- 1983 - Live at the Marquee
- 1989 - Movements
- 1992 - Ayiko Bia
- 1994 - Celebration: The Best of Osibisa
- 1994 - The very Best of Osibisa
- 1995 - monsors
- 1997 - Hot Flashback Volume 1
- 1997 - The Best of Osibisa
- 1997 - The Best of Osibisa (2 CDs)
- 1998 - The ultimate Collection
- 1998 - Live at Croperdy
- 2000 - Millennium Collection
- 2000 - Aka Kakra (acoustic)
- 2003 - African Dawn, African Flight
- 2005 - Blue Black Night (Live) (2 CDs)
- 2009 - Osee Yee
DVD
- Osibisa - Live (DVD-Plus), 2003, produced 1983
literature
- Charles Aniagolu: Osibisa - Living In The State Of Happy Vibes And Criss Cross Rhythms. Trafford Publishing, Victoria (CDN) 2004, ISBN 1-4120-2106-5 .
- Brigitte Tast, Hans-Jürgen Tast: be bop - Wilhelmshöhe rocks. Disco and concerts in hell. Publishing house Gebrüder Gerstenberg, Hildesheim 2007, ISBN 978-3-8067-8589-0 .
Web links
- Official Homepage (English)