It is maybe just a coincidence that I felt like listening to Osibisa yesteray. When I clicked on the wikipedia entry I came to know that Teddy Osei, founder of Osibisa passed away on Tue.
Ghanaian music legend and saxophonist Teddy Osei, who founded the Afro-rock band Osibisa, has died aged 88. He played an instrumental role in shaping the unique sound of the band, which captivated the world with its warm, infectious songs that transcended cultural and musical boundaries.
A gifted multi-instrumentalist, Osei was best known for his passion for the saxophone, a love he cultivated while studying in the western town of Sekondi. In 1969, Osei co-founded the pioneering Afro-Rock group Osibisa alongside fellow Ghanaian musicians Sol Amarfio and Mac Tontoh.
The band's name, Osibisa, comes from a word in the Fante language, meaning "highlife".
Osibisa had an important series of gigs in India in 1981, culminating in the release of the Unleashed – Live in India album. The band engaged in a return to India, performing at the November Fest 2010 on 28 November 2010, at the Corporation Kalaiarangam in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
Osibisa's fusion of Afrocentric sounds with rock, soul, jazz, and funk put them on the global music map as one of the first African bands to gain international recognition.
One of their key performances was at Zimbabwe's independence celebrations in 1980, where Bob Marley and the Wailers also performed.
Osei's dedication to promoting African music on the global stage has left an indelible mark on the international music industry.
His contributions served as a cultural bridge that connected diverse audiences through the universal language of music.
www.bbc.com
The Nigerian star Fela Kuti is now seen as the pioneer of Afrobeat, but Osei and Sugumugu want to make something clear. “Fela got all his vibes from Ghana,” says Osei. “That’s where he got his rhythms. He then did everything his way – no one could tell him anything. He was a character.”
“Without Osibisa,” adds Sugumugu, “Fela wouldn’t have happened. He had his own beautiful madness.”
Osibisa were the first African band to command an international audience, as well as being hugely popular across their home continent. But, as they developed a pop sound in the mid-70s, the likes of Kuti and King Sunny Ade became the dominant figureheads for a new wave of African roots music that would capture international attention in the 80s.
www.theguardian.com
Ghanaian music legend and saxophonist Teddy Osei, who founded the Afro-rock band Osibisa, has died aged 88. He played an instrumental role in shaping the unique sound of the band, which captivated the world with its warm, infectious songs that transcended cultural and musical boundaries.
A gifted multi-instrumentalist, Osei was best known for his passion for the saxophone, a love he cultivated while studying in the western town of Sekondi. In 1969, Osei co-founded the pioneering Afro-Rock group Osibisa alongside fellow Ghanaian musicians Sol Amarfio and Mac Tontoh.
The band's name, Osibisa, comes from a word in the Fante language, meaning "highlife".
Osibisa had an important series of gigs in India in 1981, culminating in the release of the Unleashed – Live in India album. The band engaged in a return to India, performing at the November Fest 2010 on 28 November 2010, at the Corporation Kalaiarangam in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
Osibisa's fusion of Afrocentric sounds with rock, soul, jazz, and funk put them on the global music map as one of the first African bands to gain international recognition.
One of their key performances was at Zimbabwe's independence celebrations in 1980, where Bob Marley and the Wailers also performed.
Osei's dedication to promoting African music on the global stage has left an indelible mark on the international music industry.
His contributions served as a cultural bridge that connected diverse audiences through the universal language of music.
Teddy Osei: Ghanaian music legend who founded Osibisa dies aged 88
Osibisa was one of the first African bands to gain international recognition, in the 1970s.
www.bbc.com
The Nigerian star Fela Kuti is now seen as the pioneer of Afrobeat, but Osei and Sugumugu want to make something clear. “Fela got all his vibes from Ghana,” says Osei. “That’s where he got his rhythms. He then did everything his way – no one could tell him anything. He was a character.”
“Without Osibisa,” adds Sugumugu, “Fela wouldn’t have happened. He had his own beautiful madness.”
Osibisa were the first African band to command an international audience, as well as being hugely popular across their home continent. But, as they developed a pop sound in the mid-70s, the likes of Kuti and King Sunny Ade became the dominant figureheads for a new wave of African roots music that would capture international attention in the 80s.
‘Our ethos was happy music and good vibes’: genre-busting Black British band Osibisa
Jimi Hendrix watched them rehearse, Stevie Wonder joined them on drums, and Fela Kuti partied with them in Lagos. Osibisa, whose African sunshine sound captivated the planet, have now returned
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