Teddy Osei takes final bow at 88
With him leading the charge, Teddy Osei and the Osibisa Band travelled the world, met Heads of State and royalty, signed autographs in Rolls-Royce cars and generally generated excitement wherever they went.
Their criss-cross rhythms that exploded with happiness became the index of progressive sounds as they chalked up commercial success and gained die-hard fans worldwide. Now, Osei cannot hear and respond to any cheers from excited audiences, no matter how loud, as he died in London on January 14, 2025, at the age of 88.
Osei was on tenor/soprano sax, flute, percussion and vocals for the band. Others in the original set were Robert Bailey (keyboards, vocals), Sol Amarfio (drums, percussion), Spartacus R (bass), Wendell Richardson (guitar, vocals), Mac Tontoh (trumpet, flugelhorn, xylophone) and Loughty Lasisi Amao (tenor sax, flute, congas, vocals).
They initially got worldwide recognition with the release of their self-titled album on the MCA Records label in April 1971. It was followed by other impressive collections such as Woyaya, Heads, Superfly TNT, Happy Children, Welcome Home, Live at the Marquee, Monsore and Osee Yee.
With time, Osei played little of the saxophone. He complained of spinal pain due to too much travelling and jumping on stage. Too much glare from stage lights also affected his eyes. He concentrated more on the flute, singing and directing the band which eventually saw a steady inflow of younger hands.
Osibisa’s formula
He often said the formula for Osibisa’s success was patience, determination and the ability to absorb and try out new ideas.
“A star is not born in a day. You must learn and completely give yourself to what you are doing.
“I enjoyed being part of Osibisa because it is not all people who are cut out to be successful solo acts,” Osei once said in an interview at his New Achimota home in Accra where he often escaped for some warm sunshine from cold winters in London.
He attributed his ambition to make it in a band to the sound foundation he acquired from his days in the Comets Band in Ghana.
“Comets was a good band that made some name in West Africa before I left for Europe in 1962. Though people in places such as Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria didn’t understand the Twi language we sang in, some of our recordings sold in those places.
“Music is not about creating for your local market alone. You must think of reaching as many people as possible while retaining what is essentially your identity in the music.”
That was why the Osibisa sound embraced Highlife influences laced with Jazz, Rock, Calypso, and other Caribbean styles, along with some Disco and Pop. With that mixture, presented with fiery enthusiasm, they managed to hold their own alongside the major music stars of the 1970s and 1980s. They became the first African band to clinch a string of best-selling singles and albums on pop charts in several places.
Grooming young talents
According to Osei, what they were accepted for worldwide had its roots in Ghana and they talked positively about the country everywhere they went. That was why playing in Ghana was always a special experience for the band and they felt proud to see their people enjoy their music.
Osei was always happy to allow a stream of Ghanaian players into the band at different times. They included Emmanuel Rentzos, Kiki Gyan, Bessa Simons and Kwame Yeboah (keyboards), Kofi Ayivor and Darko Potato (percussion) Vico Mensah and Herman Asafo-Agyei (bass), Frank Tontoh and Robert Fordjour (drums), Kari Bannerman (guitar) and Paul Bilson (trumpet).
As age caught up with Osei and he moved around in a wheelchair, his zeal to play music didn’t leave him. Some time back, he said that when people saw him in a wheelchair, not able to walk on his own, they assumed he couldn’t play music anymore, but they were wrong.
“I only needed help to get on stage. After that, the disability disappeared. I felt no pain. I felt completely fine when I played music. That was the magic of music, especially when you genuinely love it.”
Osei’s genuine love for music was not only expressed through his work Osibisa. He produced albums for London-based Ghanaian singers, Joe Osei and C-Bro. He also produced the Wiase Mu Nsem album for Paapa Yankson and contributed to a remake of Osibisa’s Fire song by young Ghanaian singer, Ssue.
He was often eager to impart knowledge about the music business to younger musicians whenever he was home. At separate seminars for students at the University of Education, Winneba and at the University of Cape Coast some time ago on the theme: ‘Going Global With Your Music Career—The Osibisa Experience,’ Osei urged the young musicians to be disciplined and take their careers seriously.
When his brother and fellow Osibisa member Mac Tontoh died in 2010, Osei’s tribute partly stated: “He brought joy and happiness to the world and was a worthy fusion music pioneer due to his traditional background. Let’s wish the legend farewell, peace and God’s blessing.”
We can only say the same for Teddy Osei himself at this moment!