Teddy Osei’s talent was rare- Tributes from industry players

THE music world is reeling badly from the news of the death of Teddy Osei, a saxophonist and a founding member of the iconic Afro-Rock band, Osibisa.

His death, at age 88, on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, in London, UK comes to five the number of original members of the Osibisa band formed in 1969 to have passed on. (Related article:  Teddy Osei of Osibisa fame dead)

Other original members of Osibisa who have died are Mac Tontoh (trumpet, horns, percussion), Sol Amarfio (drums, percussion), Spartacus R. (bass, percussion, vocals) and Abdul Lasisi Amao (flute, vocals, percussion).

The surviving members are Wendell Richardson (guitars, lead vocals, percussion) and Robert Bailey (keyboards, percussion).

Teddy Osei’s demise has dealt a big blow to industry players, especially those he worked closely with. And as tributes continue to pour in, they describe him as a rare talent whose impact on Africa and world music cannot be overstated.

In an interview with Graphic Showbiz on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, Bessa Simons, President of the Musicians Unions of Ghana (MUSIGA), lauded his vision for the creation of the Osibisa band in 1969.

Describing Teddy Osei as a great visionary, he noted that he was a major contributor to Osibisa’s hit songs.

“With a career spanning over five decades, Teddy Osei left an indelible mark on the music industry. As a lead member of Osibisa, he helped shape the band's unique sound, which blended traditional African rhythms with modern jazz, rock and funk influences, which we call the criss-cross rhythms.

“Also, he influenced many young musicians with his style of playing the horns, and even though his forte was the sax and flute, he also played the fontonfrom very well.

“Today, there’s no music in Ghana that doesn’t have Osibisa’s influence. Thanks to Teddy Osei’s unmatched skill as the arranger of Osibisa’s songs,” he said.

Bessa Simons was particularly grateful that even in his old age, Teddy Osei still travelled to Ghana to groom musicians like himself until he suffered a stroke about three years ago.

“Even though he resided in the UK, he came to Ghana every year until about three years ago when he wasn’t too healthy to do so. After years of Osibisa and with the demise of some of its key members, including his younger brother, Mac Tontoh, in 2010, he recruited new musicians like myself to perform at Osibisa gigs,” he stated.

According to sound engineer and producer Fred Kyei Mensah, popularly known as Fredyyma, he developed a close relationship with Teddy Osei in 2010 as the chief sound engineer at +233 Jazz and Grill Bar in Accra when Osibisa performed there.

He recalls the late Sol Amarfio and Teddy Osei set up the stage for the group and the latter’s handling of the saxophone and flute that night as adorable.

“It was in 2010, and that night, Osibisa featured Teddy Osei, Wendell Richardson, Mac Tontoh, Kofi Ayivor, Sol Amarfio, Kwame Yeboah and other great musicians. Teddy made playing the wind instrument a delight to watch and listen,” he said.

Osibisa is the first African band to notch up a series of best-selling singles and albums in the pop charts with its infectious fusion of styles referred to worldwide as criss-cross rhythms that explode with happiness.

The band was formed in the United Kingdom in 1969 by three Ghanaian musicians—Teddy Osei, Sol Amarfio and Mac Tontoh, together with three colleagues from the Caribbeans—Wendell Richardson, Spartacus R. and Robert Bailey; and a Nigerian, Abdul Loughty Lasisi Amao.

Osibisa celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2019 and Scratch Studios located at East Legon, Accra, in collaboration with MUSIGA, lined up a series of events as part of activities to mark the milestone.

One of the key organisers was Paa Kwesi Holdbrook-Smith of Scratch Studios, who at a point in time managed Osibisa.

In his words, “I have worked closely with Osibisa, especially with its leader Teddy Osei, over the years and I greatly value the band’s worth in the history of popular music.

“Teddy was exceptional and his skill as a saxophonist, flautist and even as a fontonfrom player was peerless,” he said.

Born in Kumasi in 1937, Teddy Osei was introduced to musical instruments while still a child. He began to play the saxophone while attempting to create a band with his college friends in the coastal city of Sekondi. After graduation, he worked as a building inspector for a year before creating a band called The Comets.

The Comets enjoyed brief popularity before Teddy Osei travelled to London in 1962. He received a grant from the Ghanaian government to study at a private music and drama school for three years, before being forced to leave by a regime change in Ghana. He founded Osibisa along with other musicians in 1969.