Teddy Osei (saxophone), Sol Amarfio (drums) and Mac Tontoh (trumpet) are the Ghanaian founding members of Osibisa. They were later joined by Darko Adams on percussions. Other members of the group include Roy Bedeau, Robert Bailey (Trinidad), Wendell Richardson (Antigua), and Lasisi Amao (Nigeria).

The name Osibisa was described by the band members as meaning "crisscross rhythms that explode with happiness". However, others have traced the name to the Fante word for highlife, "osibisaba".

Before the formation of Osibisa, Its Ghanaian members were already seasoned highlife artistes in Accra. Osei and Armafio, for instance, had played with the Star Gazers, a top Ghanaian highlife band. They also featured in the the Comets, the Ghanaian band which scored a large West African hit with their 1958 single 'Pete Pete'. Tontoh was also a member of the Comets, before joining the Uhuru Dance Band, one of the first outfits to bring elements of jazz into Ghanaian highlife.

Osibisa’s blend of African rythyms with Rock and Soul made its music appeal to audiences in Europe and America as much as it did in Africa.

Osibisa in the 70’s

Osibisa, during the late 70s, spent much time touring the world. It played to particularly large audiences in Africa, Japan, India, and Australia. It was at this time that the members of Osibisa welcomed the Ghanaian percussionist Darko Adams to join the group.

The group’s single, ‘Music for Gong Gong' became an instant hit in 1970. Together with three others: Sunshine Day, Dance The Body Music and Coffee Song, Osibisa made it to the UK Top 10.

Osibisa in the 80’s

In 1980, Osibisa performed a special concert at the Zimbabwean independence celebrations. The band continued touring and releasing records, but to steadily diminishing audiences. Osibisa had changed record labels several times after signing to MCA Records. The last one was Bronze Records. This was due to the growing pressures with British business, as each label tried to persuade Osibisa to adapt its music to the disco class. By this time, however, Osibisa’s commercial value was declining in Europe and America.

Osibisa in the 90's

During the 1990’s, Osibisa’s full power was felt on stage. Members of the band with a mastery of rhythm, would deliver their music in such African energy and spirit. The track “woya woya” reached number 11 in the UK and it was later covered by Art Garfunkel. Sequel Records reissued most of Osibisa’s past catalogue in 1999.

Osibisa’s music gradually faded-out and the group broke-up. Nonetheless, the band’s style is still recognised as having projected the image of African music to the world. Osibisa is also noted to have influenced many of the emerging African musicians over the past 40 years.

 REFERENCE

Information from www.modernghana.com/amp/references/64/osibisa-full-illustrated-biography.html, https://mobile.ghanaweb.com/person/Osibisa-605, https://www.last.fm/music/Osibisa/+wiki, was used in this story