Afro rock band Osibisa was formed in London, England in 1969. One of the most influential African-heritage bands in the UK, the group was founded by musicians from Ghana, West Africa – Teddy Osei (saxophone), Mac Tontoh (trumpet), and Sol Amarfio (drums)- plus Nigerian percussionist / saxophonist Lasisi Amao, Trinidadian keyboardist Robert Bailey, Antiguan guitarist / vocalist Dell Richardson, and Grenadian Roger Bedeau. Although the line-up would change over the years, Osibisa remained one of the most popular Afro rock bands in Europe. Their self-titled debut album reached number 55 on the Billboard 200 and charted in the UK, Canada, and Australia. Later that year, their album Woyaya was also a commercial success. They continued to chart will in the US with albums such as Heads (1972), the Superfly T.N.T. soundtrack (1973), Happy Children (1973), Osibirock (1974) and Welcome Home (1975). While albums such as Ojah Awake (1976), Mystic Energy (1979), and Celebration (1980) didn’t fare as well in the charts, the band remained a popular live act and continued to tour internationally. In the 1990s and 2000s, Teddy Osei continued to tour as Osibisa, changing out the group’s line-up several times. Even after suffering a stroke, he kept the Osibisa name alive with studio recordings and occasional live performances. Of the original line-up, Mac Tontoh died in 2010 and Sol Amarfio passed away in 2022. Teddy Osei died on January 14, 2025, at the age of 89.
