Lately, my life is filled with coincidences. Sometimes I get lucky and these moments of serendipity revolve around music. This year I have been exploring the catalog of the band Osibisa, and as always, discovering that the connections between me and the music go beyond a simple appreciation of their sound.
Begun in 1969, with a sound they describe as "criss-cross rhythms that explode with happiness", Osibisa's core crew consisted of three highlife musicians from Ghana and three Caribbean musicians as well as the Nigerian percussionist and sax player, Lasisi Amao. After falling for Osibisa's first two albums, I visited my parents and discovered a trove of their albums, all mysteriously signed by someone named "Loughty".
I should have known. When I asked my dad about the records he said "Osibisa? Of course! I used to host a radio show with Loughty (Lasisi Amao)." Just when I think I can out-cool my dad, he brings me right back down to earth. Damn.
Fans included Art Garfunkel (who covered the song "Woyaya") and George Clinton, who had this to say about the band: "Osibisa was like Funkadelic back in the '70's... the difference between the two bands is Funkadelic took you to the Mothership and Osibisa took you to the Motherland." With album covers by Roger Dean and their first two albums produced by Tony Visconti, Osibisa melded Western space-rock explorations with African jazz and funk. My current favorite Osibisa album is their second, "Woyaya", and it was incredibly hard to figure out which song to share. I settled on the following, "Survival", for Loughty's wild vocal intro and the obvious joy and fun expressed here:
Here they are live in the UK, 1974:
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Wild Stuff. Nice find too. You got me OMCD'd.
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But then, equality in coolness is the coolest thing of all.
very nice music. you might like this one too. Momo Wandel Soumah "Matchowe" (musique du monde) from Guinee
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Wow, exu, thanks! Momo Wandel Soumah looks incredible. "African Swing"- hell yes!
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Wow, this is an excellent find!
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I discovered Osibisa's music when I found out Mary Hopkin sang backing vocals on the lp Woyoya... They are amazing!
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I had no idea about the Mary Hopkin connection- yet another reason to love Osibisa!
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The French (Creole) writer and philosopher Edouard Glissant says that our future as a species is "metissage" or mixing of cultures and roots. The "creolite" clearly pervades Osibisa's music.
Very pleasant find. Thanks for posting
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Dang Kate!!There are albums I have that I don't even bother post about because I figure I'm the only one with it. I've got their first self-titled album. Thanks for reminding to dig it out!
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Disco Stu digs the funky beat. Stu's gonna have to start digging around the local record shops for some of their albums. Thanks for the low-down!
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Hey Kate - absolutely fab. And for a change, this post doesn't have like, 10 different artists to chase up, so I don't feel quite so overwhelmed! :-)
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Yeah, Kate. Unless you count Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba, Osibisa was my first exposure to any sort of hip African pop music. As such, they were a grand gateway drug to Fela Kuti, high-life, juju and township jive. Mega-kewl.
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Hey Kate. So glad you brought these guys up. From what I understand they were quite the scenesters in England, hanging with the Stones, et al. For me the first 3 albums are the shizznit (S/t, Woyaya,Heads), but then things start to go south (Superfly TNT soundtrack). Mike was so right about the gateway drug thing, I found out about them early, and they led me to a lot more traditional African material.
One other thing, the fact that major labels were signing and promoting bands like Osibisa and fellow afro/fusion outfits like Cymande is interesting. I guess there was still some mystery then. Cheers.
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wow. this is a great post. Thanks for sharing. I am glad to have these peeps on my radar now. I was a little confused with the vocal part at the beginning but it all made sense once the music started.
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Thanks, Kate, a great one. I've had that lp kickin' around since it first came out, when, '72? I think my original reason for purchase was the cool Roger Dean artwork, how shallow that seems now. It really was a great path into other African music. I need to transfer Woyaya to the iPod. Posted their track "Kokomoroo" from the Heads recording on a recent funky friday.
http://mog.com/scotfree/blog_post/106683
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Cody, pertaining to your going-downhill comment, I used to have a 12-inch of Osibisa covering "Wooly Bully." That's how dire it got.
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Oh dear. I noticed that they are still performing (but with only two of the original members). Wonder if they have climbed back up the hill of greatness?
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"Wooly Bully" doesn't portend good things, but who knows?
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Mike, it's even worse than it sounds.
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Excellent musicks. And as for yer Dad - at least you come by it honestly:)
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If I'm not mistaken, Dave Stewart -- later of Eurythmics -- was at one time part of Osibisa!!
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Whoa!!!!
I never expected to hear the name Osibisa here, but at this point I should expect the unexpected from the Mog community.
I finally got my hands on a double CD of the group's first two albums, sitting dusty and forlorn in a DC record store. I couldn't believe no one had purchased it. The vinyl is exceedingly rare, so if your father has original, signed copies, I must give him props.
Good show.
P&L, Soultronica
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Extraordinary band and a great post as usual, Kate. Thanks!
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YES!!!!
I found out about these guys super recently, I was gonna do a post about them (my first in about a year) and I still might. I love both of their albums (I don't know if they have more...do they?)
Gave it a listen 'cause the guy who does the cover art (Roger Dean) also did a bunch of Yes albums.
So glad I checked it out. Some of it's like the grooviest prog music I've ever heard and some of it is just great jammin' tunes and some of it is...I dunno. I think "criss-cross rhythms that explode with happiness" covers it pretty well.
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Wow . . . Your mog just serves as a reminder that there is more music in the world than I will have time to listen to--but damnit if I ain't gonna try! Truly, I'll be revisiting your mog to find artists I would have otherwise never been exposed to. Thanks. :-)
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Hmmm . . . not sure why it struck through that last sentence. Perhaps it's my foul mouth. ;-)
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Wow! This is sooooo cool!
:=)
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wow I remember this record clearly. I thought all those brain cells left town. Excellent re-discovery Kate! N happy new year! : ) xxooxx L
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I just discovered your blog, very good, my ears are happy ! did you stop it ?
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Well one of Osibisa's best I think was 'Dance the body music'..made you really want to move your body. In rhythm they were king.