"As artistes, you can never say never. You may give a genuine indication of discontinuing at some point but you cannot tell what would pull you again to the stage."
Last year's show went well but people want to see other Osibisa stalwarts like Wendel Richardson on guitar, Dikoto Mandenque on bass and Kofi Ayivor on percussion.
They are all occupied with various things so pulling them here depends on what the organizers can put out for them."We dont really accept engagements here based on what will be paid.
The Ghanaian guys in the band love to come home and see family and friends.The non-Ghanaians also see Ghana as home but Wendel, for instance, lives in Antigua in the Carribbean Islands.
A flight from there to London is over 700 pounds. Once certain things are taken care of, everyone would be happy to come."
An interesting thing about Osibisa is the close affinity between musicians that have passed through the band and the eagerness with which they rally around for assignments. That has created a ready pool of hands for all instruments except on sax and flute.
Whenever Mac Tontoh cannot make it for a gig, Colin Graham, Kenny Welly, both from Jamaica and Paul Bilson from Ghana are set to stand in on trumpet. Sol Amarfio's drum seat is comfortable for Frank Tontoh and Robert Fordjour,both Ghanaians.
Keyboard players always waiting in the wings include Emmanuel Rentzos, Bessa Simmons and Kwame Yeboah, all from Ghana and Errol Reid from Jamaica.
Nii Okai and Kofi Ayivor, both from Ghana, are there for percussion.
On bass,Vico Mensah and Herman Asafo-Adjei from Ghana , Mandenque from Cameroun and Leroy Bushel from Jamaica are always poised for action.
Kari Bannerman and Alfred Young, guitarists from Ghana, show their special talents whenever necessary. Vocalists on stand-by include Greg Brown and T-Bone from the United States and Joe Osei from Ghana.
"There hasn't been anybody for sax and flute because I'm there all the time.
These days I don't play the sax much. Its mostly the flute, giving general direction and inspiring the young players to give off their best. People think it is not Osibisa when they don't see me on stage.
The Ghanaian young men are not learning to play the sax but I'm sure we will eventually find a good young player to stand in when I'm not available."
For the moment, Teddy Osei is around and in charge of co-ordinating the recording of the band's next album.
Teddy wrote most of the material but there are contributions from others like Amarfio and Mac Tontoh who laid down some of the trumpet parts when he was in London about three months ago.
Osibisa got worldwide recognition with the release of its self-titled album in 1971.
That was followed with other equally impressive collections like Woyaya, Heads, Superfly TNT, Happy Children, Welcome Home and Live at the Marquee.
The band's last album, Monsore, came out in 1996. Like their live shows, Osei says the upcoming album will be the band's last one.
One doesn't know if fans will get to hear any of the things on the new album at the MOGO show on December 1 but the band's leader believes it will still be a good show.
"What we have been accepted for worldwide has its roots from here and we talk positively about Ghana everywhere we go. Playing in Ghana is always a special experience and we feel very proud to see our people enjoy our music.
Everyone must come and have a good time. It will be something to remember for a while."
"As artistes, you can never say never. You may give a genuine indication of discontinuing at some point but you cannot tell what would pull you again to the stage."
Last year's show went well but people want to see other Osibisa stalwarts like Wendel Richardson on guitar, Dikoto Mandenque on bass and Kofi Ayivor on percussion.
They are all occupied with various things so pulling them here depends on what the organizers can put out for them."We dont really accept engagements here based on what will be paid.
The Ghanaian guys in the band love to come home and see family and friends.The non-Ghanaians also see Ghana as home but Wendel, for instance, lives in Antigua in the Carribbean Islands.
A flight from there to London is over 700 pounds. Once certain things are taken care of, everyone would be happy to come."
An interesting thing about Osibisa is the close affinity between musicians that have passed through the band and the eagerness with which they rally around for assignments. That has created a ready pool of hands for all instruments except on sax and flute.
Whenever Mac Tontoh cannot make it for a gig, Colin Graham, Kenny Welly, both from Jamaica and Paul Bilson from Ghana are set to stand in on trumpet. Sol Amarfio's drum seat is comfortable for Frank Tontoh and Robert Fordjour,both Ghanaians.
Keyboard players always waiting in the wings include Emmanuel Rentzos, Bessa Simmons and Kwame Yeboah, all from Ghana and Errol Reid from Jamaica.
Nii Okai and Kofi Ayivor, both from Ghana, are there for percussion.
On bass,Vico Mensah and Herman Asafo-Adjei from Ghana , Mandenque from Cameroun and Leroy Bushel from Jamaica are always poised for action.
Kari Bannerman and Alfred Young, guitarists from Ghana, show their special talents whenever necessary. Vocalists on stand-by include Greg Brown and T-Bone from the United States and Joe Osei from Ghana.
"There hasn't been anybody for sax and flute because I'm there all the time.
These days I don't play the sax much. Its mostly the flute, giving general direction and inspiring the young players to give off their best. People think it is not Osibisa when they don't see me on stage.
The Ghanaian young men are not learning to play the sax but I'm sure we will eventually find a good young player to stand in when I'm not available."
For the moment, Teddy Osei is around and in charge of co-ordinating the recording of the band's next album.
Teddy wrote most of the material but there are contributions from others like Amarfio and Mac Tontoh who laid down some of the trumpet parts when he was in London about three months ago.
Osibisa got worldwide recognition with the release of its self-titled album in 1971.
That was followed with other equally impressive collections like Woyaya, Heads, Superfly TNT, Happy Children, Welcome Home and Live at the Marquee.
The band's last album, Monsore, came out in 1996. Like their live shows, Osei says the upcoming album will be the band's last one.
One doesn't know if fans will get to hear any of the things on the new album at the MOGO show on December 1 but the band's leader believes it will still be a good show.
"What we have been accepted for worldwide has its roots from here and we talk positively about Ghana everywhere we go. Playing in Ghana is always a special experience and we feel very proud to see our people enjoy our music.
Everyone must come and have a good time. It will be something to remember for a while."
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