Osibisa - Black Magic Night

Recorded on July 19, 1977, this double LP (reissued as a two-CD set) contained live versions of songs that appeared on several of their 1971-1977 albums, as well as one ("Living Loving Feeling") that only came out as a single. Osibisa, who anticipated many of the features of the worldbeat sound, cover a lot of ground on this lengthy set -- maybe too much for some tastes. Sometimes the material gets close to traditional African music in its rhythms and chanting; at others, it nearly treads on jazz fusion territory, though not in a bad way. And while Osibisa singer and multi-instrumentalist Teddy Osei says in the liner notes that the band wasn't influenced by Santana, the Afro-Latin rhythms and chant-style vocals in some of the songs certainly remind
you of Santana, though again not in an objectionable fashion. There's also some Rahsaan Roland Kirk-style flute playing, and a rendition of their substantial 1976 British hit "Sunshine Day" that finds them at their most pop-friendly. While they might not have been the most innovative or original of these kind of groups, overall this is a lively document of an ensemble that fused African, soul-funk, and some Latin and jazz elements when that sort of mixture was far less
accessible outside Africa than it would be in subsequent decades. - by Richie Unterberger, AMG

Artist: Osibisa
Album: Black Magic Night (Live at the Royal Festival Hall)
Year: 1977
Label: Castle
Total time: 84:45

Personnel:
Teddy Osei (Tenor and Soprano Saxophone, Flute, African Drums and Lead Vocals)
Mac Tontoh (Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Kabassa, Bells, Rattles, African Xylophone and Vocals)
Sol Amarfio (Drums, Cowbells, Congas and Vocals)
Wendell Richardson (Guitar, Dondo Drums, Vocals)
Mike Odumosu (Bass Guitar, Bells and Vocals)
Robert Bailey (Keyboards)
Daku (Congas, Percussion)
Sonia Lekhela (Backing Vocals)
Ntobi Mdudu (Backing Vocals)
Tiny Conco (Backing Vocals)
Linda Conco (Backing Vocals)

Tracks on CD1:
1. Introduction 1:38
2. The Dawn (Teddy Osei/Sol Amarfio) 6:40
3. Welcome Home (Teddy Osei/Sol Amarfio/Mac Tontoh) 4:30
4. Ayiko Bia (Teddy Osei) 7:34
5. Living, Loving Feeling (Teddy Osei/Sol Amarfio/Mac Tontoh) 5:59
6. Woyaya (Sol Amarfio) 6:45
7. Spirits Above (Roland Kirk) 7:50

Tracks on CD2:
1. Kelele (Teddy Osei/Mac Tontoh/Sol Amarfio/Kofi Ayivor/Dikoto Madengue) 7:49
2. Fire (Teddy Osei/Mac Tontoh/Sol Amarfio/Kofi Ayivor/Dikoto Madengue) 7:01
3. Music for Gong Gong (Teddy Osei/Mac Tontoh) 8:01
4. Beautiful Seven Y Sharp (Teddy Osei/Mac Tontoh/Sol Amarfio/Wendell Richardson/Robert Baley/Amao/Bedeau) 8:32
5. Sunshine Day (Teddy Osei/Mac Tontoh/Sol Amarfio) 7:16
6. Encore - Survival (Teddy Osei/Mac Tontoh/Sol Amarfio) 5:08

Links in comment

Important! Only for your information. Please delete it from your HDD after listening to. If you like the music, buy the CD.