RECORDS
Smoke Records was a DIY label from the early '70s. The leisure group Scotia Investments moved into the music business in 1971 Managing Director of the music arm Shel Talmy left, while label manager John Whitehead was promoted; Tito Burns became the chief executive of the new Scotia company - the 'Investments' part of the name was dropped. There was only one Smoke single, 'Black Ant', by Afro Rock band Osibisa (SS-1001; 1971). Pressing and distribution were by CBS. Osibisa went on to enjoy a couple of Singles Chart successes with Bronze records, in 1976, 'Sunshine Day' (BRO-20) and 'Dance The Body Music' (BRO-26). 'Black Ant' reappeared again in 1976 on the Feelgood label, but by that time Smoke had long since disappeared from the scene. Scotia had another go at issuing records in 1979, with their 'Scotia' label - see 'Scotia (1979)'. The company's other interests included discotheques, films, caravan parks, holiday camps and zoos. Distributed By CBS Records. Osibisa are a British Afro-pop band, founded in London in 1969 by four expatriate African and three Caribbean musicians. Their music is a fusion of African, Caribbean, jazz, funk, rock, Latin, and R&B. Osibisa were one of the first African-heritage bands to become widely popular and linked with the world music description. The Ghanaian founder members of Osibisa – Teddy Osel (saxaphone), Sol Amarfio (drums) and Mac Tontah, Teddy’s brother (trumpet). The other founder-members of Osibisa were Spartacus R, a Grenadian bass player, Robert Bailey (b. Trinidad; keyboards) and Wendel Richardson (b. Antigua; lead guitar), &Lasisi Amao (b. Nigeria; percussionist &tenor sax). Thanks to Robert Lyons For The Info.
| 71 | Osibisa | Kotoko | SMOKE | SS | 1001 |
