Spartacus R - Passover Service (Funeral) and Memorial 29th October 2010

Spartacus R's Passover Service and Memorial have now been finalised and he will be laid to rest on Friday, 29 October 2010 a total of 90 days since his death on July 30th.  Details are as follows:

Event:      Passover Service
Venue:     Tooting Cemetery
Address:   Blackshaw Road, Tooting, London, SW17 0BY
Time:       12:30  


Event:      Memorial
Venue:     Karibou Centre,
Address:  7 Gresham Road, London, SW9 7PH
Time:       3pm - 11pm
Parking is very limited around this venue however, there is a car park situated within minutes of the Karibou Centre [in Brixton Market] that should provide adequate parking space.

Osibisa to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at 2010 GUBA Awards Ceremony commemorating founding members Spartacus R and Mac Tontoh

Legendary afro-pop group Osibisa are to receive a lifetime achievement award at the inaugural Ghana UK Based Achievement (GUBA) awards ceremony to be held in London on Sunday 24 October.

 

Osibisa’s award will commemorate founding members Spartacus R and Mac Tontoh who both sadly passed away earlier this month.
Read more...
http://www.gubaawards.co.uk

Burial Date Unconfirmed - Spartacus R Funeral Update

No news yet on the funeral arrangements of Spartacus R who passed away on Friday 30th of July 2010.
Family, friends and well wishers await the announcement of his official farewell which has been postponed.
His exact cause of death remains desputed despite his recent battle with leukemia.

MAC TONTOH - RIP - Sadly another founding member of Osibisa dies

Mac Tontoh b.25 Dec 1940 – d.16 Aug 2010 trumpet player and founding Ghanaian member of International Afro-Rock band Osibisa has also died. Mac passed away following a stroke at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana on the 16th August 2010.

 
Osibisa was formed in London, England in 1969 by three Ghanaian and three Caribbean musicians.

Osibisa founding members:
Teddy Osei  - Saxophone (born Ghana)
Sol Amarfio - Drums (born Ghana)
Mac Tontoh  - Trumpet / Songwriter (Osei's brother, born Ghana)
Spartacus R - Bass Guitar / Songwriter (born Grenada)
Robert Bailey - Keyboards (born Trinidad)
Wendell Richardson - Lead Guitar (born. Antigua)

Osibisa played a central role in developing international awareness of African music.

SPARTACUS R - RIP - Founding member of Osibisa dies

SPARTACUS R  also known as Roy Bedeau - b. 3rd September 1948 d. 30th July 2010

SPARTACUS R

Bass player and founding Carribean member of International Afro-Rock band Osibisa, Spartacus passed away on Friday the 30th of July 2010 at Kings College Hospital, London.  His exact cause of death remains unclear despite his recent battle with a rare form of blood cancer known as Acute Myeloid Leukaemia.

OSIBISA - OSIBISA

OSIBISA - WOYAYA

OSIBISA - HEADS

Spartacus was born in Aruba, Grenada and came to London in 1960.

He began his musical career in 1969 as founding member of Osibisa, where he played Bass guitar, percussion and vocals he also wrote, co-wrote and produced many of the songs on the bands first 3 albums Osibisa, Woyaya and Heads. 

SPARTACUS R - THIRD WORLD WAR

After leaving Osibisa he continued to pursue music as a solo artist setting up Zara Music Records and producing albums Third World War, Freedom First, and Africa I See.

An accomplished and multitalented musician his skills as a singer, bass, electric and acoustic guitarist, percussionist, songwriter and producer meant he would often contribute to the musical work of other artists sometimes without any credit at all.

His beliefs about love, life, freedom, oppression and african identity can be heard in the songs that he wrote. 

He continued to explore these themes more recently as an author, with books he wrote and published himself on Sukisa Publications Love and Life: a Selection of Poems Songs and Thoughts from Spartacus R,

Human Value: Occupation as an Educational Strategy for Liberation, Violation: A Look at Non-Physical Violence in Relationships, The Maat Mystery.

 

His entrepreneurial spirit led him to become editor of Global Africa Pocket News (GAP News) a pocket sized global african news magazine and co-founder of GAP Radio and www.globalafrica.com the online african self help network.

Never afraid to speak his truth he earned the moniker of "Truthsayer" sharing his thoughts and opinions by contributing to and establishing various humanitarian and political movements during his lifetime. His overall message being that of african unity and liberation.

Often critisised for his confrontational style of debate, and unconventional ideas, he remained passionate about the way forward for africans in global and local community settings despite several attempts on his life.

Spartacus was dedicated to the belief that honest communication was the key to resolving most conflict. 

He also believed that a deeper awareness and knowledge of ones self, would ultimately lead to self determination and revolution.

Spartacus was an outspoken, complex and unforgettable character, a man who's worldy contributions via music, spoken word, politics, philosophical writing, debate and physical action will always be remembered by those that knew him, respected him and loved him.

He is survived by 5 brothers and sisters, 8 children and 5 grandchildren. May the anscestors guide, bless and protect his soul, spirit and legacy. A True African Warrior...You will be missed greatly RIP SPARTACUS R