Roger Dean: Osibisa

In 1971 Roger Dean created his first album cover (Flying Elephants) for the African Rock band Osibisa. Dean had been doing Rock covers since 1969 for bands like Lighthouse and Atomic Rooster, but the Osibisa art gave the world a taste of the mature work that Dean would later produce for a little band called Yes. Dean also provided the cover for Osibisa’s second Album “Woyaya.”

Roger Dean: Osibisa Woyaya LP Cover

Osibisa was a group made up of African and Caribbean musicians who played an Afro-Jazz-Rock mix that pre-dated Paul Simon’s Graceland by 15 years.  Osibisa (along with Hugh Masekala’s “Grazin in the Grass”) represent early roots of the World Music movement.

Osibisa’s third LP cover was NOT designed by Dean, it was created by Mati Klarwein, the artist famous for Miles Davis’s ‘Bitches Brew’ and Santana’s ‘Abraxas’ covers.

Mati Klarwein: Osibisa Heads