Rebop Kwaku Baah

Anthony "Rebop" Kwaku Baah was a Ghanaian percussionist who worked with the 1970s rock bands Traffic and Can and recorded with many leading musicians of the era.

Early life

He was born on 13 February 1944 in Konongo, in the Ashanti Region.

Traffic

In 1969 he played on the jazz pianist Randy Weston's album African Cookbook and worked with Nick Drake on "Three Hours". He met the English band Traffic on tour in Sweden and joined them in 1971, playing on Welcome to the Canteen, The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys, Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory, On the Road and When the Eagle Flies. In 1973 he appeared in Eric Clapton's Rainbow Concert and played on the Rolling Stones' Goats Head Soup and Free's "Wishing Well".

Can and later work

After Traffic split in 1974 he played on Steve Winwood's first solo album (1977). That year he and the former Traffic bassist Rosko Gee joined the German band Can, recording Saw Delight, Out of Reach and Can before the group broke up in 1979. His solo albums include Reebop (1972) and Trance (1977).

Death

He died of a brain haemorrhage during a performance in Stockholm on 12 January 1983, while on tour with Jimmy Cliff. His last album, Melodies in a Jungle Man's Head, was released unfinished.