Rebop

Anthony “Rebop” Kwaku Baah (13 February 1944 – 12 January 1983) was a pioneering Ghanaian percussionist whose work helped bridge African rhythm with Western rock and jazz. Born in Konongo, in Ghana’s Gold Coast, his name Kwaku reflects Akan tradition, meaning a male born on Wednesday.

Baah gained international recognition in the late 1960s, performing on Randy Weston’s African Rhythms (1969) and collaborating with Nick Drake on the track “Three Hours.” In 1971, after meeting the band in Sweden, he joined the British rock group Traffic, contributing to landmark albums including The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys, Shoot Out at the Fantasy Factory, and When the Eagle Flies. His expressive percussion style became central to Traffic’s sound.

After Traffic disbanded, Baah worked with Steve Winwood and performed at Eric Clapton’s Rainbow Concert. In 1977, he joined the German experimental band Can, recording on albums such as Saw Delight and Out of Reach, where he further expanded Afro-rhythmic influence in European music scenes.

In 1983, while touring with Jimmy Cliff, Baah died tragically of a cerebral haemorrhage during a performance in Stockholm. His final project, Melodies in a Jungle Man’s Head, was released posthumously, securing his legacy as a vital figure in the global exchange between African percussion and modern popular music.