Sold Date: September 13, 2021
Start Date: May 3, 2019
Final Price: £18.50 (GBP)
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Rob ‎– Rob Label: Mr bongo ‎– MRBLP166,  ‎– INLS 6127 Format: , LP, Album, Reissue 
Country: Released: Genre: ,  Style: , , 

By popular demand, Analog Africa is proud to be repressing a high quality limited edition of

1000 copies of Rob´s first legendary “Funky Rob Way” album, one of West Africa´s most

fascinating recording.

“Quite swiftly composers of taste are breaking the pedantry of all too luscious music setting and

depicting rather the abounding chaos and peace symptomatic of a new age. Among these very

modern composers is young and talented Rob who belongs to the new spirits who are setting

blistering pace in Today´s music.”

Ebo Crentsil for Essiebons Record, Accra1977

"...this album is an unwaveringly infectious cocktail of, catchy

horn hooks, and awesome percussion. Even without Rob, this would be great, but his sheer character

and presence elevates this album to "classic" status." - ***** Brainwashed

Appearing like a meteor out of nowhere armed with a bunch of twisted afro-cosmic tunes that seems

to have come out of an imaginary science fiction movie, singer Rob has to be one of the most

enigmatic artists to come out of West-Africa.

Rob Roy Reindorf - Born in Accra in 1947 - (Although the back of the cover says that he was born in

Abidjan which only adds to the mystic) was an admirer of American artists Otis Reading, 

,  and . He began his trade by learning the piano at a music school in

Cotonou (Benin Republic) before venturing out to make what money he could by getting gigs with the

movers and shakers of the Beninese music scene, namely Orchestre Poly-Rythmo and the Black

Santiago. After learning the science of music composition, Rob returned to Ghana where he began to

write his own songs and eventually sought the backing of a band, specifically one that had horns.

In 1977 - at the age of 28 - Rob travelled to the city of Takoradi in western Ghana to approach an

army band named Mag-2 whom he had seen perform in Accra. Mag-2 had an entire section of its

ensemble dedicated to horns along, some of the sophisticated music equipment available in Ghana at

the time - Hofner guitars, Yamaha keyboards and the like.

Belonging to the magnificent (emphasis on Mag) 2nd battalion of the Takoradi-based army unit,

original founder Amponsha Rockson decided to aptly name the band "Mag-2". Joining the army during

the 1970s was often an easy decision, particularly for musicians, since the army provided not only

good music equipment but basic services such as food and medical care. Mag-2 was essentially filled

with the best elements of "The Parrots," a highlife band in which Amponsha was the lead guitarist.

Mag-2's main job was to entertain soldiers with the copyrighted top hits of the day and, with the army

tour bus, perform from town to town and in hot spots in the capital.

Enticed by the innovative style of music Rob had proposed - a repertoire of cosmic, Afro-American

funk-inspired progressive dancefloor sounds sung in English - Mag-2 backed the Ghanaian sensation

on his astonishing first and second albums, "Funky Rob Way" and "Make it Fast, Make it Slow," both

of which were recorded at Essiebons studios in Accra. Despite Rob's training and musical education,

Amponsah was responsible for the majority of the composition, such as building the chord

progression and arranging the horns that Rob craved.

They rehearsed for about one month with Rob providing cigarettes, food and drinks in place of hard

cash. Marijuana, though enjoyed, was forbidden in the barracks and would lead to an immediate

dismissal.

Despite early successes, a once-strong interest in Afrobeat slowed down by the early 1980s and

Disco Boogie rapidly became the style label owners and music producers pursued. Rob had recorded

a third album, entitled "Hellfire," licensed by Nigerian label Tabansi, who lost the original recording

only to find it when the style Rob had shaped his career around was in decline.

Making good money became a big problem, forcing the cosmic funk czar to travel to Germany and

Sweden before returning to Accra to open his restaurant, the Chicken Pepper, where he can be found

today.

A1. Funky Rob Way  B1. Just One More Time 

A2. Forgive Us All  B2. Your Kiss Stole Me Away 

A3. Boogie On  B3. More