Rob Raindorf (born May 13, 1949) – More (1977)

The enigmatic Ghanaian cosmic disco-funk pioneer whose original records sell for thousands of dollars wrote this funk bomb closing cut for his ultra-rare debut LP.

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Rob Raindorf aka Funky Rob is a multi-talented Ghanaian singer/songwriter, keyboardist, arranger, and producer who released several ultra-rare and heavily reissued cosmic disco-funk albums in the late 1970s and early 80s.

Born in the capital city of Accra, Robert “Roy” Raindorf learned to play the piano while attending a music school in Cotonou, Benin. After graduating he joined his first groups there, the Orchestre Poly-Rythmo and Black Santiagos. His American soul and funk influences during the sixties included Otis Redding, James Brown, Wilson Pickett, and Ray Charles. Returning to Accra, he started writing his own music during the seventies. In 1977 he joined forces with a Ghanaian army band named Mag-2 who had a full horn section and modern equipment including Yamaha keyboards.

Backed by Mag-2, he recorded his debut album Rob at Essiebons studios in Accra, which was released later that year on the studio’s own label of the same name.

Raindorf composed all of its songs, many of which had a cosmic, hypnotic flavor that combined disco, funk, Afrobeat, and reggae rhythms into an irresistible stew. Highlights included the spaced out jam “Forgive Us All,” the funk anthem “Boogie On,” and the psychedelic disco-funk “Just One More Time.”

The album’s masterpiece was arguably its funk bomb closing cut “More” that sounded like Fred Wesley and the J.B.’s had gotten lost in Accra on their way home from playing Zaire 74 and recorded a lost early 70s Ghana funk classic.

Rob’s follow up LP was also recorded with Mag-2 for Essiebons. Make It Fast, Make It Slow (1978) was again written and arranged solely by Raindorf. Original copies today sell for over $2,000 on Discogs. No original copies of Raindorf’s other two albums have ever surfaced for sale on the site.

Nearly every one of its tracks was amazing, starting with the funky opening cut “Loose Up Yourself.”

Other standout cuts included the laid back jams “But You” and “Not The End,” the stellar jam “I've Got to See You Again, Lord,” the hypnotic, haunting “Bargain,” and the phenomenal anthem “He Shall Live in You.”

Happy 75th Birthday to the great Rob Raindorf.

Further info:

“At 73, Ghana's Funky Rob is charting a new path,” Music in Africa, January 30, 2023.

“15 Vintage African Records You Need in Your Life,” OkayAfrica, April 10, 2024.

#soul #funk #disco #Africa #Ghana #RobRaindorf