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Finding De Frank

Research & Archives

‘Finding De Frank’ Compilation Now Available on 3xLP, Download & Streaming Platforms

Support / Donate to our research by purchasing our 3xLP compilation or downloading the music digitally (name your price).

From the Team (Update Dec 2025):

After two fruitful research trips to Ghana in 2024 and 2025, the story is gradually beginning to unfold. We are now entering pre-production on a full-length documentary, a live album to be recorded in Accra, a highlife festival set for 2027, and a series of reissue projects of 1970s highlife music including many friends, musicians, and collaborators who worked alongside De Frank Kakra. While De Frank himself still remains quite the mystery, our investigation continues with our next trip to West Africa planned for the first quarter of 2026.

Thanks to the help of our wonderful team, the ‘Finding De Frank’ compilation was successfully released in May 2025 and has received strong worldwide critical acclaim, including a 4-T rating (highest) from Télérama and finalist recognition for Grammy consideration in the category of Best Historical Album.

Currently, in efforts to promote highlife music and culture throughout the world, we have teamed up with prominent DJs for remix projects, and will be bringing exclusive listening events and DJ sets to Europe, Latin America, and South-East Asia in 2026. More recent updates about the tour will be posted on social media platforms.

We will check back soon! In the meantime, thank you for the love and support.

(For access to our latest research click here)

Ghana, 2025 (Clickable Images)

FOREWORD: Our ongoing research has enabled us to accumulate incomplete yet considerable amounts of information through interviews and consistent correspondence with local scholars, musicians, and labels. It is important to highlight that this information is currently confidential due to the ongoing verification process. Our objective is to share these findings with the public through a documentary film, two album compilations, and a biographical novel to be produced in the coming years. Our first compilation, Finding De Frank, is set to be released in the first quarter of 2025.

Aliases: De Frank, De Frank J., De Frank Jnr, De Frank Jr, De Frank Jr., De Frank Junior, De Frank Kakra, De-Frank, Franco Jr., Frank Kakra, Frank Kakrah

In Groups: De Frank Professionals, The Professional Diggit Ways, K. Frimpong & His Cubano Fiestas, Okukuseku’s No.2 Guitar Band, Saints ’73, Samdan’s 8, The Barbecues

Bio (Short):

Born January 6, 1953 in Teveme, Lomé, Togo of Ewe decent. Frank Kakrah, better known as De Frank, started his musical career as a percussionist and vocalist performing and recording with several well known musicians in Ghana, Nigeria, and Ivory Coast. De Frank eventually created his own groups, The Professionals and The Diggit Ways releasing several albums over a span of a few years in the late 1970s.

Known Discography (Audio Uploads Coming Soon)

Baby Don't Play Me Wayo
Baby Don't Play Me Wayo
Diggit Ways of Ghana
Diggit Ways of Ghana - Dig This Way
Jamaican Sounds
De Frank Junior & The Professional Diggit Ways - Jamaican Sounds
The Proffessionals (Full Album Coming Soon)
The Proffessionals (Full Album Coming Soon)
De Frank Professionals
De Frank Professionals
African_Sounds
De Frank Jr. - African Sounds
Psychedelic Man
De Frank And His Professionals - Psychedelic Man
Dr. Hayes & The Blue Jeans
Dr. Hayes & The Blue Jeans

PREFACE:

I first heard De Frank Kakra in 2016 on a highlife compilation I came across during my travels. His music revived a long lost sense of joy and curiosity, lifting me out of a profound state of depression and silence.

I had to know, who was De Frank? And where is he now?

It is only with sincere intent to thank him, his family, and the numerous musicians and labels that worked with him that I dedicate this chapter of my life.

I hope sharing De Frank’s music with the world will help me find him and bring to others the joy his music has brought to me.

Thank you to those taking part in this journey.

-Sylvain Thierry Jean Peltzer

BIO (Long):

Not much is known about the artist known as De Frank Kakra—much less his birth name or his whereabouts. ‘Kakra’ in the local dialect of Asante Twi is often used to refer to the younger of twin brothers. However, digging deeper into his story we uncover a man of Ewe roots.

A few liner notes scattered across his records offer glimpses into his career as a backup vocalist and percussionist, recording and performing with prominent highlife musicians throughout the gold coast of Africa in the 1970’s. Most notable was his involvement with the Cubano Fiestas, the stage and studio musicians for K. Frimpong. Many of these musicians were also members of the Vis-A-Vis band credited on his first albums.

Eventually finding his solo voice, De Frank formed his own bands consisting of several of these musicians. With the renowned guitarist Sammy Copper by his side, The Professionals and The Diggit Ways recorded albums with labels across Nigeria, Ghana, and Ivory Coast.

While rumors from Hamburg to Hawaii have circulated, our research objective is to verify several findings we have made about his life while producing this record. We invite those interested in his story to support the past and present labels that have released his work; notably Ride Away, Dr. Nyarko & Sons, Homzy Records, Bowo, SID, Analog Africa and Oriki Music, as well as the families and musicians he worked with who are still with us today.

Performer | Musician | Appears On (Click Image To Listen)

The Barbecues - Aaya Lolo (Side 1)
The Barbecues - Aaya Lolo (Side 1)
The Barbecues - Otswe 'Nu (Side 2)
The Barbecues - Otswe 'Nu (Side 2)
Samdan's 8 - Salamalekum
Samdan's 8 - Salamalekum (Side 2)
Andy Vans - Come Closer
Andy Vans - Come Closer (credited: backup vocals, percussion)
(Uploading Soon)
(percussionist, backup vocalist) (Uploading Soon)
(Uploading Soon)
(credited: percussion) (Uploading Soon)
(credited: unknown)

 

 

More Music Coming Soon..