Latest Revision; April 20, 2022
This pancocojams post showcases seven recordings by Orchestre Poly Rythmo de Cotonou. Information about that Beninese band is also provided in this post.
The content of this post is presented for historical, folkloric, entertainment, and aesthetic purpose.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the composers, musicians, and vocalists of Orchestre Poly Rythmo de Cotonou. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post, and thanks to those who published these sound files on YouTube.
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INFORMATION ABOUT ORCHESTRE POLY RHYMO DE COTONOU
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orchestre_Poly_Rythmo_de_Cotonou
"Orchestre Poly Rythmo de Cotonou are a band from Benin, which plays Afrobeat, Funk, Soukous and other styles, often based on Vodun ryhtmns. Active since the late 1960s, and having recorded around 500 songs, they are still touring around the world today, playing in venues such as London's Barbican Centre. Compilations of their work have recently been issued through Analog Africa, Soundway Records and Popular African Music."
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"Contonou" is the largest city in Benin, West Africa.
Additional information about Orchestre Poly Rythmo de Cotonou can be found in the uploader's comment from the sound file that is given in this post as Example #1. Also, read the band's biography (written in French but with translation options) on the group's official website http://www.polyrythmo.com/html/biography.html
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SHOWCASE MUSIC
(These musical examples are presented in no particular order.)
Example #1: Orchestre Poly Rythmo De Cotonou - Mi Ni Non Kpo
mojorisings,Uploaded on May 23, 2009
"Benin lies on the West coast of Africa and butts up against Nigeria in the south, Niger in the east, and equally tiny Togo to the north. What distinguishes Benin from its neighbours is the fact that it happens to be home to Vodoun - or as we know it over here Voodoo. So it should be no surprise that the popular music of Benin draws heavily upon the rhythms of Vodoun rituals, but what is surprising is the other influences that have come into play. The Vodoun Effect: Funk & Sato From Benin's Obscure Labels 1973-1975 a recent release on the Analog Africa from Germany, that has collected together fourteen tracks by one of Benin's most popular bands, Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou. Recorded in the 1970s on a variety of small independent labels, they show not only the Vodoun influence but how music from both South and North America found its way back across the Atlantic Ocean.
According to the publicity material that came with the disc, in the late 19th century a group of freed slaves from Brazil returned to Benin and over the years their dances and songs were incorporated into Beninese ritual, and from there worked their way into the popular culture. In the 1960s and 1970s American soul and funk music started making its presence felt in Africa, and along with the sounds of pop music from neighbouring Nigeria were assimilated into the popular music scene in Benin."
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Example #2: T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou - Hwe Towe Hun
jauntin, Published on Oct 7, 2010
From the album 'The kings of Benin urban groove 1972 - 80'
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Update: December 31, 2018. This sound file replaces the previous copy of this tune which is no longer available. Here's the summary statement that was posted with that previous sound file:
"An absolutely brilliant track from The Kings of Benin Urban Groove 1972-80 release. This is a heavy one!..."
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Example #3: T.P.Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou.Benin.mov -Zizi
DonVan58, Uploaded on Jun 30, 2011
Zizi -T.P.Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou.Benin
1983. language: Fon
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Update 2/14/2013- This information was posted to this sound file's YouTube viewer comment thread in response to my request for more information:
From koffitoss - 2/14/2013
"Zizi" is the name of the girl he's singing abt.basically.he is in love with her and that had made some people jealous.so he is tellin did you hear and what people are doin to me.if I wasn't careful they would hav killed me coz of u.They try to kill me but "zizi" is today in my home(in order words marry to me).he is also talkin abt been chased by snake when he goes to the market coz of "Ojoujou" (which is a mystic way of killin someone mostly west African stuff). hope this help!"
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Thanks Koffitoss!
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Example #4: Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou "Se Ba Ho"
Global Arts Live, June 18, 2012
The video clip that was originally a part of this pancocojams post is no longer available. Here's the summary remarks that were written by AnalogAfrica in that clip which was uploaded on Mar 26, 2010:
""Se Ba Ho" is the opening track from the new Poly-Rythmo compilation "Echos Hypnotiques". It is without doubt one of the most powerful "Sato" tracks ever recorded (Sato is a vodoun rhythm played during burial ceremonies) . I hope you´ll enjoy – Samy
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Example #5: Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou -- Minkou E So Non Moin
zimgonner, Uploaded on Mar 11, 2011
Funky instrumentation, haunting vocals.
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Example #6: Benin: Zoundegnon Bernard (T P Orchestre Poly Rythmo de Cotonou) - Mille Fois Merci
Agbaataaa, Published on Jul 13, 2012
Juste pour la promotion des oeuvres de l'artiste ,de la musique Beninoise voire Dahomeenne et non pour une cause pecuniaire.
En voici une autre des merveilles en matiere de discographie du feu Zoundegnon Bernard alias " Papillon ",principal guitariste du groupe
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My French is barely rudimentary, but I believe that the statement above indicates that this is recording is for promotional purposes and it features Zoundegnon Bernard (also known as "Papillon") who is the group's principal guitarist.
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Example #7: Orchestre Poly-Rythmo De Cotonou - Dety Motema (Part 1 & 2)
Antonio Lucente, Oct 26, 2015
From “Orchestre Poly-Rythmo De Cotonou - Rep Pop Du Benin –
Poly-Rythmo '76 - Vol. 1”
[ Albarika Store - ALS 026 (LP) Bénin, 1976 ]
Directed by Mélomé Clément
Vocals – Agbemadon Paul Gabo , Vincent Ahehehinnou , Amenoudji Joseph , Kounkou Diak Theo
Trumpet – Koutouan Ossey Theo , Sharp Mike
Saxophone – Loko Pierre
Guitar – Mélomé Clément , Mado Martino , Zoundegnon Bernard
‘Papillon’
Bass – Bentho Gustave
Drums – Yehouessi Léopold
Talking Drum – Allade Lucien , Somassou Nestor
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Update: April 20, 2022. This is the third sound file of this sound file that has been showcased in this post.
Thanks to comments from ricardo from Spain. Reading those comments alerted me to the need to check out this post and replace three no longer available YouTube comments. Thanks ricardo!)
Here's the comment that I wrote for the second sound file that I embedded to replace the first one that was no longer available.killero72, Published on Apr 14, 2013
Cool African Music. (((((Killero72 y El Canal Killero)))))
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This sound file replaces the previous copy that was embedded in this pancocojams post. Here's the summary statement that was given for that sound file:
"Brilliant composition by Theo Blaise Kounkou he spent an year in T.P. Orchestre Poly Rythmo before joining Sam Mangwana, Lokassa Ya M'Bongo and others in the band African All Stars (1977)."
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In response to my request for information about this song, the sound file uploader soukousman wrote that Theo Blaise Kounkou is from Congo DRC and also that he is singing in Lingala.
Soukousman indicated that he only knew a little bit of Lingala and that he would share additional information about this song if he learned more about it.
Thanks, Soukousman!
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Thank you for visiting pancocojams.
Viewer comments are welcome.
muchas gracias!
ReplyDeleteDe nada, ricardo.
DeleteMore than thirty years ago an African friend told me about this orchestra, whose records were not distributed in Spain, where I lived at the time. I forgot about it (or rather it was left somewhere in my memory) until yesterday, browsing the internet, when I discovered this blog...
DeleteRicardo, I wrote another comment but deleted it because of a typo- which was good because I should have fixed some things in that post before writing you.
DeleteI'm glad that this post enabled you to hear this orchestra (for the first time- or did you hear it 30 years ago when your African friend told you about that orchestra?)
Thanks for reminding me about this 2013 pancocojams post. Because I read your comment I became aware that I had incorrectly embedded one sound file and I needed to replace two other sound files that were no longer available.
And I rigthfully acknowledged you in that post.
Thanks again.
PS: It's ironic that one of these tunes refers to a woman named Zizi. :o)
Best wishes and thanks again!
hi, azizi, thank you for your answer...
Deleteno, I had not listened before this orchestra, he just talked me about it... the first time was here, at your blog ...
you say me one of these tunes refers to a woman called zizi, most probably this name is a kind of variation of Aziz (for males) and Aziza or Azize (female) ... not with the slang french word Zizique ... :)
Thank you for uptating the videos...
All the best
Ricardo,I'm glad you were ableto hear this music as the result of me happening upon those videos on YouTube and then sharing them on this pancocojams blog.
DeleteAlso, I know that "Aziz" is an Arabic male name "Aziz" and I know female name "Aziza".
Around 1966 I was given the name "Azizi" (In the late 1960s and 1970s Black people in the USA knew more Arabic names than names from traditional African languages. So even though we weren't Muslim, the ones who wanted an "African" name often chose or were given an Arabic name.This was okay because Arabic had been spoken in parts of Africa for hundreds of years so technically people can say that Arabic is a traditional African language.)
I don't remember coming across the name "Azize" before.
And what does "Zizique" mean in French slang? Is it new?