Shirazee – African in New York
https://amf.didiermary.fr/shirazee-african-new-york-sarz/
Afropop singer/songwriter Shirazee was born in Cotonou, Benin. Here’s “African in New York” his cover of Sting’s “Englishman in New York,” that later transformed into a duet with the ex-Police member.
Arriving fresh faced in New York with big dreams, Shirazee ended up bouncing around trying to make ends meet while hustling to get a […]
Eyo’nle Brass Band – Africa Night
https://amf.didiermary.fr/eyonle-brass-band-africa-night/
Le groupe Eyo’nlé Brass Band (“Réjouissons-nous” en Yoruba), créé par Mathieu Ahouandjinou avec certains de ses frères (une famille avec de nombreux musiciens inspirés par leur père), a fait le chemin inverse du Gangbé Brass Band. D’abord fanfare, dont la motivation est de valoriser la musique béninoise hors des frontières du Bénin en produisant une [...]
Tchico Tchicaya & Orchestre African Kings – L’amour rend aveugle
https://amf.didiermary.fr/tchico-tchicaya-orchestre-african-kings-amour-rend-aveugle/
Soukous made in Bénin with Tchico Tchicaya and 2 great musicians:
— Bass: Gustave Bentho (TP Orchestre Poly-Rythmo)
— Drums: Sagbohan Danialou
Teriba Trio – Nonvi
https://amf.didiermary.fr/teriba-trio-nonvi/
Teriba (“humility” in Yoruba) was an all-female vocal trio from Benin.
Since 2006, Zékiath Abogourin, Tatiana et Carine Ahissou sing and dance across Africa. The trio created a sensation first during MASA 2007 (Marché des Arts du Spectacle Africain) in Côte d’Ivoire, then during Nuits Atypiques in 2008 (Koudougou – Burkina Faso).This same year, they were […]
Kiri Kanta – Sembé
https://amf.didiermary.fr/kiri-kanta-sembe/
Kiri Kanta (Aïna Sanni Dim Aïssatou) est une chanteuse tradi-moderne béninoise, née en 1956 à Parakou au nord du pays.
Elle se produit encore régulièrement sur scène, en particulier accompagnée du groupe Teriba, désormais en duo, [...]
Kaleta & Super Yamba Band
https://amf.didiermary.fr/kaleta-super-yamba-band/
With Afrobeat & Juju veteran Leon Ligan-Majek (aka Kaleta) —a native of Benin Republic— on lead guitar, the Brooklyn-based Afro-Funk band Super Yamba Band explores the psychedelic sounds from Benin & Nigeria.
“Mèdaho” is the debut album from Brooklyn based afro-funksters Kaleta & Super Yamba Band [in 2019]. Fronted by Afrobeat and Juju veteran Leon […]
Wally Badarou – Hi-Life
https://amf.didiermary.fr/wally-badarou-hi-life/
Retracer la carrière musicale et artistique de Wally Badarou peu prendre un certain temps… Né à Paris en 1955, musicien français d’origine béninoise, c’est un spécialiste du Home Studio et du synthétiseur.
Ce titre présent sur l’album Echoes de 1983 a fait la joie des chaines de TV du continent africain qui l’ont régulièrement diffusé […]
Gilles Gnonnas – La musica en vérité (2013)
https://amf.didiermary.fr/gilles-gnonnas-musica-verite/
Gilles Gnonnas singing “La musica en vérité”, a song by his father Gnonnas Pedro, in Cotonou in 2013 (@ CCF).
An awesome Afro Latin track with deep lyrics from the Beninese King of African Salsa, Gnonnan Sossou Pierre Kouassivi, better known as Gnonnas Pedro. […]
Viva Africando
https://amf.didiermary.fr/viva-africando-album-2013/
¡Viva Africando! ¡Viva! (2013)
Africando’s 8th (and last) studio album is the first not recorded primarily in New York. This time the Africando masterminds, producer Ibrahima Sylla and arranger Boncana Maïga, bring New York’s top Latin musicians – led by pianist Oscar Hernandez – to Paris. There they reunite with the group’s vocal stars, […]
Gnonnas Pedro et ses Dadjes
https://amf.didiermary.fr/gnonnas-pedro-dadjes-dadje-von-o-von-non/
Gnonnas Pedro [with or without his Dadjes band] had always excelled in many styles of music but if one had to associate him with a particular genre it would be Agbadja. Agbadja is a rhythm hugely popular in Togo, Benin and Ghana. Its based […]
#60smusic #70smusic #AfroCuban #AfroFunk #Agbadja #Bénin #Compilation #GnonnasPedro
Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou
https://amf.didiermary.fr/poly-rythmo-minsato-le-mi-dayihome-marionnettes-typiques/
A nice old video with characteristic puppets from the West African region, with Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou in the classic “Minsato Le, Mi Dayihome.”
By the late 60s the earlier synthesis of western popular music and African idioms, purveyed by such luminaries as E.T. Mensah, Bobby Benson, the Star Band and Alfa Jazz was wearing […]
Roger Damawuzan & Les As du Benin
https://amf.didiermary.fr/roger-damawuzan-les-as-du-benin/
Nine unreleased and rare tracks from the amazing Roger Damawuzan also known as the “James Brown from Lomé”, backed by the tremendous “Les As du Benin” orchestra, and recorded between 1972 and 1981.
Born in 1952 in Aneho (Togo), “The king of Gazo” (a traditional rhythm) is one of the most popular singer of his […]
Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou – Segla
https://amf.didiermary.fr/poly-rythmo-cotonou-segla/
“Segla” was originally released in 1978 and was reissued in 2020.
“Segla” – hens-teeth rare Poly-Rythmo album from 1978 that was originally released without a sleeve as ALS059. Or at least, if it came with a sleeve, nobody outside of Benin seems to have seen one. Recorded at EMI Lagos, Nigeria, as per most of […]
Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou – Ecoute ma Melodie
https://amf.didiermary.fr/orchestre-poly-rythmo-cotonou-ecoute-melodie/
“Ecoute ma mélodie” and “Houzou Houzou Wa” by Orchestre Poly-Rythmo are available on the compilation “The Skeletal Essences Of Afro Funk 1969-1980.”
Take Funk, Soul, Psychedelia and Rumba, mix it up with a thick dose of heavy local rhythms and throw everything in a Benin grinder. The brew is then mixed up with hypnotic [...]
Honoré Avolonto – Lonlon Simpé
https://amf.didiermary.fr/honore-avolonto-lonlon-simpe-orchestre-black-santiago/
Vinyl released in 1978. Composed and arranged by Honoré Avolonto with Orchestre Black Santiago.
Avolonto Honoré – Agbénon Hévi
https://amf.didiermary.fr/avolonto-honore-agbenon-hevi/
“Avolonto Honoré de Cotonou” (1944-2017), chanteur et musicien béninois, commence sa carrière en tant que percussionniste. On le retrouve ensuite avec l’Orchestre Black Santiago, puis accompagné par l’Orchestre Poly-Rythmo.
2 morceaux (Agbénon Hévi et Avi Yaman Houé) extraits d’un album paru probablement au début des années 80, avec Poly-Rythmo. [...]
Gnonnas Pedro – Yiri Yiri Boum
https://amf.didiermary.fr/yiri-yiri-boum-gnonnas-pedro/
The late Gnonnas Pedro was the first real Beninese hitmaker, long before becoming Africando’s lead singer in the 90s. Known for taking inspiration from his local music roots, he was also famous for using Salsa and other Latino rhythms in his songs, as a solo artist or with his Dadjes Band. Gnonnas started his career […]
Gangbé Brass Band – Remember Fela
https://amf.didiermary.fr/whendo-gangbe-brass-band-remember-fela/
Remember Fela is from Gangbé’s album Whendo (Roots) in 2004. It’s a tribute to Fela Kuti by the Beninese Brass Band.
[…]
Orchestre Super Borgou de Parakou
https://amf.didiermary.fr/orchestre-super-borgou-parakou-bariba-sound/
Super Borgou de Parakou was a band created by Moussa Mama and guitarist Menou Roch. This group, influenced by Afrobeat and Funk in the 1970s, also drew inspiration from Beninese folk music such as Bariba and Dendi.
Originating from the Kwara state of northwest Nigeria, the Bariba – a predominantly Islamic […]
Somi – The Lagos Music Salon
https://amf.didiermary.fr/lagos-music-salon-somi/
The Lagos Music Salon is the 4th studio full-length album by jazz hybrid singer and songwriter Somi.
It was released in 2014. Somi is an American Jazz and Pop singer and songwriter.
Her music is influenced by her Ugandan and Rwandan roots, and she resides between New York City and Lagos, Nigeria. […]
Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou – Iya Me Dji Kibi Ni
https://amf.didiermary.fr/poly-rythmo-cotonou-iya-me-dji-kibi-ni/
Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou is arguably West Africa’s best-kept secret. Their output, both in quantity and quality, was astonishing.During several trips to Benin, Analog Africa managed to collect roughly 500 songs which Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou had recorded between 1970 and 1983.
The cultural and spiritual riches of traditional Beninese [...]
T. P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou: Unite Africaine
https://amf.didiermary.fr/tp-poly-rythmo-cotonou-unite-africaine/
Two monumental full-side tracks from a pair of late 70s Orchestre Poly-Rythmo albums, Unite Africaine isn’t exactly a compilation, more a combination of the standouts at a time when the band was at the peak of its powers.
The EP was released originally as “Mélomé Clément Chef d’Orchestre.” Originally released in 1977, [...]
Tidiani Koné & Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou
https://amf.didiermary.fr/tidiani-kone-poly-rythmo-de-cotonou/
Tidiani Koné (1926-2001) was the Rail Band leader and the first musician to introduce brass instruments such as the saxophone or trumpet in Malian/Mandingue music. He’s also the one who give Salif Keita his chance to sing…
Tidiani Koné played traditional instruments like the n’goni and the traditional flute, before becoming a saxophonist in the […]
Les Teriba – Ateleni
https://amf.didiermary.fr/les-teriba-ateleni/
Le groupe féminin Teriba du Bénin, passé de cinq membres, à trois, puis maintenant à 2, réapparait avec l’album “Ateleni” en 2020, mélangeant multiples rythmes traditionnels ou compositions plus Pop, avec toujours la mise en avant des voix.
Sorti le 8 mars 2021, le single “Ago Gelou” rend hommage à la puissance divine des femmes, […]
Thingalene – Abdallah Ag Oumbadougou
https://amf.didiermary.fr/abdallah-ag-oumbadougou-thingalene/
Abdallah Ag Oumbadougou (c. 1962 – 4 January 2020) was a Tuareg guitarist from Niger. He was one of the founders of the ishumar genre of the desert blues, a politicized, guitar-driven musical genre of the Kel Tamasheq people of North Africa’s Sahel.
Recorded in Benin (1995) with the help of Nel Oliver, this album is basically groovy music for freedom fighters.
[…]
