TP Orchestre Poly-Rythmo
While superstars in their home country of Benin (a small West African country sandwiched between Nigeria and Ghana), the TP Orchestre Poly-Rythmo have for the most part been forgotten in the annals of African music history. A few weeks ago while browsing through the Turntable Lab blog I found this amazing video among the various Tiesto appreciations and surfer dude videos and it prompted me to dig out the wonderful "Kings of Benin" comp that came out on Soundways a few years ago.
It is estimated that the TP Orchestre recorded over 50 LPs and 100 45s during the span of their career and after hearing their music one can't help but wonder how they have gone relatively unnoticed compared to many of their somewhat blander counterparts in nearby Lagos. Some people have theorized that it was harder for Francophone music to find commercial success in such close proximity to the thriving anglo markets in Nigeria and to a lesser extent in Ghana. Here are a few MP3s as well as a link to a few more tracks on the excellent Analog Africa blog.
In case you are wondering the TP stands for 'tout puissant' or "all powerful".
TP Orchestre Poly-Rythmo - Les Djos
TP Orchestre Poly-Rythmo - Hwe Towe Hun
This video is on the African Psyche CD that came out a couple years ago on Luaka Bop.
Posted by: boil | January 17, 2008 at 01:51 AM
i remember this track from one of those ghana funk compilations that came out in the past couple years. it was one of the better ones from the collection.
Posted by: shcniak | January 17, 2008 at 05:58 AM
It's "Minsato Le, Mi Dayihome," from Luaka Bop's Love's a Real Thing comp--Boil has it correct. It's a wild video--the puppetry is actually pretty good, especially the guitarist. The thing that always blows me away about this song is the interplay between the guitar and drums. It's on a totally telepathic level, and the way the beat changes up will give a dancer whiplash.
Posted by: Joe | January 17, 2008 at 02:57 PM
Hi
Thank for this video and Unfortunately, the author of that Song, Eskill Lohento, the vocal lead of Poly Ryhtmo recently died. This website www.eskill-info.net has been created as a tribute. But Poly Rythmo is still playing, to some extent currently. I would like to have a copy of the video and put it on the website. I'm not in Benin currently and cannot have it from the TV house that produced it. Please send me a mail if needed. Best
One of Eskill's song
Posted by: Ken | January 23, 2008 at 05:37 PM