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{{Short description|Band from Cotonou, Benin}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou
| background = group_or_band
| image = orchestrePR.png
| alt =
| caption =
| origin = {{nowrap|Cotonou, Littoral, [[Benin]]}}
| genre = {{flatlist|
*[[Afrobeat]]<ref name=Quietus/><ref name="pop"/>
*[[funk]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Powell |first1=Austin |title=Voodoo Lounge The mystical funk of Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou |url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2009-12-18/929985/ |website=[[The Austin Chronicle]] |access-date=31 May 2022}}</ref><ref name=tangari/>
*[[soukous]]<ref name="pop">{{cite web |last1=Sole |first1=Deanne |title=ORCHESTRE POLY-RYTHMO: COTONOU CLUB |url=https://www.popmatters.com/137878-orchestre-poly-rythmo-cotonou-club-2496068920.html |website=PopMatters |date=11 April 2011 |access-date=10 June 2023}}</ref>
}}
| years_active = 1968-1980s, 2009-present
| label = [[Soundway Records|Soundway]], [[Analog Africa]], [[Strut Records|Strut]]
| current_members =
*Mélomé Clément (vocals, guitar)
*Papillon (guitar, piano)
*Adjanohoun Maximus (guitar)
*Eskill Lohento (vocals)
*Amenoudji Joseph Vicky (vocals)
*Agbemadon Paul Gabo (vocals)
*Kounkou Diak Theo (vocals)
*Yehouessi Leopold (drums)
*Sagbohan Danialou (drums)
*Vincent Ahéhéhinnou (vocals)
*Somassou Nestor (congas)
*Bentho Gustave (bass)
*Loko A. Pierre (saxophone, vocals)
*Koutouan Ossey Theodore (trumpet)
*Cakpo Cosme (trumpet)
*Tidiani Koné (saxophone, trumpet)
*Allade Lucien
*Anago Cosme (vocals)
*Agbahoungba Philibert (guitar)
*D'Almeida Mathurin (drums, congas)
*Agonglo Bayo (drums)
*Loko Moïse (piano)
*Hounnonkpe Léon (piano)
*Guedou Thierry (brass)
*Ahouandjinou Martial (brass)
*Gnonlonfoun Samuel (brass)
*Alladé Vignéré (percussion)
*Atohoun Sylvain (vocals)
*Francois Hoessou
}}

'''Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou''' (sometimes prefaced with '''T.P.''' or '''Tout Puissant''', French for "All Powerful") is a band from [[Cotonou|Cotonou, Benin]], originally active from the 1960s to the 1980s and founded by singer-guitarist Mélomé Clément. They reformed in 2009 to international recognition. Their work has mixed styles such as [[funk]], [[afrobeat]], [[psychedelic music|psychedelia]], [[jazz]] and local [[vodun|voodoo]] influences. ''[[The Guardian]]'' called them "one of [[West Africa]]'s best [[dance music|dance]] bands."<ref name="guardian">{{cite web |last1=Denselow |first1=Robert |title=Orchestre Poly-Rythmo: Cotonou Club – review |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/mar/24/orchestre-poly-rythmo-cotonou-club-review |website=[[The Guardian]] |date=24 March 2011 |access-date=31 May 2022}}</ref>

==Biography==
Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou was first formed by bandleader Mélomé Clément in 1968 under the name "Orchestre Poly-Disco" in the coastal town of [[Cotonou|Cotonou, Benin]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/jan/14/orchestre-poly-rythmo-benin-funk|title=Benin's funk heroes: Orchestre Poly-Rythmo in Europe at last|last=Broughton|first=Simon|date=2010-01-14|website=the Guardian|language=en|access-date=2018-02-09}}</ref> Their debut album was originally released in 1973.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://thequietus.com/articles/06603-orchestre-poly-rythmo-de-cotonou-the-first-album-review|title=The Quietus {{!}} Reviews {{!}} Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou|work=The Quietus|access-date=2018-02-09}}</ref> From the late 1960s through the early 1980s, the group recorded around 500 songs in a variety of musical styles for various Beninese record labels, making them among the most prolific groups of the 20th century.<ref name=tangari/> The 1982 deaths of guitarist Papillon and drummer Yehouessi Léopold hobbled the group, and by the end of the 1980s they had disbanded.<ref name="p4k">{{cite web |last1=Tangari |first1=Joe |title=Review: Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou - Cotonou Club |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15232-cotonou-club/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=31 May 2022}}</ref>

===Reformation===
A compilation of their back catalogue, ''Reminiscin' in Tempo'', was released on the Popular African Music label in 2003.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.muzikifan.com/pam.html|title=popular African music|website=www.muzikifan.com|access-date=2018-02-09}}</ref> ''The Kings of Benin Urban Groove 1972-80'' was released on [[Soundway Records]] the following year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/release/the-kings-of-benin-urban-groove-1972-1980-mr0001056749|title=The Kings Of Benin Urban Groove 1972-1980 - T. P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo {{!}} Release Info {{!}} AllMusic|website=AllMusic|access-date=2018-02-09}}</ref> A trio of compilations released by [[Analog Africa]] beginning in 2008 brought the band to greater global attention.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/rhythmo-de-cotonou-vol-1-vodoun-effect-funk-and-sato-from-benins-obscure-labels-1972-1975-mw0001245460|title=Rhythmo de Cotonou, Vol. 1: Vodoun Effect - Funk and Sato from Benin's Obscure Labels 1972-1975 - Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou Dahomey {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits {{!}} AllMusic|website=AllMusic|access-date=2018-02-09}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-orchestre-polyrythmo-de-cotonou-the-vodoun-effect-analogue-africa-1206847.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220524/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-orchestre-polyrythmo-de-cotonou-the-vodoun-effect-analogue-africa-1206847.html |archive-date=2022-05-24 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Album: Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou, The Vodoun Effect, (Analogue|date=2008-12-21|work=The Independent|access-date=2018-02-09|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/echos-hypnotiques-vol-2-mw0001328711|title=Echos Hypnotiques, Vol. 2 - Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou Dahomey {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits {{!}} AllMusic|website=AllMusic|access-date=2018-02-09}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://spectrumculture.com/music/orchestre-poly-rythmo-de-cotonou-vol-3-the-skeletal-essences-of-afro-funk-1969-1980/|title=Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou: Vol. 3: The Skeletal Essences of Afro Funk 1969-1980 - Spectrum Culture|date=2013-05-06|work=Spectrum Culture|access-date=2018-02-09|language=en-US}}</ref>

This interest led the band to reform and tour internationally as a 10-piece group featuring five of the original members: singer/guitarist Mélomé Clément, singer Vincent Ahéhéhinnou, guitarist Maximus Ajanohun, saxophonist Pierre Loko, and bassist Gustave Benthoto. They released two new studio albums, ''Cotonou Club'', in 2011<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/6402|title=Dusted Reviews: Orchestre Poly-Rythmo - Cotonou Club|website=www.dustedmagazine.com|access-date=2018-02-09}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/jan/14/orchestre-poly-rythmo-benin-funk|title=Benin's funk heroes: Orchestre Poly-Rythmo in Europe at last|last=Broughton|first=Simon|date=2010-01-14|website=the Guardian|language=en|access-date=2018-02-09}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/mar/24/orchestre-poly-rythmo-cotonou-club-review|title=Orchestre Poly-Rythmo: Cotonou Club – review|last=Denselow|first=Robin|date=2011-03-24|website=the Guardian|language=en|access-date=2018-02-09}}</ref> and ''Madjafalao'' in 2016, and toured in Europe and the United States.

Founder Clément died in 2012.

==Musical style==
According to ''[[The Austin Chronicle]]'', the band's "turbulent [[funk]]" style drew on "the percussive mysticism of traditional [[voudun|voodoo]] rituals" while blending Nigerian [[highlife]], [[Afro-Cuban jazz]], and indigenous [[folk music|folk]] styles with the sounds of [[James Brown]], [[the Doors]], and [[Funkadelic]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Powell |first1=Austin |title=Voodoo Lounge The mystical funk of Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou |url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2009-12-18/929985/ |website=[[The Austin Chronicle]] |access-date=31 May 2022}}</ref> ''[[The Quietus]]'' described their sound as a "heavy fusion of voodoo infused [[Afro-beat]]" indebted to [[Fela Kuti]] but "infused with the ancient sacred rhythms that had maintained the Benin people's links to their [[Dahomey]] roots" as well as "the youthful sounds emerging from both the [[Latin America|Latin]] and [[African American diaspora]]," resulting in an urgent and optimistic [[psychedelic funk]] style.<ref name=Quietus>{{cite web |last1=Thomas |first1=Andy |title=Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou THE FIRST ALBUM (REISSUE) |url=https://thequietus.com/articles/06603-orchestre-poly-rythmo-de-cotonou-the-first-album-review |website=The Quietus |date=18 July 2011 |access-date=31 May 2022}}</ref> ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]'' stated that the group "developed its own distinctive style of hard-driving [[funk]] but still found time to record in just about every style imaginable, from highlife, Afrobeat, and [[rumba]] to [[rock music|rock]], jazz, [[soul music|soul]], and folk."<ref name=tangari>{{cite web |last1=Tangari |first1=Joe |title=Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou Volume One: The Vodoun Effect (Funk & Sato from Benin's Obscure Labels 1973-1975) |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/12635-volume-one-the-vodoun-effect-funk-sato-from-benins-obscure-labels-1973-1975/amp/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=8 June 2022}}</ref>

==Discography==
===Recent discography===
In its heyday the Orchestre Poly-Rythmo released several dozen LPs and singles. The following discography refers only to the publications of recent years.

====Compilations====
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Title || Label || Year
|-
| ''T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou (Reminiscin’ in Tempo – African Dancefloor Classis)'' [sic] || Popular African Music || 2003
|-
| ''The Kings of Benin Urban Groove 1972-80'' || [[Soundway Records]]|| 2004
|-
| ''Volume 1: The Vodoun Effect – Funk & Sato from Benin’s Obscure Labels 1972–1975'' || Analog Africa || 2008
|-
| ''Volume 2: Echos Hypnotiques – From the Vaults of Albarika Store 1969–1979'' || Analog Africa || 2009
|-
| ''Volume 3: The Skeletal Essences of Afro Funk 1969-1980'' || Analog Africa || 2013
|}

====Studio albums and reissues====
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| ''Nouvelle Formule…'' || IACP || 2007
|-
| ''The 1st Album'' || Analog Africa || 2011 (reissue)
|-
| ''Cotonou Club'' || [[Strut Records]]|| 2011
|-
| ''Cotonou Club / Radio Poly-Rythmo'' || Sound d’Ailleurs || 2011
|-
| ''Madjafalao'' || [[Because Music]]|| 2016
|}

==References==
* ''[[The Rough Guide To Psychedelic Africa]]'' ([[World Music Network]], 2012)
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.discogs.com/artist/T.P.+Orchestre+Poly-Rythmo Orchestre Poly Rythmo de Cotonou] at [[Discogs]]
* [http://www.polyrythmo.com/ Orchestre Poly Rythmo - The Official Website]
* [https://analogafrica.bandcamp.com/ Analog Africa website]

{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Afrobeat musical groups]]
[[Category:Beninese funk musical groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1968]]
[[Category:1968 establishments in Africa]]
[[Category:People from Cotonou]]

Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou - Revision history

imported>Citation bot: Added date. | Use this bot. Report bugs. | Suggested by Abductive | Category:Musical groups established in 1968 | #UCB_Category 89/222