Poly-Rythmo (Reminiscin' in Tempo / African Dancefloor Classics)

T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rhthmo de Cotonou | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 14, 2003)
• Original Release Date: October 14, 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Popular African Music
• ASIN: B0000DJZC3
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,203,511 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #32 in Music > World Music > Africa > Benin

Track Listings

1. Oh Bea

2. Dety Motema

3. Toe Nam Toe Nam

4. Chèrie Coco

5. Mille Fois Merci

6. Le Silence N'Est Pas un Oublie

7. Yao-Yao

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not funky but good, July 16, 2009

By 

Saint Kole (Mt V, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Poly-Rythmo (Reminiscin' in Tempo / African Dancefloor Classics) (Audio CD)

This CD preceeds Soundway's The Kings of Benin Urban Groove 1972-80 and Analog Africa's two volumes The Vodoun Effect: Funk and Sato from Benin's Obscure Label and Echos Hypnotiques, Vol. 2. The material on this CD is quite a bit different from those CDs. All of the songs on this CD come from three Benin LP releases by Poly-Rythmo (two on Albarika Store, the other on Disc Orient). It is a chance to hear a different side of the versatile Poly-Rythmo.
These seven songs span 77 minutes and don't have much of a funk influence unlike these other compilations. The first five tracks are in the Congolese-rumba/soukous style while the final two tracks have a latin influence. The 16 minute Cheri Coco was a big hit for the band in West Africa and is in the "two-part" rumba style with a third part taking over for the last 5 minutes. Dety Motema sounds a lot like early Zaiko Langa Langa and wouldn't be too out of place on their fabulous Zaire-Ghana album.
This CD has some of the group's longer songs--tracks 4 and 5 together were a complete album--and Papillon's guitar work shines as always. It is the drum work that is not as interesting here. Like most Congolese rumba songs, the drummer either plays mainly on the hi-hat or on the snare. It is not until the final two latin-flavored tracks that Yehouessi Leopold and the rest of the percussion section get to break out a little. One of those tracks, Yao-Yao, made it on to Miles Cleret's Poly-Rythmo mix on the Soundways Record site.