Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou

Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou was an afrobeat band founded in 1968 in Cotonou, Benin (West Africa) by singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and bandleader Clément Mélomé. The band - originally performing under the name Orchestre Poly-Disco - played a variety of musical styles including funk, soukous, and highlife. They began recording material shortly after formation but their debut album, Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou Dahomey, wasn’t released until 1972. The group recorded roughly 500 songs, many of which were released over on the 50 albums the band released on a variety of labels up through 1982. The band splintered when two of the members died, leaving behind a huge catalog of West African-only albums, EPs, and singles that would be left forgotten for the next two decades. Rediscovered 25 years later by French journalist and producer Élodie Maillot, Orchestre Poly-Rythmo reunited with five of its original members and released the albums Nouvelle Formule… (2007), Cotonou Club (2011), Madjafalao (2016) and Rep Pop du Bénin (2020). Sadly, during the band’s commercial resurgence, Clément Mélomé died December 17, 2012. Since the band’s rediscovery by music fans outside of Africa, their catalog continues to be reissued on vinyl and CD.

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