Stan Tohon

Roger Stanislas Tohon was born on December 30, 1955 in Abomey, a town in southern Benin. With a chequered school career, the young Beninese was introduced to music at the age of 9 in his native neighborhood, where he sang traditional Tchingounmè rhythms. After meeting Gnonnas Pedro, he developed his vocal techniques and produced covers under the name Stan Tohon, of James Brown or Otis Redding, familiarizing himself with the stage and the characteristics of composition. With "Yallow" (1977), his first song about the social situation in Benin, he opened up to a wider audience, but was censored by the government. Exiled to Togo, he built his musical career away from his native country, where he developed his own style, inspired by Tchingounmè, which he modernized: the tchink system. Mixing Western instruments (guitar, bass, drums, etc.) with the traditional ones of his native culture, he has made a name for himself with the originality of his shows. Zémidjan", released in 1991, was his first popular success. After Orè Tito (2000), a controversial album due to a dispute with artist Jean Godonou Dossou, his album Votété kô vo unveiled the following year established him as the "king of the tchink system". Stan Tohon performs in stadiums, notably the Stade de l'Amitié in Cotonou, and expands his audience internationally. He collaborated with music stars such as Manu Dibango and Carlos Santana on his album Résurrection (2003), then took a stand on numerous social issues such as voting rights and health conditions. One of his flagship albums, Dans le tchink système, was reissued in France in 2015 by the Hot Casa label, contributing to a belated rediscovery of Stan Tohon in France. Ill, he succumbed to diabetes and respiratory problems on February 26, 2019 in Paris, leaving behind him a major impact on Benin's musical heritage, in particular the hits "Ahwamatchizo", "Bamanou " and "Djê nan nan".

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