• Music

    Various Artists – Legends Of Benin: Afro Funk, Cavacha, Agbadja, Afro​-​Beat

    November 3, 2021 - By 

    Benin (formerly Dahomey) has produced so much good music, yet it’s suffered from a lack of availability in the West, meaning that only the most expert crate-diggers or West African music specialists were able to enjoy these artists. Thankfully, Analog Africa has been doing their best to make sure this music gets documented, digitized, and publicized around the world.  Some of the composers included on this disc are Gnonnas Pedro et Ses Dadjes, Antoine Dougbé, El Rego et Ses Commandos and Honoré Avolonto.  These were the cream of the crop of Beninois balladeers during the 1960s and 1970s.  The comp…

  • Music

    Togbe Adjos – Maman Tchamba

    May 14, 2021 - By 

    When reading tags about vodun jazz, a reggae vibe wasn’t exactly what I was expecting.  Still, Togbe Adjos produces an album mixing the rhythms of the Caribbean with those of his native Benin.  This is a mellow but lively album which wouldn’t feel out of place among that massive stack of Trojan Records you have laying around your listening room.  West Africa is perhaps the hottest place in world music these days.  It’s wonderful to see Benin’s musicians receiving more and more recognition.