Vincent Ahéhéhinnou

Born in 1948 in Canan, near Abomey in Benin, Vincent Ahéhéhinnou was quickly introduced to voodoo cultural traditions, including musical rhythms. Immediately passionate about musical practice, he began learning the bass as a teenager. Quickly attracted to a career in the arts, he joined his first Beninese group, Las Ondas de Sabada, from 1962 to 1965, then Daho Jazz from 1965 onwards. During one of the latter's performances, Bentho Gustave and Bernard 'Papillon' Zoundegnon were impressed by Ahéhinnou's stage presence. Both were musicians with Sunny Blacks Band, founded in 1966, which became the Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou in 1969. Ahéhinnou joined the band as a singer and bassist, contributing to the compositions, and the musicians recorded in abundance, around five hundred titles and some fifty albums. Poly-Rythmo, Benin's star orchestra, composes music based on rumba, highlife and afrobeat, but struggles to gain a foothold in certain countries, including France, where its reputation remains anonymous. Following a disagreement with Adissa Seidou, the band's new manager, Vincent Ahéhéhinnou broke away from the Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou and pursued music on his own. He met Ignace de Souza, founder of the group Black Santiago, who offered him the opportunity to record at Decca Studios in Lagos. The Beninese singer recorded numerous tracks, giving rise to Ahehehinnou Vincent (1973) and Ahehehinnou Vincent Vol. 1 (1978). Tracks like "Best Woman" showcase the rhythmic virtuosity of the Beninese, who intends to explore the voodoo tradition to the full. Years later, spotted by Popular African Music, Soundway Records or the German label Analog Africa, structures reissued tracks in the form of compilations (such as The Kings of Benin Urban Groove 1972-80 (2004) or Echos hypnotiques (2009)), and the Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou experienced a belated rediscovery by Western audiences. As new releases appeared on established labels such as Strut and Because Music, the legendary Beninese group was invited to tour Europe in the late 2000s, with Ahéhinnou as figurehead vocalist. The latter was also reissued by Analog Africa, with the album Best Woman (re)unveiled in 2017.

Please enable Javascript to view this page competely.