To see the Poly-Rythmo Orchestra from Cotonou (Bénin) is something very special. Not only because you’d be hard pressed to find a more experienced or explosive group, but because just by being onstage, the band tells a fascinating story.

This uncountably large Afro-funk band came straight from the musical melting pot of West Africa in the 1960s. A product of the spread of Congolese Rumba in the 40s, and then Soukous music, its uptempo cousin, across the continent in the 60s and 70s – which themselves were the result of the exportation of Afro-Cuban music to Africa's airwaves – at their formation in 1968 they were in the midst of a uniquely exciting fusion, caught between the music of two continents, and later, the arrival of the likes of James Brown and Jimi Hendrix in their home, the small West African republic of Benin.

49 years later, and they’re on an international tour in support of their latest album, Madjafalao, which is reckoned to be around their 50th full length release – although no-one seems sure. It’s a piece of work which is as boundary-encompassing as their reputation implies. Over the course of one performance, they straddled Ghanaian highlife and Nigerian Afrobeat in songs like ‘Heritage’ and ‘Africa Lonlon’, borrowed from Afro-Cuban rhythms and Congolese choruses in ‘Wangnigni’, and fused Malian folk with American rock in ‘Finlin-ho’. Although able to skip between genres and tempos with ease, and extremely well-practised and precise, they’ve guarded their trademark chaotic, almost over-energetic playing style, which gives the impression they’re about to burst off the stage and parade around the room.

They’re also a very funny group onstage. “Thank you very much is all I know how to say…. So, thank you very much”, quips lead vocalist Vincent Ahéhéhinnou, whose English is considerably better than that. Taking the limelight for solos, the band jostle for position, exaggeratedly hogging the stage and showing up their bandmates. Although there are doubtless new members of the band, some of them have been playing together for decades, and these players’ chemistry make it clear they’re a band who still play for fun – and who invite the audience to join the game, having them count down their intros, sing along in a language they don’t know, or even dance with the band onstage.

It’s hard to communicate just how diverse this band are, but polyrhythmic is a good start. Their career, which began at the crossroads of the music of Africa and Latin America, has over the course of 50 years assimilated the music of America and Europe too, into an almost overwhelmingly rich tapestry. Massively entertaining performers and true veterans, they continue to adapt and absorb, to the point that they’re a living lesson in musical and cultural history. Having gained global attention almost by accident as their songs were added to compilations and picked up by crate-diggers in the early 2000s, this latest tour is only the next chapter in a story which shows no signs of ending any time soon. Here’s to another 50 years.
Ben Noble

Website: poly-rythmo.com
Facebook: facebook.com/OrchestrePolyRythmo