Sagbohan Danialou was born on 11 December 1951 in Ekpè to a musician father and a singer mother, both traditional artists from Abomey. He spent his childhood in his maternal grandparents’ house, listening to Gregorian songs from the Methodist temple opposite the house, and the traditional Vodoun songs played early in the morning during ceremonies. Initiated to percussion by his father, with traditional instruments such as the kpahlouè drums, maracas, gongs and the kpèzi, he joined the voodoo milieu at the age of five, thanks to his mastery of rhythm.
At the age of sixteen, he was sent to Cotonou to learn ceramics. In Cotonou, he joined the city’s musical groups, initially as a percussionist, while he learned and mastered other modern musical instruments. Evolving in music at the same time as practising ceramics at the Cotonou artisanal centre, Sagbohan Danialou eventually abandoned ceramics to devote himself exclusively to his passion, music.
Influences
Sagbohan Danialou‘s music is inspired by traditional Vodoun rhythms (such as kakagbo, sato) and modern music, especially jazz. At the beginning of his career he worked with Ignace De Souza, author, composer, trumpeter and co-creator, with Fela Kuti, of the Afrobeat rhythm.
