Gnonnas Pedro

Born Gnonnan Sossou Pierre Kouassivi in Cotonou January 10, 1943, he started his career aged 20 with leading Benin band Los Panchos. He later launched his own band Les Dadjés in Benin. Composer, singer, multi-instrumentalist (guitar, trumpet, sax) but most of all performer of multi-sound music. Known worldwide for Cuban influenced music and Agbadja, a modernized form of Fon folkloric music, Gnonnas Pedro Et Ses Dadjés are known as "the African band that speaks every language" and as famous as TP Orchestre Poly-Rythmo. Gnonnas Pedro died August 12, 2004, age 61 of prostate cancer in a hospital of Cotonou, Benin.