Togo’s most exciting five-piece fuses Vodoun rhythms with afro-disco and electro-soul built for the dancefloor. Their sound is formed from the ground up with DIY percussion, a vintage Korg synth, hypnotic vocal harmonies, and the deep, pulsating Gazé Tuyau - a PVC-pipe bass that evokes the roots of house and techno.

The Jam Jar Presents
Nana Benz du Togo
+ Jam Jar DJs
Wednesday 19th August
Doors Open 7.30pm
The Jam Jar, Bristol

Under the name Nana-Benz (“The Mothers with the Benz”), a group of Togolese women became well known from the 1980s onward. As traders of printed textiles, they were so successful that they “turned their country into a hub of the textile trade in West Africa.” They symbolized the economic, social, and political status they gained through this success by purchasing luxury vehicles, primarily of the Mercedes-Benz brand. They are regarded as the first female millionaires on the African continent. 

Nana Benz du Togo pays homage to these women in their name, whilst their music is a concoction of Vodoun tradition with futurist, feminist and ecological themes. Their five members represent the fingers of a hand ready to form a fist and strike with power, or gently caress the earth with groove and grace. Nana Benz du Togo channels an organic sound steeped in sub-bass and layered with complex polyrhythms, creating a hypnotic foundation for the voices of three electrifying electro-soul preachers. Armed with nothing more than their voices and a vintage Korg keyboard, this powerful ensemble crafts a sound that’s both raw and transcendent. Their live shows are nothing short of spiritual, a blend of ancestral energy and modern fire that has left thousands in a trance across the world.