Mena blues

Fenolaza (Hazolahy leader)

2010-11-16T07:50:00.000-08:00

The leader of Hazolahy (myspace.com/hazolahy) is preparing a solo album (guitar , voice)

This is a little teaser...

Song of the day

2010-05-19T03:47:00.000-07:00

Teta: Omeo lala
album "Tulear rythm" (Mars)

you can hear it here

There's a gig tonight at "the glacier" with Teta and his "tropical tsapiky" band.:)

Short film

2010-05-18T04:30:00.000-07:00

One of my friend released some years ago a sort film about his trip in Madagascar.

Very nicely done with a good score (traditional and modern stuff like Rabaza :myspace.com/rabaza)

More info about the movie here

Street art

2010-05-18T04:07:00.001-07:00

myspace.com/skarzkwa

New sound from the south of the Earth

2010-05-18T01:08:00.000-07:00

As a big fan of urban music (Hip-hop ,reggae ,grime ,kuduro ,kwaito ,you name it ...), It was important to me to share some gems who make me nod my head:)

first of all:

the first , as I can remember, digital project in Madagascar who got THE sound (my 2 ariary):

This is Monja (seems like is all over the blog!) the Soroba album (vcd available in Madagascar)

check the man here:
myspace.com/manintsindava

He worked a lot for dance show scores with a great producer , Rootikal, from the One Lova sound system (maybe the greatest lineup in Modern reggae down here)

one of my favorite prod from the label is the Shao Boana album "Unity".

the website of the label is down for the moment but wait for the update!!

Another production who blow my head up:

myspace.com/nonezeromc

This is the Dozzy (The guitarist from Njava) label.

The man was in the country for some time and do a showcase ,for the Medicis R.I.P. night at the CGM in Tana , all alone with his guitar. Ouch! Unforgettable!

The last but not least:

the Roots Power label!!!

Very good and very active label here (lot of singles and album)

myspace.com/rootspower7

More to come!

Stay tuned!

R.I.P. Medicis

2010-03-26T23:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday night, Medicis ,one of the best hope of the accordion in Madagascar, was murdered. Rest in peace fella. Tsy ho adino iano ra.

Medicis ( izay ty ataony )
envoyé par nirinavaproduction. - Regardez la dernière sélection musicale.

Spirit of the south

2010-03-10T11:13:00.001-08:00

One the most famous band from Madagascar:

Njava

R.I.P. Jean Gabin Fanovona (Vaovy)

2010-03-10T09:30:00.000-08:00

One of the greatest artist from the androy area is dead on Saturday.

Slim and taciturn, a sly upward turn to his lips, a farseeing look, Jean Gabin Fanovona gives off a feeling of secrecy and one suspects that the race of musician to which he belongs is similar to that of magicians. However, in Madagascar, it is as the modernizer of Antandroy music that Vaovy’s leader is known – and often pillaged, for over the last twenty years everyone over there has been shamelessly plagiarising his compositions and his ideas. Surprising for us, his music is no less surprising for the traditional background from which he comes.

Jean Gabin is from the Antandroy people, the “people of the prickles”, so called because they live in a region full of cacti which serve both as fodder for their herds and protection against invaders. The origin of the Antandroys, as for most of the peoples of Madagascar, is unclear. Legend would have it that their great ancestor, Raminia, came from Arabia between the 5th and the 7th century, and indeed traits inherited from the Arabs can be found in Antandroy culture, such as astrological knowledge and techniques of prediction. However the region inhabited by the Antandroys has, over the centuries, served as a shelter for other populations fleeing the innumerable migrations and invasions, and it is impossible to define an Antandroy ethnic “type”. Their culture, however, is very different to the others, because of their isolation. Hunters and breeders, the Antandroys still today have a very simple lifestyle, never leaving their assagai or stick, which is the warrior’s emblem, and respecting the codes of a very strict traditional society. Their celebrations in particular, with their music, their dances, their wrestling, are sacred and are guided by an original conception of the world: a whole universe still living and perfectly functional.
But over the last few years a parasite has almost completely wiped out the cacti, thus bringing famine on the men and beasts and destroying the natural barrier that had protected them for hundreds of years. The introduction of this parasite, with criminal intent according to some, is a menace to the existence of this community, already weakened by illness (high rate of tuberculosis) and malnutrition. The general impoverishment of the island and the famines of the last few years have thrown whole families onto the street ready to sell their most precious belongings, the silver jewellery that is their protection and their pride, for a crust of bread. In this context, Jean Gabin Fanovona’s music simply had to take a nostalgic and rebellious turn.
Jean Gabin Fanovona: born on the 23rd August 1948 in Ambovombe, in Madagascar’s southern tip, Jean Gabin Fanovona formed his first band in 1965 at the age of 17: le Groupe Artistique de l’Androy (GM), for which he composes an (already) original repertoire. In 1970 he was named head of a protestant choir which included splendid Antandroy vocal harmonies and gained international renown, to the point of being invited to tour the USA in 1972. Jean Gabin did not take part: the gentle rebel was expulsed for heresy, for he had adapted the Bible to the local cosmogony, rewriting Genesis and assimilating Joshua’s sceptre to the Antandroy warriors’ sticks. In 1974, he founded Vaovy (the name of a hard wood endemic to Madagascar). It was a modernised band, which, from then until 1984, recorded five LPs, all memorable: Lahimora Ko lay, Androy tane Mileven-drano, Omeo Ranr, Salakao, and Talignere. In 1984 they returned to a traditional form, entirely acoustic: vocals, percussion, violin and harp (“marovan”), plus the Antandroy’s war dance (similar to the stylised wrestling of Zulu pastors). Today Vaovy performs in both these forms, adding on occasion a bass and a keyboard to the original formation (seven musicians and dancers). Their reputation was limited to the south of Madagascar for a long time, for the high plateaux consider music from the south to be savage and take no interest in it; Vaovy did not play in Antananarivo until 1994, when the imported trend of “World Music” sparked an interest in the capital for music from the coast.
Jean Gabin is above all a great composer. His songs are always inspired, elevated by a musical vision. The orchestration brings in elements from Antandroy tradition, notably some beautiful a cappella harmonies and some unique vocal sonorities. The guitarist D’Gary has remarked that some of the voices “bleat” – a kind of mimicry, according to him, by this people of breeders. The drums and the percussion give the tertiary Antandroy style rhythm (ta ta tum ta ta) to the vocals. But the most astonishing sounds come from the lokanga (traditional three-stringed violin) and the marovany (harp with resonance chamber).

Roots did you say?

2010-02-28T11:29:00.000-08:00

A awesome vid from Monja (Manintsindava band)
Lost tape fe real!

Take a look at :
http://www.myspace.com/manintsindava
for more info about the man!

Some tsapiky

2010-02-28T11:25:00.000-08:00

I'm just coming back from Tulear (tsapiky city))
Just want to share some vibes.

Tsapiky power!!!

Bal poussiere

2010-02-21T03:36:00.000-08:00

A real bal poussiere in the countryside of Madagascar. Far far away from the Madison square garden!!

manambaly mampirafy-live
envoyé par zone_mena. - Regardez plus de clips, en HD !

Hit from Madagascar

2010-02-21T03:30:00.001-08:00

An all time hit in Madagascar. Speaking about the life of a woman who get her husband addict to alcohol.

Tiharea

2010-02-21T03:23:00.000-08:00

A family band , Tiharea ,based in Belgium present the pure vocal style of the south of Madagascar.

La musique est vivante

2010-02-21T03:10:00.000-08:00

Petite dedicace à B. de social fusion!

Forest blues

2010-02-21T02:59:00.000-08:00

Mikea won the RFI "prix musique du monde". In a concert hall near you soon. :)

Live Music again

2010-02-21T02:50:00.000-08:00

A lil' vid of Namavao and Marina live to annouce the new album of Marina coming soon.
Her first solo. (I heard some stuff, it's a secret but it's a MASS MURDER)

Live roots music!

2010-02-21T02:38:00.000-08:00

Vilon'androy is a Band from the deep south of Madagascar. Lead by Surgi who sing and play the lokanga (violin) they tried to keep the tradition alive home and abroad. Not stuck in rigorist shems , they think tradition evolves like our modern society do. Enjoy!

Social fusion

2010-02-06T02:54:00.000-08:00

One of the best project I'have ever heard in Madagascar.

It's an malagasy all star formation with a malian drummer.

Crazy!

D'gary live

2010-02-06T02:49:00.000-08:00

One of my favourite guitar player.

Ny malagasy orkestra

2010-02-05T15:29:00.000-08:00

A very good project with some of the best in their category.

Roots

2010-02-05T14:39:00.001-08:00

Dancers from the Androy area (Deep south of Madagascar).

Long time ago...

Menablues is back!!!

2010-02-05T14:21:00.000-08:00

A long year it was, little jedi!
But your patience will...

Forget it let play music!

A good link from a web radio:

http://levillageglobal.free.fr/archives/Mix_Speciaux/madagascar/Mix_Mada1_22.htm

Very good with some rarities, I think about Monja from Manintsindava, a real legend
in Madagascar.

Take a look at his Myspace page:

http://www.myspace.com/manintsindava

Enjoy

Song of freedom

2009-01-27T11:52:00.000-08:00

Mahaleo...
They were singing for politic freedom back in the 70's.
Seems like people easily forget the past...

Mahaleo - Ramiaramila
envoyé par Tsingory

REVOLUTION TIME

2009-01-27T11:44:00.000-08:00

There's a revolution going on right now in Madagascar.
Close to my home ,I heard gunshots and 5 people dies.
Rest in peace fellas.

Back in the days

2009-01-20T10:34:00.000-08:00

Musicians in Madagascar way back in the days.

Respect the ancestors.

Happy new year

2009-01-20T10:23:00.000-08:00

A guitarist who was off my radar for a long time...
Until this:

tomboarivo
envoyé par zone_mena

FATAKA, malagasy bluesman.

No words. Just listen.

2008-12-13T13:10:00.000-08:00

Groove power project

album Bekobey 1.0(Roots Power)

Focus rythm: The Tsapiky

2008-12-06T05:23:00.000-08:00

“Fruit of the meeting between modern African musics and local rural musics, Tsapiky
is a tradition originating in the area of Tuléar, in the south-west of the island of Madagascar. Still little known of the external world, Tsapiky has however been affirmed in Masikoro country for more than twenty years. It is the music of authentic people and filled by multiple influences. Sometimes electrified during popular commemorations (vocals, electric guitar, bass guitar, battery, percussions, section of coppers), and acoustic (acoustic guitar, percussions, vocals, accordion)
when it is played at home. It takes place in the everyday life to accompany the dance and certain rites, while being omnipresent for each event (soccer's game, independence day, etc). So rich, Tsapiky impregnates and influences many Malagasy
artists in their creation like the notorious guitarist D' Gary. Tsapiky is a rythmic and charming energy, with groove evolving and drawn from the many contacts with other cultures.
Let us not forget that Madagascar has been the theatre of many "métissages" for several centuries when the island affirms itself like a crossroad of many cultures.

Jimmy Braun – January 2005

Modern tsapiky is more and more play with a guitar.

The masters of the style are:

D'gary (el maestro)
Teta
Jean Noel
Miary Lepiera
Namavao
Tirike...

Tsapiky with accordion:

Medicis ( izay ty ataony )
envoyé par nirinavaproduction

Electric modern tsapiky:

Zambey - Zambey
envoyé par talisandroy

Did you say live music?:

Damily . Tsapiky live : soasoa ty manambaly
envoyé par Helicomusic

There's a lot of tsapiky compilation:

Tsapiky : Panorama d'une jeune musique de Tuléar (ARION)

Tulear Never Sleeps(Earthworks/Stern's Music )

This two compilations focus on guitar tsapiky.

Try this one for tsapiky with accordion:

Madagascar - L'Accordeon - Pays Masikoro(OCORA)

Don't forget artist's albums:

Namavao et Marina -Ty ndaty(trumbarecords)myspace.com/namavaomarina

D'gary akata meso(label bleu)

artist discovery

2008-12-06T03:58:00.000-08:00

Jean Balzac

JEAN BALZAC - Madagascar
envoyé par greenlemon58

I dont have a lot of information about the man. He got some tunes released in Madagascar and that's all!
But he is good!

if you want to contact any of the artists shown on this site, please write me.

Hommage à Tôty

2008-12-04T12:04:00.000-08:00

Tôty ,tsy ho adino mandrakizay e!

Tôty -
envoyé par taduckly_

ghetto blaster

2008-12-03T14:39:00.000-08:00

The boss of urban music in the indian ocean area:

Shao Boana

The Unity album is a chef d'oeuvre reggae/dancehall, 100% made in Madagascar.

more info here.

Roots

2008-12-03T13:15:00.000-08:00

A legend

Monja, leader of the Manintsindava and Soroba bands.

Co-leader of Groove Power Project who's album is release on Roots Power(Madagascar)

Real sairy from the deep malagasy south , he is the incarnation of the traditionnal malagasy music.Period.

The album Marovany(Cinq planètes) under the name Monja is available online and in your favourite music store.:-)

portraits

2008-12-03T12:41:00.000-08:00

some clichés...

It's a murda 2007

sous le soleil 2008

All pictures property of skarz

If you want to use the pictures ,please write me, thanks.

Myth

2008-12-03T12:00:00.000-08:00

Hazolahy...

For me , this band is a myth.

It's the first band to inverse "the electric instrument is better" tendancy.

A rootsy sound ,a modern feeling ,ahhhhhhhhh !!

Hazolahy à Paris en Décembre 2006 (photo AntonieK)

Ok the videos are not hollywood quality , but it's Madagascar...

a must have album on Mars(Madagascar)
An other on Tolimana(Madagascar)
The third one is coming soon.

only one thing to say:

mangaliba, mangaliba, mangaliba, mangaliba, mass murder, mangaliba, mangaliba, mangaliba....

tsapiky power

2008-12-03T10:51:00.000-08:00

Teta Featuring Namavao et Marina at Coffee bar (Tana 2008)

The rythm who leads the musical charts in Madagascar...

An unique guitarist.

Teta

He got an album on the Mars label (Madagascar)

You can alson find some of his tunes on various tsapiky compilation.

I often see him onstage and he litteraly kills everything.

Please a minute of silence for the ones who get lobotomised during his concert with Rataza in the Angaredona Festival 2006.(See the website of the festival here , there 's a video available for download)

southern blues

2008-12-03T10:20:00.000-08:00

Namavao et Marina Angaredona 2006

A band I love:

Namavao et Marina

2 albums ; 2 musical threat...

Myspace.com/namavaomarina

Enjoy!!