Who are they?

Justin Vali

Valihas, Musical Director

An ambassador of Malagasy music for over twenty years, Justin Vali is a composer and considered as the greatest master of the valiha (a tubular zither), the “national” Malagasy instrument. He has been making his instrument known throughout the world thanks to international tours (North America, Europe, Asia & Australia…) and many recordings (Labels Auvidis/Silex, Realworld, World Library, Cinq Planètes…).
Justin Vali received the 2006 Sacem Grand Prize for Traditional Music.

Tao Ravao

Artistic Director

Tao Ravao has directed record productions for the labels Indigo (D’Gary, Rajery RFI Award), Cobalt (Senge RFI Award) and Marabi (Christian Mousset, Festival Musiques Métisses in Angoulême). A musician at the crossroads of cultures, he has accompanied bluesmen in the United States for a long time (1979 New Orleans Festival) before rediscovering the Malagasy heritage of his childhood. A composer and arranger, he has 7 records under his name.

Thierry Bongarts Lebbe

Production Manager, Manager and Booking Agent

Thierry Bongarts Lebbe is a musician (Piano Prize) and a music historian. He was the assistant to the director of the French Cultural Center in Damas, and then the Artistic Director of the JMF. In 2001, he created Carthago Musiques du monde and then merged with the Intermèdes-Concerts agency. Now, he accompanies the careers of artists from all origins and leads international cultural projects.

Manindry

Lokanga violin

Remanidry was born in Ambatomasy, near Beloha, in the Toliara Province. He has inherited music from his ancestors, his family and his father.
He has also learned how to build instruments and make them evolve. Although he is proud to know how to use strings made of sheep gut, he can also use strings made of bike brake cable. He calls his music Kokolampo, after a spiritual figure (a healing spirit people venerate and respect). The violin is the means to communicate with him or to call on him…

Dieudonné Randriamanantena

Percussions

Born in 1963 in Itaosy (Antananarivo Province), Dieudonné comes from a family of musicians and dancers (his uncle was a professional accordionist). As a child, he already accompanied the family bands on maracas. Then he played the langoraona (traditional snare drum) and finally the large drum. Between 1976 and 1982, he was a professional dancer.
When his uncle, who was the leader of the traditional band Voninavoko, passed away, he joined that band and remained in it for 10 years (playing outside of Madagascar in many festivals). It is then that he learned the flute and the valiha…
In 1993, he joined Kalaza (a prestigious band where Rakotofrah, Dama from the band Mahaleo, the great guitarist Colbert as well as Pana have played) as a dancer, percussionist and marovany player. Scandinavian tour. In 1994, he played in the band Tarika, touring around the world (Germany and United States…).
In 2003, he left Tarika to form a band with all the artists in his family. Invited in Mauritius in February 2007 for the celebrations of the abolition of slavery, the band also went to Réunion in April 2007 and to Japan in July.
Now he is a master of vako-drazana (a traditional stage designed folklore with a style that includes several rural traditions).

Abdallah

Marovany

Born in 1972 in Mahabibo kely, in the Mahajanga Province.
A writer and a composer, he says his instrument is a gift…
A professional musician, Abdallah leads the band Marjaoby, sought-after for his mastery of the salegy and goma styles (North of Madagascar).
He plays in festivals, cabarets and all procession ceremonies…

Chrysanthe Velomijoro

Guitar

Chrysantho was born in 1976 in Antanimora in the Toliara Province.
He taught himself the guitar and very soon met recognized musicians of his region to master its different styles.
A professional guitarist and considered one of the masters of the Rodoringa (a very lively and rhythmic musical style that animates wrestling games), he also plays the Tsinjabey (a music played at funerals).
He performs at events, concerts, cabarets, weddings, funerals…

Francis Fafa Rakotoson Andrianomanana

Jejo voatavo

Francis, aka Fafa, was born in Fianaratsoa, and has lived in the port town of Tamatave for 15 years. He started as a sailor (fishing known as longline on a Mauritian boat) for 5 years, before becoming an inventory clerk.
As a young adult, he started playing the Jejo voatavo with the masters Rado Louis, Radjoma, Dada Zanaka.
His instrument comes from the land of the Betsileo. Rare and fragile, threatened with extinction, the Jejo voatavo used to be played to get rid of evil spirits and animate the turning of the bones ceremonies.
The Malagasy themselves don’t always know it, and only the Betsileo play it.
Fafa regularly plays at the Alliance Française in Tamatave, in the band Tremplin, composed of Raoul (Mahaleo), Sylvain Rakoto (percussions) and Rochel (guitar). A key organization in Tamatave, Tremplin has given itself the mission of spotting and promoting local young musicians, in partnership with the Alliance Française.

Jean-Piso Rebily

Accordion

Jean-Piso was born in 1951 in the Toliara Province, in Ejeda. As a child, he listened to his grandfather play the diatonic accordion and secretly borrowed it from him…
When he was 10, his uncle encouraged his family to have him play regularly in official events, in order to make the young man a professional musician. As a high schooler in Toliara, he created his first orchestra. He learned the rhythm guitar and played ’60s pop music “standards” (Beatles, Shadows…).
From 1971 to 1973, he performed in the band Odeamrakoto, which played traditional musics from the High Plateaus. He lived in Toliara from 1999 to 2003, where he performed at the hotel “Chez Alain”, a weekly cabaret show. In 2003, he founded the band Arembelo, with whom he directed 2 videos, regularly played on Malagasy television channels. He also performs at the Alliance Française, solo, as a guest or with his band.
Jean-Piso is the president of the organization Kaliroke, which brings together and defends the accordionists of the Toliara region.

Maurice Razanakoto

Kabossy

Born in 1962 in Fianaratsoa in a betsileo family, Maurice Razanakoto plays the kabossy and the jejo. A luthier, he makes traditional Malagasy instruments (kabossy, jejo…) but also Western instruments (electric bass…).
He has led the band ZMG since 1983 (Zatovo Mikalo Gasy, literally “the kids who sing in Malagasy”).
The band is a regular guest of the Alliance Française in Fianaratsoa and participates in the town’s cultural events (Fête de la Musique – Music Day…). The group was invited by the Goethe Institute in Antananarivo in 1999, and by the CCAC in 2003 for the Miss Malaika event.
The band participated in the Francophonie celebrations in 1997. In November 2007, they performed at the Alliance Française in Ambositra and Antsirabe.
The band ZMG’s first album was released in 1997.

Tiana Ramarokoto

Percussions

Ramarokoto Fernand Odon Haingotiana was born on 13 January 1970 in Befelatanana (Antananarivo). A luthier, he makes all kinds of traditional Malagasy instruments and accessories.
In 1983, he joined Rakoto Frah to make traditional Vakodrazana music. In 1985, they founded the band “Rajery”, and then in 1992 the group “Gamana”. Many national tours ensued.
In 1993, he toured the Indian Ocean with the dance band “Rary”. In 1995, he joined the band “Samoela”. European tour in 1996. In 1998, he also toured Europe with the group “Koezy”, which played Salegy music.
In 1999, he founded the band “Tambour Gasy”, a group of a dozen percussionists playing traditional instruments. That is when he created his luthier workshop. He also teaches Malagasy music.
Between 2000 and 2006, he went on another tour in Europe, Africa and the Indian Ocean with the band “Rajery”.

Jean-Donné Ramananerisoa

Accordion

Ramananerisoa Jean-Donné, aka Donné or Ra-Donné, was born in 1972. He comes from a large family of musicians in the Hira Gasy tradition, a kind of folk opera that blends improvisation and traditional song.
In 1977, he joined the Hira Gasy band “Sahondrafine Zanany”. He played the violin and the trumpet.
In 1992, first tour abroad with the show Dadagaby and the group “Voninavoko”. French tour in 1993 and in Réunion in 1994. In 1995, he participated in the MASA festival (Marché des Arts et du Spectacle Africain, African Performing Arts Market) in the Ivory Coast. In 1997, he toured Italy, Switzerland and France. In 1999, he performed in Bordeaux (France).
In 2004, he created his own band, “Donné Sahondrafine”. He adapted the Hira Gasy tradition to the stage. Series of concerts in Réunion in 2006.
Donné has worked with the bands “Sivy Mahasaky”, “Ralanto Kangasy”, “Rakoto Frah”, “Ricky”, “Dama”, “Samoëla”, and “Zamba”.