Vendre Volontany by Rajery NEUF

Tracks:
Mangina Zaza
Tsikirilem
Toroy Lalana
Mifankatiava
Mahafinaritra
Tsy Menatra
Marodona
Zavavy
Viavy
Veloma
Mihodina Ny Tany
Hafatra

Performer Notes:

• Personnel: Rajery (vocals); Germain Randrianarisoa (chant); R‚gis Gizavo (accordion); Radanz (bass instrument, background vocals); Nini (drums, background vocals).
• Audio Mixer: Fabien Girard.
• Recording information: Studio Gil Evan, Amien, France (07/2003).
• Photographer: Franck Socha.
• Malagasy musician Rajery has an extraordinary story involving witchcraft, tainted meat, and a withered hand, none of which has stopped him from becoming one of the islands most respected players of the valiha, a kind of tubular harp. On this, his third release, he plows pretty much the same wonderfully melodic furrow as on his first two albums. Backed by a quartet (plus a couple of guests), he delves into the music of the highlands of Madagascar, with some deft nudges toward jazz. Volontany, or "the color of the ground" -- a reference to the red earth of Big Red, as the island is known -- uses the voices just as skillfully as the instruments, with inventive harmonies that range from the rough to the polished. The themes -- of not losing touch with tradition, of love, and of raising children properly -- are supremely Malagasy, and the deliveries marvelously infectious. The music, progressive and inventive, bursts out of the islands bounds and takes on a more international flavor in its fusion of styles. It can only be hoped that more people get to hear him. ~ Chris Nickson

Producer: Thomas Weill

Format: CD (1 Disc); Stereo

Country: USA

Studio/Live: Studio

Release Date: 7 June, 2004

Label: Indigo