Sogo

****

Rakotozafy-Valiha Malaza

in short 

we play valiha like in heaven...you cannot compete......"Lekatseka"

Rakotozafy (pronounced Rakoutzaf)-b.1933-d.1974,is the founding father of modern Madagascan music.
His origins were in the Sihanaka tribe from the Lake Alaotra region.
He was called the "Robert Johnson of Madagascar" and like Johnson, he was one of the best players on his instrument,
in this case a variation of the national stringed instrument known as the valiha,
called the marovany.
His instrument featured a total of 24 strings in the two sets, each set tuned to a different scale.
.Rakotozafy made his first recordings on singles and 45 EPs in the '60s for DiscoMad
and was frequently accompanied by Freddy Renarison and Rakotofra,the sodina player
 in live performances,
often supported by his son on percussion and vocals, that he really excelled.
He performed before the president Philibert Tsiranana in 1962 as well as thousands of his country people.
Reports suggest that he actually visited U.K. in the early 60s as a member of Sylvestre Randafison's group,
Ny Antsaly.
That so much confusing and conflicting information surrounds his life simply adds
to his reputation with numerous African musicians.

The circumstances of his death have never been established, although there are plenty of theories,
one of which maintains that he accidentally killed his son while performing by hitting him after he made an error,and died in prison a broken man.
Another suggests he received six years' back-dated royalties from Discomad and drank himself to death.
Neither theory appears to hold much in the way of truth.
Tao Ravao and Justin Vali created an extended musical work in honor of Rakotozafy,
entitled "Valiha Malaza,"which was first performed at the 2001 Festival Africolor.

like in  heaven :)

*****

Cliss

Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel  or  ***

also known as

Cliss

from the  permanently blistering   Guelewar  

In exile

Soundiata Keita in Exile

Rail Band 1975

RCAM ‎– 3301

Douga

 art by Tony Mark

is  the vulture

Nanou Coul & Salia Sanogo-Douga koro


Mah Kouyaté Nº2 & Madou Camara -Douga

for the many transformations of the song you may  read here

for the many transformations of the vultures look around you

Baaba Maal Samba Diabaré Samb

 Baaba Maal  and  Samba Diabaré Samb
  till we meet again.....

                                           plus

Mamar Kassey

In 1976 Yacouba Moumouni was a 10-year-old shepherd living on the fringe of the Sahara desert in Niger.
Moumouni's father had died, leaving his older brother in charge of the family and the flock.
The young Moumouni fought often with his brother,
so he left home for the capital of Niamey, 125 miles away. On foot. alone. 
The rest is history, or at least it is in Niger. Moumouni spent two homeless years on Niamey's streets before taken in as the singer's Absatou Danté apprentice.

He learned the seyse, the flute of the Peul, and after seven years of training,
joined the Ballet National du Niger.
In 1990, he became one of the singers of Orchestre Takeda, the house orchestra
of the newly opened musical academy Centre de formation et de promotion musicale in Niamey.
At the CFPM, he met Abdoulaye Alassane,guitarist, and band leader of Super Kassey and  Orchestre Takeda.
They formed together in 1995 Mamar Kassey named after a legendary warrior who extended the Songhai Empire into the Sahara..
and soon became the most popular musical group to emerge from that dry west African country...
.......





 Mamar Kassey Live 
 unknown date and place ,probably early zero's

+ bonus track from their latest Taboussizé-Niger

Taboussizé