Tell a French person that a country is bigger than France and zee eyes will open wide with astonishment as they mutter, “putain! c’est grand!” Being Canadian I always find this hilarious. Imagine if I was to do the same thing: “Senegal, it’s like, bigger than Nova Scotia!”

Well, the island of Madagascar is bigger than France. It’s also a fascinating African country that boasts some of the most interesting music of the southern half of the continent.

We’ve listened to a bit of Tarika Sammy (and just Tarika) on Benn loxo before, and of course yesterday there was champagne and fireworks for our Malagasy 200th post celebration. With that in mind I stopped by the Médiathèque musicale de Paris last week and picked-up a Magasy album that I hadn’t heard of before. I got lucky with Rajery. Great find.

Rajery plays an instrument called a valiha that’s essentially a harp made from a large, hollowed piece of bamboo. It’s not a native Malagasy instrument – it originated in Indonesia – but it’s often used by the country’s musicians. Rajery plays his valiha over drums playing Antadroy and Western rhythms to produce a really cool sound. His singing is great too, and anyone with the slightest knowledge of contempoary Malagasy music will know that the vocal harmonies are rich, too.

Today’s tracks are off the Label Bleu / Indigo 2001 release, Fanaby.

Rajery – Hanatra
Rajery – Mainte

Benn loxo du taccu turns 200 today! This is officially the 200th post since I started this site in September, 2004. I’d like to thank all of you for listening, reading and contributing. I’ve met some wonderful people along the way and discovered lots of amazing music. I look forward to the next 200.

I’m happy to say that my good friend Rob is going to step-in for a guest post on this special day. Rob just got back from a trip to Madagascar with a boatload of great music, photos and stories:

“In 1963 when my mother was 19, she taught English for a year in a Malagasy town called Soavananadriana. Her name is Rosemary which was also the name of a hit song at the time, so her more unruly students would sing it under their breath during class. When I recently visited Madagascar on holiday I asked in a little record shop whether they knew of it and everybody in the shop burst into song. So here it is – Ramahafadrahona’s Raozy Maria from the album Faly Aho which means “I’m happy”. Apparently Alphonse Ramahafadrahona still occasionally makes appearances today – his group’s music is based on the theatre, dance and debate traditions of Hiragasy.

Next up we have an accordion-fuelled Salegy track from Lego’s 1999 album Dadilahy. Salegy is the most widely exported dance music of Madagascar and comes from the northern coastal areas like Nosy Be and Diego Suarez.

Finally a track from a Kilalaky band called Tsiliva. Kilalaky is a dance which originated in Belo Tsiribihina in the 19th century. Depending on the version of the story it was a dance either that gave courage to warriors prior to pillaging, or that prisoners were forced to perform under threat of execution. Charming either way.

The Lego album is available at FNAC. You can get the Tsiliva album (and Lego) here. Don’t forget to pick up some Good Look cigarettes from the same site.”

Thanks for the music and background, Rob. That Raozy Maria track in particular is amazing. Check back tomorrow for another Malagasy installment.

Ramahafadrahona – Raozy Maria
Lego – Dadilahy
Tsiliva – Be Zesta

Guest post today by Benn loxo listener, Grant:

“A lot of south african mbaqanga music is ruled by three chord theory but the musicians don’t seem to get tired of it. they just dig it deeper and deeper.

The Soul Brothers had been producing hits in South Africa for twenty years before they brought out this album. So it’s no wonder the playing on this album is super tight. These guys play like they are one, and like a lot of good african musicians everyone knows their respectful place in the band and no one seriously tries to steal the show.

The intensity of this song is very captivating, it’s like a hard fast ride you can’t get off of. Hard driving bass lines, shimmering vocals and a swirling accordion-modernizing Hammond B-3 organ kicks and swings this track from start to finish.

pump up the bass!”

Today’s track comes off the 1995 Earthworks release, Jump & Jive, by The Soul Brothers. Thanks, Grant!

Soul Brothers – Abantu (People)

I went to see Kékélé at La Boule Noire last night. Were any of you there? I’ve already met a bunch of you but I should try to meet more Benn loxo listeners who hit-up African music concerts in and around Paris.

I’ll be at the Mahmoud Ahmed/Ethiopiques show in Bobigny next Friday, then Konomo No. 1 on Sunday at Point Ephemere. Maybe Kofi Olomide on the 12th but that’s not for sure. If you’re thinking about going to any of these shows let me know and I’ll buy you a pint. And hey, if you have other suggestions I’m always up for a concert.

Last night I was thinking about how cool Kékélé looked up there on stage in their tuxedos. They were all smiles, dancing in sync and getting the crowd involved. One of the big reasons why I love African music so much is not only is it great to listen to, but the live shows are consistently fantastic. I try my best to stay away from pan-African stereotypes, but one thing is clear: African musicians, be they from Cap Verde or Sudan, usually put on a great live show. And they don’t need fireworks, jetpacks, screaming teenagers or light shows either.

So many Western musicians have completely forgotten how to be classy on stage and put on a good show.. as performers. I say bring back more tuxedos. “Teach the indie kids how to dance again.” More call-outs to the audience. At least one mandatory 20-minute super-extended version of a previously unreleased song. And play two sets! Or at least do a couple long encores. I don’t care if you’ve released only one album. Do a jam up there, get the people moving and go for it. Kékélé should give lessons.

Anyway, the concert was great and so is their third and latest album, Kinavana. You might’ve listened to Kékélé on Benn loxo before, but if not here’s your chance.

Kékélé is a group of well-known Congolese rumba musicians who first banded together in 2000 to release Rumba Congo. Rumba music fuses elements of Cuban music brought back to by African slaves with traditional Central African music, dance and rhythm like marimbula, conga and mambo. It was the sound in Zaire during the 60s. I/We love it here at Benn loxo.

Kékélé – Ponton La Belle