DAMILY
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DAMILY

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"Solo Soro"

Ravinahitsy" is a local expression used in the Tule´ar region of Madagascar to wish someone success. So it makes a fitting title for the latest album by Damily, the first of the guitarist’s career to be released abroad. Back in his homeland, Damily is renowned as a leading pioneer of tsapiky, a popular fast-tempo sound from the south-west of the island. With Ravinahitsy, Damily is now looking to take his modern-traditional mix much further afield.

(...)

Damily’s tsapiky is a lively, rhythm-fuelled affair which regularly turns around itself in a loop like other forms of trance music. With the traditional "langoro" drum and "katsa" rattle adding in staccato beats, Naivo accelerates the tempo on his drumkit and Damily and Claude’s guitars let rip, Rakapo’s bass rounding the compositions out and Gany Gany’s plaintive vocals giving the overall mix a hint of gentle nostalgia. There’s no doubt about it, Damily’s driving tsapiky is a festive sound that has lost none of its social edge. - RFI


"Interview from blog"

You all come from South-West of Madagascar, is that the success of Damily, same background?

Yes, for sure! As I said before, Tsapiky is not only rythm and color, it's a culture and we share that, we understand each other, we did so many
"bals poussiere" ("mandry ampototsy") together.

Each song, each lyric, and each note are for us full of memories; moreover, we know each other so well and that is, priceless especially in music world nowadays.

Together, we faced real-life experience, good or bad, separations, reunion but finally we knew how to stick together. And being friends in the context we used to live in Toliara, is really something!

So voila, nothing can be done indivi- dually but togetherness always results superbly.
- USA Malagasy Web Site


"Bérangère Bouvet"

Tsapiky recounts occurrences of daily life and accompanies weddings, burials, circumcisions and other events of social and cultural importance. Its upbeat tempo adds a joyful element to gatherings that are spread out over several days, and it often leads to euphoria and trance-like dances. Ravinahitsy is a fine example of why. Allied to Damily’s guitar is the powerful and seductive voice of Gany Gany, the hard-driving bass of Rakapo, the pulsating beats of percussionist Naivo and the rich accompanying vocals of Claude.

The tight-knit band has established itself as one of Madagascar’s best and these 12 tracks reflect the vitality of this tradi-modern scene. The French ethno-musicologist Julien Mallet has had a hand in the album’s production, and is turning out to be a vital bridge between the fizzling music scene in the south of Madagascar and the international world music scene. Mallet has already been involved in other releases like the excellent Tsapiky - Panorama d'une jeune musique de Tuléar and is determined to prove something specialists have been saying for decades: that Malagasy music cannot be reduced to the omnipresent salegy or its sounds from the highlands. - Mondomix


"Articles from African Business"

Taking Culture to the People: Madagascar's tsapiky sensation.

(...)
Despite its huge popularity in the region, few if any of the musicians are rich. The life of a tsapiky musician is precarious. Few groups have their own instruments and amplifiers, and the cost of equipment hire is high. The main tzapiky groups' activities tend to peak after the harvesting of the region's main crops of maize maize: see corn. and cotton. They are also in demand to accompany rum-fuelled ritual possession ceremonies and funerals. These can often last for several days and the musicians are required to play virtually continuously. Otherwise, they can brave the hazards of playing at the sapphire mining settlements where the 'danger money' allow groups to earn in two weeks what would otherwise take six months. - The free Library


"Luigi Elongi"

(...) la bonne occasion pour s’accrocher à une musique dotée d’une force d’attraction extraordinaire : tempo de transe, guitare virevoltante, mélodies lancinantes et textes inspirés du quotidien insulaire (...) - Amina


Discography

Ravinahitsy (Hélico 2007) is the first europeen issue.
Ela Lia (Hélico 2010)... to be release soon.

Photos

Bio

Damily and his musicians have been giving concerts and performing at dances in the Tulear region for the past fifteen years, during which time they have developed a strong complicity and unity in their music, while also expressing their individuality. Six tapes show the popularity of Damily, who is regarded in Madagascar as a great ‘master’.
Hélico (France) released his first European album in 2007 and will release the second Ela Lia in september 2010.

"Like in the case of the Congolese group, guitar-player Damily makes electricity, but electricity connected to the earth. Born in 1968, he is the reat master of Tsapiky, the dance rythm from Madagascar's Southwest region, full of East-African flavours that lovers of Mozambican and South-African music will recognise. His guitare, covered with the dust of Tulear, the city where Damily comes from, is the steering-wheel of a music deep-rooted in Malagasy people's life, used in burials, weddings, circumcisions and all the most important social events. complete and pure Africa in a concert not to miss." Festival de Musica do Mondo de Sines

The vogue for tsapiky has now reached the whole of the island, including the capital. This first CD on the Hélico label presents some of the ‘hits’ that have made Damily famous in his country, as well as more intimate compositions, reminding us that tsapiky originally came from the villages.

The musicians
The virtuoso guitarist Damily is the pillar of the group and one of the foremost exponents of tsapiky. In his playing, which is rich and complex, he shows extraordinary talent and fine musicianship. Through hypnotically repeated motifs, with subtle variations, he skilfully he builds up the discourse. Refined compositions and a very lively spirit are among Damily’s trademarks.
On the bass Rakapo provides the second voice when melodies are played on the guitar; he also contributes to the rhythm on the drums. Rakapo is bursting with vitality and energy in his playing. He also plays the guitar and we hear two of his compositions on this album: ‘Fiaina toy’ and ‘Miboajava’.
Naivo is well known to tsapiky fans as a drummer. He too plays in a very lively fashion, producing a strong beat that is ideal for dancing.
Gany-gany takes us immediately to Tulear. Her voice is high and strong, with a timbre that is perfect for sad songs (miantsa). She is also a dancer and a fine percussionist (she plays the langoro drum).
Claude too is an exceptional vocalist. His voice either blends with Gany-gany’s or is heard in solos. He expresses intense emotion and poignancy. Claude’s improvisations, when he launches his voice high above the melody in his very unique way, are moving. He is also a fine dancer, which is important in the group’s stage performances.