Music From Madagascar

D'Gary | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 10, 1993)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Shanachie
• ASIN: B000000E4V
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #304,874 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #21 in Music > World Music > Africa > Madagascar

Track Listings

1. Biby Aomby

2. Betepotepo

3. Raininy

4. Sahira

5. E! Nama Inona Ny Anzaranao

6. Anary Tany

7. Tiako Ianao

8. Zarazarao

9. Antsary Helo

10. Tiambaly (Instrumental)

11. Manibili

12. Kabary Boketra (Instrumental)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cascading beauty, September 2, 2000

By 

Pharoah S. Wail (Inner Space) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Music From Madagascar (Audio CD)

I should have reviewed this cd a long time ago, it deserves all the praise that has been bestowed upon it by previous reviewers.

I was recently at Allmusic.com and I decided to see if their reviews of this cd were similar to what mine would be if I wrote one. If I remember correctly they did praise it, but what I remember most is that they compared D'Gary to Ali Farka Toure. Aside from both men being brilliant, Black, and guitarists, there isn't much musical comparison. They play very different musics. I'd consider both men to be a book in their own right, not merely different chapters.

The only way I can begin to describe D'Gary's acoustic guitar playing is that it sounds and feels like a waterfall of love cascading over me. His playing ebbs and flows in waves of beauty. From both the songwriting and playing points of view, he really is a world treasure. He doesn't have the West African tribal-blues rhythms of Toure, and truth be told, D'Gary's music probably is more difficult for some Westerners to grasp than Toure's is, but if you are willing to let go of conventional ways of hearing and thinking about music then Malagasy Guitar will reward you endlessly.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The first taste of a Madagascar acoustic guitar virtuoso, May 24, 2002

By 

woburnmusicfan (Woburn, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Music From Madagascar (Audio CD)

If you're a guitar player and into playing technique, add a fourth star. This guy is for real, and it's staggering to learn that until after this album was made, he had never owned a guitar of his own. When Henry Kaiser and David Lindley went to Madagascar with a digital recorder and recorded the "World Out of Time" albums, someone played them a tape of a guitarist who had adapted the styles used for traditional Madagascar instruments to the guitar, and played like a virtuoso despite only picking with his thumb and index finger. Dubbed "the monster guitarist from hell", D'Gary was coaxed to the capital city, Antananarivo, where during the two-week "World Out of Time" sessions, he recorded this entire album. It is all acoustic guitar and vocals, with some occasional percussion. His playing has a dream-like quality. My favorite track is "Anary Tany". This is a pretty good album, but unless you're REALLY into acoustic guitar, it's hard to call it compelling. It makes first-rate background music and would be a nice choice for relaxing late at night or using the computer headphones at work. If you're not a guitar player, I recommend you first see if you can get a hold of the "Horombe" album, which is more accessible, has better production and better songs, and provides D'Gary with a backing band and great harmonies.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hypnotic, March 3, 1999

By 

MT57 (USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Music From Madagascar (Audio CD)

I had to take it out of the CD player in my car for fear it would put me in a trance while driving. I encountered this CD in the Amazon.com interview with Bonnie Raitt who found it deep and profound. It results from a field trip to Madagascar taken by among others, David Lindley, who, I think, used to be a side man for Jackson Browne and others.

D'Gary uses 11 different guitar tunings and the liner notes state that even those musicians who watched him as he played could not replicate his music. The music is extraordinarily fascinating. I particularly recommend the 4th track.