Customer Reviews

Rough Guide to the Music of Madagascar

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This may well be the best of the extraordinary "Rough Guides" collection of CDs. The music of Madagascar is both exotic and comforting, an interesting amalgam of Eastern and African. The songs are catchy and toe-tapping good fun.

As with most, if not all, of the Rough Guide collections, this one is expertly curated and compiled. The liner notes are a great introduction to the history of Madagascar and the Malagasy people, as well as the development of the Malagasy musical traditions. Madagascar is best known for its unique guitar style: guitar afficionados will consider this collection essential. So should anyone looking for something beyond the same old same old. This will appeal to fans of African, worldbeat, jazz (especially Brazilian jazz styles), and East Asian music.

My favorite track is Track 01, "Tsy Zanaka Mpanarivo," which translates to ... well, I don't have a clue what it translates to. I just know I love it! But picking a favorite track on this record is like picking your favorite fork-full when eating a really delicious dessert. Every bite tastes good!

If you're curious about the music of Madagascar, this album is an excellent place to start. It includes all the major musical styles by some of the best artists from across the island. It's especially great that they've got some of the big crossover names (such as Tarika, Jaojoby, D'Gary, Regis Gizavo) alongside artists that are huge in Madagascar but haven't yet been heard much outside of the Malagasy community (i.e. everyone else!).

This album is so solid a representation of Malagasy music that it would be meaningless to recommend and "standout tracks"... they're all great examples of their genre.

Very shortly BEFORE a recent trip to Madagascar I ordered this CD. I knew it would arrive while I was gone. My adventure was memorable: my fellow workers, the locals, the setting, the colors, the scents, what was accomplished. I listened to this CD as I emptied my bags on my return home. THAT, I found, is how to make a strong memory. I am not a music expert but have long enjoyed African music. This is a good addition to the Rough Guide collection.

This is a brilliant mixture of the culture and music of Madagascar...the real country, NOT the cartoon! I love every second of this compilation CD with various artists. For teachers, this is a great way to bring a different culture to life for your students, especially if they have African and/or Indonesian heritage.