salegy (madagascar)

madagascar - that huge island off the east coast of africa
twice the size of the whole of nz and 5 times the population
another former french colony and now independent
here's what songlines magazine had to say about the most popular style of music there

madagascar has a great diversity of music
but the salegy is universally popular across the island with it's fast 6/8 beat
like many of the contemporary african dance rhythms
it's made with a fusion of western instruments and local styles
eusebe jaojoby is probably the most popular singer in madagascar
and has been the king of salegy since the 70's
his band features crooning sax and horns over rippling guitars

there are a bunch of videos on youtube for the artist still known as jaojoby
in many he comes across as the fela kuti of madagascar
he's out the front leading and directing the musicians
and always surrounded by women dancers and singers
despite the reference to brass in the songlines article
it seems he has dispensed with that part of the band
and instead has very brass-like sounds coming from the keyboards
so that would suggest some modernisation (or economisation)
as expected there is some commonality with other african music
juju music (nigeria) seems a close relation with it's similar chiming guitars
but no doubt to an expert ear they as as different as can be
the clip i have selected is one featuring jaojoby
a superstar in his home country
(35 of 50)