Toko Telo was Madagascan supergroup that included three of the finest artists from the island country: D’Gary, Monika Njava, and Régis Gizavo. The celebrated performers played music rooted in Madagascan traditions, including styles such as tsapiky, jihe, and beko.
D’Gary is a renowned guitarist and vocalist who attracted the attention of world music fans with his participation in the album A World Out Of Time and subsequent recordings and international tours. More about D’Gary.
Famed singer and percussionist Monika Njava was the lead singer of award-winning group Njava. She also recorded with popular act Deep Forest and has released various critically acclaimed solo albums and collaborations, including Haizina (2012) and Island Jazz (2014). More about Monika Njava.
Virtuoso accordionist and vocalist Régis Gizavo worked with many of the biggest names in world music: Cesária Évora, Richard Bona, Manu Dibango, The Mahotella Queens and Boubacar Traoré. Régis also collaborated with Corsican group I Muvrini on a regular basis. Regis Gizavo died on July 16, 2017. More about Régis Gizavo.
(headline photo: Roko Telo – Photo by Bir Images)
Discography:
Toy Raha Roy (Anio Records, 2017)
Diavola (Anio Records, 2018)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.