Artist Profiles: Tarika

Tarika, led by the charismatic Hanitra Rasoanaivo, was one of the hardest working bands on the 1990s World Music circuit. Madagascar’s most successful musical export. Tarika’s name means simply “the group” or “led by”- or in their case, “the group”. They evolved a unique, modern blend from the roots musics of the different regions of their Indian Ocean island home, strongly featuring local instruments played in innovative ways.

In the early 1990s, Hanitra (pronounced “Anch”) led Tarika Sammy, the first modern group rooted in the traditional music of Madagascar with the vision to adopt a professional approach to international touring, and unique as a band led by a Malagasy woman. Songs written by Hanitra or her sister Noro on their chart-topping second album Balance began to address challenging, controversial subjects such as the situation of women in Malagasy society, pushing the boundaries of Malagasy roots music.

This group split up at the end of 1993, after which Hanitra put together Tarika. Hanitra and Noro stayed as the new group’s live focus, delivering their fabulous sibling harmonies, driving percussion and spirited dancing, but the new band’s instrumental side was much stronger. Featuring a specially designed and crafted array of up-dates of traditional Malagasy instruments that they had commissioned – marovany (box zither), valiha (bamboo zither), kabosy (the small Malagasy guitar), jejy voatavo (gourd dulcimer) – Tarika immediately achieved international success.

The other Tarika members since 1994 have been three multi-instrumentalists/singers. Donné is a top all-round musician on marovany, valiha, kabosy, melodeon and percussion. He had long experience in traditional music, including touring in Malagasy bands Voninavoko and the Malagasy All-Stars. Ny Ony came from the brother group Solomiral whose members all regularly work with Madagascar’s top modern artists: he’s one of Madagascar’s best guitarists and bassists, and a fine kabosy player. Solo, the youngest of the team, traveled throughout the island with the vakodrazana (traditional music) group led by his father: he too plays bass guitar, kabosy, valiha, marovany and percussion, and adds the bass voice to the famous Tarika harmonies.

Tarika’s 1994 debut album Bibiango addressed thought-provoking, controversial issues for the Malagasy audience, with strong questions about priorities and values.

Their second album, Son Egal, was released in 1997, produced by Simon Emmerson (Baaba Maal/Afro Celts) and Martin Russell. On a creative surge and tackling powerful historic and political themes, it received rave reviews in Europe and the USA (everywhere from The Times to Playboy!), shot to the top of the European World Music Charts and spent an unprecedented 8 weeks at No.1 (15 weeks in the top 5) on the CMJ World Music Chart in the USA. In Madagascar, released at a time of political upheaval, it received saturation airplay. They were nominated in the 1997 Kora All-African Music Awards and won the AFIM Indie Award for Contemporary World Music Album in the USA.

Hanitra kicked off 1998 working with Mali’s Oumou Sangare, South Africa’s Sibonghile Khumalo and Cameroon’s Sally Nyolo as part of the hit Women Of Africa tour (with Tarika’s Donné in the house band) that sold out all venues across the UK and Europe. Tarika then got to work on their third album D, a nice contrast to the intensity of Son Egal by being a bright, upbeat, sizzling celebration of Madagascar’s myriad dance styles. It provided them with a massive No.1 hit at home and another CMJ No.1 in the USA. Following a series of dazzling, sold out Madagascar shows in Spring ’99, it was business as usual touring Europe and the USA.

Tarika signed an international 4-album deal with Wicklow/BMG and completed recording their first Wicklow album, Soul Makassar. Unexpectedly, the Wicklow label was dismantled and the the album eventually came out under Triloka in the USA and Sakay in Europe.

Soul Makassar explores the ancestral links of the Malagasy with Indonesia. Although the Malagasy are usually thought of as African, their origins from perhaps 1500 years ago are Malayo/ Polynesian. In September 1999, Hanitra spent an inspirational month in Sulawesi, Indonesia, uncovering many traces of these long ago ancestors. The stories and ideas she gathered there provided the framework for the new album, which was recorded in London and Indonesia.

Tarika 10: Beats, Ghosts and Dancing With History, released in 2004, is a ten-year retrospective of one the most important bands in Afropop. The Enhanced CD features 15 tracks from the past decade including rare and previously unreleased remixes and tracks, a live Performance from the WOMAD festival and two video tracks from Soul Makassar.

Discography:

Bibiango (Green Linnet, 1994)
Son Egal (Xenophile Records, 1997)
D Sakay (1998)
Soul Makassar (Triloka Records, 2001)
Tarika 10: Beats, Ghosts and Dancing With History (Triloka, 2004)

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.