Blog March 28, 2014
Henry Kaiser offers new premium for Afropop’s Madagascar Kickstarter: 12 Mad-Awesome Music Releases!
In 1991, Henry Kaiser and David Lindley traveled to Madagascar to record a set of albums that introduced many listeners—in America and around the globe—to the wonders of Malagasy music. These rich, collaborative albums were released by Shanachie Records (kudos to Shanachie’s Richard Nevins for his commitment to this singular project!) under the title A World Out of Time. During a two-week stay in Madagascar, Kaiser and Lindley recorded seven albums, one of which was never released. Five more albums, recorded or compiled over the next few years, followed in the series. Now, Henry Kaiser, a longtime friend of Afropop Worldwide, has offered a limited set of memory sticks containing CD-quality audio of all 12 albums. Click here to find out more about Hip Deep in Madagascar, and how you can get this collection.
[caption id="attachment_17616" align="alignleft" width="194"]
Rossy, Henry Kaiser (Eyre 1993)[/caption]
The World Out of Time series was epic, the most extensive set of Malagasy music ever released internationally. The early releases came at the crest of a surge of interest in and awareness about African music—and now, Madagascar was squarely in the mix. Tours by a number of Malagasy artists followed: the superb roots band Tarika Sammy, the mind-blowing guitarist D’Gary, and even a once-in-a-lifetime tour featuring Kaiser, the traditional flute maestro Rakotofrah, and the popular singer Rossy.
Speaking of Rossy, here’s an exclusive from the Kaiser/Lindley archive, never seen publically before: A video of an early ‘90s Rossy song, with his full band, and Kaiser and Lindley sitting in!
Looking back, Henry Kaiser says, “The first World Out of Time CD might be one of the best-selling, true roots world music recordings ever released. I would estimate that it sold around 80K - 120K copies.” Kaiser & Lindley, unimpressed by the royalty structures offered by first world musicians and labels, took only per diems for their time in Madagascar, passing all the profits from these releases to the Malagasy players. They also set up a dedicated publishing company within Wixen Music, so that the Malagasy musicians would receive 90% of the publishing money, rather than the usual 50%. This has remained a source of income for these musicians ever since. And now, Kaiser/Lindley generosity continues in this splendid, limited offering to supporters of Afropop’s Hip Deep in Madagascar project.
Finally, an editorial note. These 12 albums are truly remarkable. The variety and
[caption id="attachment_17617" align="alignright" width="207"]
Rossy, Rakotofrah (Eyre 1993)[/caption]
collaborative energy on the three World Out of Time volumes stands up to any project involving Western musicians finding common ground with musicians in Africa. The D’Gary Malagasy Guitar volume debuted one of the most spectacular guitarists Africa has yet produced, and his collaboration with Dama is a rare and beautiful session. The Moon and the Banana Tree is as good an introduction to the wide variety of Malagasy guitar styles as has yet been produced. And Beneath Southern Skies documents a productive new phase in the career of Tarika Sammy, one of the most consistent and longstanding roots acts out of Madagascar.
The twelve releases are:
A World Out of Time, Henry Kaiser & David Lindley in Madagascar (Shanachie)
A World Out of Time, Vol 2, Henry Kaiser & David Lindley in Madagascar (Shanachie)
A World Out of Time, Vol 3, Henry Kaiser & David Lindley in Madagascar (Shanachie)
Madagascar 3: Valiha (Fire & Ice)
Malagasy Guitar, D’Gary (Shanachie)
The Legendary Mama Sana, Mama Sana (Shanachie)
Marovany! Matrimvala & Ricky (unreleased, for Shanachie)
The Long Way Home, Dama & D’Gary (Shanachie)
One Eye on The Future, One Eye on The Past, Rossy (Shanachie)
Beneath Southern Skies, Tarika Sammy (Shanachie)
The Moon and the Banana Tree, New Guitar Music from Madagascar (Shanachie)
Resting Place in the Mists, New Valiha and Marovany Music from Madagascar (Shanachie)
Rossy, Henry Kaiser (Eyre 1993)[/caption]
The World Out of Time series was epic, the most extensive set of Malagasy music ever released internationally. The early releases came at the crest of a surge of interest in and awareness about African music—and now, Madagascar was squarely in the mix. Tours by a number of Malagasy artists followed: the superb roots band Tarika Sammy, the mind-blowing guitarist D’Gary, and even a once-in-a-lifetime tour featuring Kaiser, the traditional flute maestro Rakotofrah, and the popular singer Rossy.
Speaking of Rossy, here’s an exclusive from the Kaiser/Lindley archive, never seen publically before: A video of an early ‘90s Rossy song, with his full band, and Kaiser and Lindley sitting in!
Looking back, Henry Kaiser says, “The first World Out of Time CD might be one of the best-selling, true roots world music recordings ever released. I would estimate that it sold around 80K - 120K copies.” Kaiser & Lindley, unimpressed by the royalty structures offered by first world musicians and labels, took only per diems for their time in Madagascar, passing all the profits from these releases to the Malagasy players. They also set up a dedicated publishing company within Wixen Music, so that the Malagasy musicians would receive 90% of the publishing money, rather than the usual 50%. This has remained a source of income for these musicians ever since. And now, Kaiser/Lindley generosity continues in this splendid, limited offering to supporters of Afropop’s Hip Deep in Madagascar project.
Finally, an editorial note. These 12 albums are truly remarkable. The variety and
[caption id="attachment_17617" align="alignright" width="207"]
Rossy, Rakotofrah (Eyre 1993)[/caption]
collaborative energy on the three World Out of Time volumes stands up to any project involving Western musicians finding common ground with musicians in Africa. The D’Gary Malagasy Guitar volume debuted one of the most spectacular guitarists Africa has yet produced, and his collaboration with Dama is a rare and beautiful session. The Moon and the Banana Tree is as good an introduction to the wide variety of Malagasy guitar styles as has yet been produced. And Beneath Southern Skies documents a productive new phase in the career of Tarika Sammy, one of the most consistent and longstanding roots acts out of Madagascar.
The twelve releases are:
A World Out of Time, Henry Kaiser & David Lindley in Madagascar (Shanachie)
A World Out of Time, Vol 2, Henry Kaiser & David Lindley in Madagascar (Shanachie)
A World Out of Time, Vol 3, Henry Kaiser & David Lindley in Madagascar (Shanachie)
Madagascar 3: Valiha (Fire & Ice)
Malagasy Guitar, D’Gary (Shanachie)
The Legendary Mama Sana, Mama Sana (Shanachie)
Marovany! Matrimvala & Ricky (unreleased, for Shanachie)
The Long Way Home, Dama & D’Gary (Shanachie)
One Eye on The Future, One Eye on The Past, Rossy (Shanachie)
Beneath Southern Skies, Tarika Sammy (Shanachie)
The Moon and the Banana Tree, New Guitar Music from Madagascar (Shanachie)
Resting Place in the Mists, New Valiha and Marovany Music from Madagascar (Shanachie)
