Skirball Concert Opens a Door to Madagascar’s Bright Styles

Madagascar has recently been visible in the world music arena primarily via the scintillating efforts of the group Tarika. But the island nation off the southeast coast of Africa has a cultural tradition reaching far beyond the efforts of any single musical entity.

The performance of guitarist D’Gary at the Skirball Cultural Center on Thursday offered a fascinating view of one aspect of that tradition, the tsapiky musical style.

A blending of African and southern Madagascar elements, tinged with references to early accordion music, the style was, in D’Gary’s gifted hands, brightly melodic and crisply swinging, its groove enhanced by offbeat rhythmic combinations.

D’Gary’s guitar work was inspired by the music of the island’s morovany, a box zither. And his ability to transform its note-rich, arpeggio-filled approach into an expressive guitar style has earned him justified praise as an inventive virtuoso.

His playing was further enhanced by the use of open tunings, with the bottom strings on his guitar lowered to produce big, booming bass sounds.. His singing was less compelling, although mildly pleasant as result of the husky, intimate timbre of his voice.

Singer-percussionist Xavier-Martial Francois and singer-dancer Rataza added considerably more color to the musical mix. Francois’ manipulation of a small shaker was a marvel of subtle rhythmic drive, and Rataza’s penetrating vocals were supplemented--though too rarely--by some vigorous dance moves.

Despite the extraordinary technical guitar feats that D’Gary offered in virtually every number, however, the relative sameness of the music became wearying by the close of the set. Nor was the performance aided by the detached demeanor of the performers, who seemed disconnected from the audience and one another.