Tarika, Tsy Kivy

The roots music of Madagascar
TARIKA, led by the charismatic Hanitra Rasoanaivo, became 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 have evolved a unique, modern blend from the roots musics of the different regions of their Indian Ocean island home, strongly featuring local instruments in a way that has been described as "virtuoso traditional music with the energy of punk rock!" Their tight harmonies, buoyant grooves, infectious melodies, wild instruments, energetic dancing and captivating presentation have been a live hit all over North America and Europe, and their albums have topped the World Music charts on both sides of the Atlantic.