Ernest Randrianasolo (born 22 July 1961), better known as D'Gary, is a Malagasy musician of Bara ethnicity. His primary instrument is the

acoustic guitar An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked, its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...

Musical style

D'Gary's elaborate playing style is characterised by his use of alternative tunings. His style developed from his interest in Malagasy music, such as tsapiky, popular in southern Madagascar, and has been compared to music produced on traditional instruments, like the

Vezo The Vezo is a Sakalava Malagasy term for ''Bajo'', the semi-nomadic maritime or sea people from Central–Eastern Indonesia (esp. Flores Sea) who settled in southern Madagascar. They speak a variety of Malagasy language, Malagasy dialect continuum, ...

marovany The marovany (formerly spelled marouvane) is a suitcase shaped, wooden, type of box zither from Madagascar, used in Malagasy music. It is strung on both sides with metal strings. The player plucks the strings with both hands, often with rapid alte ...

frame box

zither Zither (; , from the Greek ''cithara'') is a class of stringed instruments. The modern instrument has many strings stretched across a thin, flat body. Zithers are typically played by strumming or plucking the strings with the fingers or a ...

and the Bara's lokanga violin. In 2007, he toured North America with the International Guitar Night ensemble and recorded the ''International Guitar Night II'' live album with the collaboration of Brian Gore (US), Miguel de la Bastide (

Trinidad Trinidad is the larger, more populous island of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the country. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is the southernmost island in ...

) and Clive Carroll (UK) under the Pacific Music label. In April 2009, he toured the United States as part of the Throw Down Your Heart tour with Bela Fleck and other African musicians.

Selected discography

Studio albums * ''Malagasy Guitar – D'Gary. Music From Madagascar'' – 10 February 1993 (Shanachie) * ''The Long Way Home'' (with Dama) – 15 September 1994 (Shanachie) * ''Horombe'' (with Jihe) – 21 May 1996 (Stern's) * ''Mbo Loza'' – 24 June 1997 (Indigo) * ''Akata Meso'' – 9 July 2002 (Indigo)

References

External links

RFI Musique biography
1961 births Living people People from Antananarivo 20th-century Malagasy male singers Malagasy guitarists Label Bleu artists 21st-century Malagasy male singers {{Madagascar-bio-stub