Country: Madagascar
Track: Inona izany?
Composer: Haja Rakotonimanga
Album: Inona izany?
Year: 2012
Label: HAJA JAZZ BAGASY
Musician website: www.hajarakotonimanga.com
Haja Rakotonimanga , a pianist, composer, arranger and plays with many famous Malagasy artists(MADAGASCAR).With his father,pianist and a mother singer,both playing bagasy(traditional music of Madagascar).His influences was not limited only into traditional music, his passions are Jazz and Soul. In his album which just come out,he plays GIANT STEPS in bagasy way,which shows his”giant steps” to the unique mixture of jazz and bagasy”BLUEMAN JAZZ BAGASY PROJECT”.
He begins on playing piano at age of 7 with his father’s help,who is also pianist.He has self-educated solfege and jazz by learning standards.
In 1990,he begins to work as a professional one by playing in many family ceremonies(wedding….).
In 1993,he plays in many restaurants and jazz night clubs.At this period,also he plays keybords with a famous Malagasy group which is “NY RAILOVY”(bagasy)with which he has many performing(national and international),and records 2 albums in 1996and 1999.
He worked with many international jazzmen during the jazz festival MADAJAZZCAR: Bobby Rangel,Tahina Rahary,Oyvind Nypan.Louis Winsberg,invited him to play with him during his show as a special guest after seeing him playing with Oyvind Nypan a day before.
In term of composing and arranging music,he realized 3 albums with Elsie,a Malagasy jazz and soul singer in 2001,2004,2006.
In 2008,he made the programming of the musical “West side story” with the dance company “Rymialy”
As piano professor,he began to give courses in 2003 at PLANET KOLOTORALY(music school).Now, he gives courses for young people but especially for young Malagasy musicians.
He started to have his solo career in 2011,by founding his own group in “BLUEMAN JAZZ BAGASY PROJECT”which is a mixture of jazz and bagasy(traditional Malagasy music)
