D'Gary

Born in Antananarivo in 1961, D'Gary is the son of a Bara policeman, of the ethnic group of zebu breeders from the desert-like high plateaux of southern Madagascar. In 1969 he followed his father, who was transferred to Tulear, then to Betroka, capital of the Bara region, where he retired in 1978. D'Gary was 17 at the time. His encounter with the culture of the South, his own roots, was a shock. He discovered the sufferings of his people: the land was going bad; zebu theft — the region's favorite sport — was by then a large-scale operation run by businessmen who armed the bands of thieves and corrupted the justice system to protect what had become a profitable traffic of beasts and meat. D'Gary decided to stand up for his people and put their suffering to music.

In Tulear, he learned to play the guitar on a crafted instrument and started a small group. In Betroka he tried to adapt his playing to the traditional southern styles, whether Bara, Antandroy, Vezo or Masikoro. This research helped him become one of the most astonishing international guitarists, a musician sought after by guitar enthusiasts the world over for his unheard-of playing style and his wild open-tunings. —Courtesy Calabash Music