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fRootsmag uploaded a new video
(1 week ago)

Some iPhone video snapshots of the 8th Jan 2012 debut gig at London's Gr...
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Some iPhone video snapshots of the 8th Jan 2012 debut gig at London's Green Note café by THE FALSE BEARDS - old time english psych folk blues twangery from Ben Mandelson & Ian Anderson.
The Guardian review of this gig at http://www.guardi... says "a remarkably easygoing, adventurous and good-natured affair - this is a classy and entertaining new duo."
Ben Mandelson and Ian Anderson have played in quite a few bands together over the past 25 years - most recently making the album Stubble and out on a national tour as the Blue Blokes 3 with PiL's Lu Edmonds. But it was only when they did an impromptu opening spot for old time music legend Tom Paley at the Green Note in 2011 that the lightbulb switched on to tell them that they could be a duo, like falling off the proverbial log.
Ben (baritone bouzouki, mandolin) has a chequered band CV including the legendary 3 Mustaphas 3, Magazine, Orchestra Jazira, Billy Bragg's Blokes, Les Triaboliques and lately the Yiddish Twist Orchestra. Ian (guitar, slide guitar, vocals) came to fame with Ian Anderson's Country Blues Band in the great UK blues disaster of '68/'69, later working solo (as Ian A. Anderson on the cult Village Thing label) and as a member of Hot Vultures, the English Country Blues Band and (with Ben) Tiger Moth.
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fRootsmag uploaded a new video
(1 year ago)
All star '80s English country dance band Tiger Moth reformed in 2004 to ...
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All star '80s English country dance band Tiger Moth reformed in 2004 to celebrate their 20th anniversary and play at the 50th anniversary Sidmouth Folk Festival plus Womad, The Big Chill etc. Here they play their celebrated "Sloe Benga" at the Sidmouth Late Night Extra.
The line up, who between them have a pedigree including other bands such as Edward 2, Brass Monkey, The Old Swan Band, the New Victory Band, 3 Mustaphas 3, English Country Blues Band, Blue Blokes 3, Oak,. Grand Union, Hot Vultures, Jumpleads and many more, was alphabetically: Ian Anderson (slide guitar), Martin Brinsford (drums), Chris Coe (hammered dulcimer), Maggie Holland (bass guitar), Ben Mandelson (baritone bouzouki), Jon Moore (guitar), Danny Stradling (percussion), Rod Stradling (melodeon), Fran Wade (fiddle) plus Gordon Potts (caller.
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fRootsmag uploaded a new video
(1 year ago)
An ethnomusicologist's delight or outrage, depending on their viewpoint!...
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An ethnomusicologist's delight or outrage, depending on their viewpoint! Dubbed off an old back-up VHS, so rather lo-fi now, this is an out-take from the 1997 TV film "Like A God When He Played" about the search for the story and influence of the legendary Malagasy musician Rakotozafy. Traditional marovany player Bekamby demonstrates his wider influences by improvising on Kassav's big international hit Zouk-La Se Sel Medikamen Nou Ni. The band had visited Madagascar in the 1980s and he had heard them on the radio.
Uploaded with permission from film director Celia Lowenstein.
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fRootsmag uploaded a new video
(1 year ago)
This early line-up of Tarika Sammy was fronted by Hanitra Rasoanaivo and...
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This early line-up of Tarika Sammy was fronted by Hanitra Rasoanaivo and her sister Noro Raharimalala, along with Sammy (Samoela Andriamalalaharijaona) - who has had many different groups of this name over the past 25 years - and his cousin Tiana (Solomon Ratianarinaivo).
The song comes from their 1992 debut album Fanafody (medicine), recorded in London with the 3 Mustaphas 3 rhythm section as they embarked on their first international tour and soon gained great acclaim.
After this line-up split at the end of 1993, Hanitra, along with Noro, went on to lead Tarika who soon became Madagascar's most successful musical export of the 1990s and eventually huge stars back home.
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fRootsmag uploaded a new video
(1 year ago)

A video filmed in Madagascar for "Ankoay" from Tarika's 1994 d...
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A video filmed in Madagascar for "Ankoay" from Tarika's 1994 debut album "Balance".
For the previous couple of years, Tarika's leader Hanitra Rasoanaivo and her sister Noro Raharimalala had fronted the band Tarika Sammy. When that line-up split up at the end of 1993, Hanitra set about finding new musicians and Tarika were born, going on to become Madagascar's most successful musical export of the 1990s and eventually one of the top bands in the country. Balance was recorded very soon after the new line-up formed, as they embarked on their first major tour of Europe and the USA.
Ankoay was a song about a rare species of bird which was getting a lot of international attention. It contrasts this with the little help that poor Malagasy people were getting, challenging the priorities of the then corrupt government and asking if you have to become an endangered species before anybody notices you.
That definitely applied to people playing local traditionally based music in Madagascar at the time too, something that Tarika succeeded in changing.
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