Paul Bert Rahasimanana (a.k.a. Rossy) grew up surrounded by music in a poor neighborhood in Antananarivo, Madagascar. He began to play at the age of seven when a friend gave him an accordion, an instrument inexplicably common in Madagascar. With no instruction, Rossy began learning songs off the radio and soon formed a band with some high school friends.

After school, Rossy went to live for a while with his estranged father in the northeast coastal region, home of the popular, galloping electric pop music known as salegy. Though the '70s produced many salegy singles and tapes on the DiscoMad label, the bands never played in the highland capital Antananarivo. "It's a shock when you come from the highlands," says Rossy, recalling the wild atmosphere and sexual openness he found up north. "Every Saturday, there was a ball with dancing. All the masters of salegy were there--Roger Georges and Tianjamani--the top groups in Madagascar." When Rossy got back to his band, he proved himself a musical omnivore, taking up guitar, the valiha harp, traditional flute and singing in every style he heard.

Probably the most popular act in the country, the Rossy Band combine the gentle traditions of the highlands, the rambunctious triplet rhythms of salegy, and later rock, reggae and South African pop styles. By the mid-'80s, Rossy owned instruments for his band, a sound system, and a bus which he still uses to travel all over Madagascar playing shows for a loyal national audience. In 1993, Rossy recorded his signature international release, One Eye on the Future, One Eye on the Past. It's now been years since we've heard any new music from Rossy. But Afropop is headed to Madagascar in April 2001. Watch this space for an update!

Contributed by: Banning Eyre