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Donné ( Jean Donné Ramananerisoa) - accordion, fiddle, trumpet

Donné is from the Highland region, and is the son of a famous hira gasy singer named Sahondrafinina. He currently played in a group called Sivy Mahasaky.

Panà ( Panayotis Dourantonis) - percussion

Panà is of mixed Malagasy / Greek heritage and is considered by many to be the country's best percussionist. He plays in a variety of groups and was featured in the Malagasy CDs The Moon and the Banana Tree and A World Out of Time (with David Lindley and Henry Kaiser)

Hanitra (Hanitrarivo Rasoanaivo) - voice, talking drum, percussion

Hanitra was, along with Seta, the co-artistic director for Vakoka, and she is the leader of Madagascar's most famous musical export, Tarika. The Vakoka rehearsals took place in the Antshow Cultural Centre, a facility that Hanitra built to give the country's musicians a place to meet and play.

Dieu-Donné (Dieu Donné Randriamanantena) - sodina, marovany, valiha, accordion and pretty much everything else.

Dieu-Donne is a member of Tarika and one of the country's best multi-instrumentalists. His roots are in the Highlands hira gasy tradition, but he's well-versed in musical styles from all over the country.

Teta (Claude Teta) - guitar

Teta is one of the country's best proponents of the tsapiky style of guitar (made famous by D'Gary). He is from the village of Ejeda near Tulear in southwest Madagascar. A couple of Teta's songs appear in the recent release, Tulear Never Sleeps (Stern's)

Lalasoa (Héricole Lalasoa) - guitar, trombone, bass

Lalasoa is a proponent of the Highlands guitar style made famous by his mentor, Etienne Ramboatiana (the man to whom Vakoka is dedicated). He is well-versed in a range of styles from jazz to classical guitar, but feels most comfortable playing the melodic style of Antananarivo province.

Gabin (Jean Gabin Fanovona) - voice

Gabin was one of the first to bring the music of the southern Antandroy people to the attention of the world. As leader of the group Vaovy, Gabin has influenced a generation of players, and has released a couple of CDs on the Label Bleu series.

Seta (Seta Ramaroson Andrianary) - sodina, saxophone, flute

Seta was, along with Hanitra, the co-artistic director of Vakoka. He is one of the country's most famous musicians, having played with a range of groups including Solomiral and Olombelo Ricky. He is a former student of the legendary sodina player Rakoto Frah.

Djôma (Ahmed Mahamoudou) - voice

Djoma hails from the northern Antsiranana province, and is a proponent of the salegy dance style. He is a composer and vocalist of extraordinary range.

Fanaiky (Fanaiky Oly Herivelona Rasolomahatratra) - bass, aponga be

Fanaiky is from the eastern Lac Aloatra region, and one of the best bassists that the country has ever produced. He currently plays in the band Solomiral along with his three brothers.

Damy (Managñosiky Damy) - lokanga, voice

Damy is from the southern Antandroy region, and plays lokanga (a three-stringed Malagasy fiddle) in the band Vaovy.

Haja (Haja Mbolatiana Tovo Rasolomahatratra) - guitar

Haja is one of the best guitarists in Madagascar, and is a pioneer of the guitare etoufee style. He is the leader of the group Solomiral along with Fanaiky and his other two brothers (one of whom is a member of Tarika). His techniques have been studied and written up in a book on African guitar styles.

Sana (Sana Tinovo) and Monja (Bege Monjamahafay) - marovany, voice

Monja and Sana (they are married) come from southern Madagascar and are leaders of the group Manintsindava. They play and sing unlike anything that any of the Vakoka musicians had ever seen!

Sean - producer

Sean now works as the policy director of the Canadian Wind Energy Association. He also plays bass and is a member of a couple (very informal) bands.