Sodina

Main article: Music of Madagascar

Sodina player in Madagascar.

A Sodina is a woodwind instrument commonly played in Malagasy music and a member of the aerophone family of instruments. Similar in structure and sound to a flute, the sodina is made out of bamboo, lightwood, plastic, or reed and varies in size depending upon the region it is being played in.

Sodinas indigenous to Madagascar are often found to have anywhere from three to six equidistant openings. Sodinas can be played solo or in a group of instruments, in which case it is accompanied by many flutes and a large drum.

Ethnomusicology researches point the origins of the Sodina in Southeast Asia Islands (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines) where one can still find today its bamboo form, known in Malay as suling.

Sodina players

Rakoto Frah is known to has been The Grand Master of the Sodina in the XX^th century.

Today, young Masters keep the tradition alive, which are, among the must known  :

• The Rakoto Frah Zanany or Rakoto Frah Jr : a group of sodina player, composed by Rakoto Frah's sons.
• Seta Ramaroson : also a Jazz saxophonist.
• Nicolas Vatomanga : also a Jazz saxophonist.

Discography

'Rakoto Frah'

• 1988 : Flute Master of Madagascar (Globestyle)
• 1988 : Souffles de Vie (Musikela)
• 1989 : The Art of Rakoto Frah & Randafison Sylvestre (Japon, JVC)

Seta Ramaroson

• 2004 : Introducing Vakoka : The Malagasy All Stars - World Music Network

Rakoto Frah et Nicolas Vatomanga

• 2000 : Chants et Danses en Imerina (Arion)
• 2001 : Madagascar pays Merina (Arion)