Paskaal Japhet

Born in Madagascar, Paskaal Japhet is an author, composer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist (djembe, congas, gotham, cajon, katsa (made from a tin), doumdoum, marovany, kabosy, mandolin, keyboard, guitar). An eclectic artist, Paskaal Japhet sails between Malagasy (antosy, malesa, salegy, batselaka...) and Western (blues, jazz, soul, funk, pop, rock, jazz-rock) music, with Puerto Rican and Cuban influences (salsa, rumba), Brazilian (Latin jazz, bossa nova), or African (mandingue, mbalax...). Coming from a family of intellectuals Betsimisaraka and Sakalava from the east coast and the west coast of Madagascar - his grandfather Simeon Japhet was President of the Senate in the first Malagasy Republic - Paskaal Japhet grew up, from the age of 5 years, to the sound of rehearsals of what would become the Fooka Mainty Band of his uncles Sylvin Marc (bass, guitar), Justin Marc (singing percussion), and Japhet Angel (bass), one of the first modern fusion formations in Madagascar - funk - disco. Later, Paskaal Japhet became interested in the music of Youssou Ndour (mbalax), Salif Keita and Soungalo Coulibaly (Mandingo), Wally Badarou (funk, disco, afro-fazz, classical), Lee Ritenour, Yellowjackets, and Pat Metheny (jazz-rock, jazz fusion), Tito Puente and Ray Barretto (salsa), Gilberto Gil, Djavan, Paulinho da Costa (bossa nova, Brazilian pop, Latin jazz), and many more. Arriving in Paris at the age of 15, Paskaal Japhet quickly integrated with African groups while preparing his model for an album. Unfortunately, no record company knew what to do with his product, considered brilliant but unclassifiable. While waiting for a possible publishing company interested in music, Paskaal accompanied various artists on percussion, including his uncle Sylvin Marc (jazz bassist and pop star Chris Rea), his compatriots Justin Vali (expert valiha) and D'Gary (virtuoso guitar), or Graeme Allwright (New Zealand author, composer, singer). In 1991, he played "Y'a pas de galère," a song from the soundtrack of "Triplex 1 + 1 = 3," a film by French director and screenwriter Georges Lautner. However, he had to wait until 1994 to hear his first solo album Razana, produced in London by Paddy Bush and distributed by Night & Day. He returned to Madagascar for promotion. On this occasion, he was invited by his famous compatriot Rossy, participated in a Tapôlaka Glady, a great evening of ambianceurs in Tananarive (Antananarivo), and was spotted by the Austro-British group Dead Can Dance, who hired him for a world tour. Rich with his many experiences, Paskaal Japhet went on with a second opus, Mahatokia, before returning to Madagascar for the Games of La Francophonie. Accompanied by the group The Jaguars, he performed numerous concerts in the Northern Province and participated in the recordings of various artists including Tianjama (specialist in the antosy and the salegy Malagasy) and Eusebe Jaojoby, a big star of the salegy, Toto Mwanjani, adept of Salegy fusion/Congolese ndombolo, Fanjava, Medici, Bruno Camara, Doctor JB. After the realization in 2004 of his 3rd opus Salegy Rano, Paskaal Japhet participated in humanitarian works and dedicated himself to research and instrumental manufacturing. He was then invited by the star of the Malagasy salegy, Eusebe Jaojoby, for the recording of his album Malagasy and his promotional concerts. The year 2005 saw him release under his own label Metis Muziklab, Karibo, an album of Malagasy instrumental music, nostalgic, sacred, dance, where we travel from one region to another. Subsequently, he was invited to Heritage Days in Reunion Island where he participated in recordings of maloya singer René Paul Elleliara. In 2013, Paskaal Japhet wrote, composed, arranged, mixed, and produced Democracy, an album dedicated to his country, Madagascar, a call for democracy, multiparty politics, and tolerance. - by Nago Seck - © Afrisson