Donné Roberts

Donné Roberts (Musician, Composer, Arranger, Band Leader) is the youngest of 7 children, all musicians. His father was the Madagascar diplomat to Russia where Donné and his siblings grew up quite comfortably within the Malagasy community in Moscow.Donné admits he was somewhat spoiled to be able to study and persue music, although that was not to his father's best liking. Donne's mother , however, was influential in providing him musical support, especially in keeping with the African roots.At the tender age of 11, he and his five brothers and one sister toured professionally, providing Malagasy roots music for major events including functions at the Madagascar embassy in Moscow. At 17, he felt the need to be more proficient in music theory and enrolled in music studies. He felt it important not to be favoured amongst his colleagues as he was already a professional, so Donné pretended not to know the theory and it became rather boring he confessed, but he perservered. He also studied linguistics and attended business college.Among his musical accomplishments, Donné was fortunate to produce Mama Africa which was part of the largest African festival in Russia representing African culture and attracted close to 20,000 visitors. Through this opportunity he was able to gain media support to the mainstream and take the African musicians on tour.In 1997 MTV was opened in Russia and were looking for a black VJ who was fluent in Russian. Donné was fortunate to win the contest which resulted in his position as a VJ for the show Mambassa on MTV. He was the first black man to have a one hour program on MTV Russia. With four languages to his tongue and a lifetime of musical experiences Donné now leads his own project as well as being member of the Chain Gang and African Guitar Summit, two local bands based here in Canada.Donné composes, arranges and fronts his 5 piece ensemble which embellishes in rhythms of Bassessa, Funk and Jazz that created an original style Malegasy Soul. These Madagascar rhythms have their roots in a cultural history which has evolved since the emigration of peoples from Aboriginal Autstralia and Indonesia. His current CD is called Rhythm Was Born with the same title song which embellishes on a 6/8 rhythm and sharp syncopations of the Malagasy beat. The song titled "Hira N Taola" which means "voices from the ancestors" is a colourful collaboration with two aboriginal vocalists. This refreshing melody chanting native ancestral history is quite similar to the aboriginal chants of North America, Autstralia and the Saami people in northern Finland. Donné finds that these native sounds are quite similar between continents. However, he admits that he has has not heard such melodies within the African communities, although they are based on the same spiritual concepts.Rhythm Was Born is an enlightening colleciton of Donné's originals with themes of encouragement and joy. All of his music & lyrics are uplifting in nature with reminders to cheer up, don't give up, do good things, remember the ancestors and of course the happy, vibrant spirit of the Malagasy people (people from Madagascar), through their festivals and music.Speaking with Donné and hearing his life experiences and even privileged social status growing up, one would think him to have an air of superiority, but quite the contrary. Donné Roberts is a warm, gentle-spoken, calm-spirited artist with a positive aura and humble intelligence. I look forward to sharing the beauty of his music with others and seeing Donné further his career with much more music in the future.Written by Eryn Vogn at Heads Up Live