About Slim
Madagascar Slim, born Randriamananjara Radofa Besata Jean Longin, taught himself to play music on his older brother’s guitar when he was just a child. His music, inspired by recordings of BB King, Jimi Hendrix, and the traditional songs of Madagascar, mix together nicely to create a unique sound that is equal parts roots, blues, folk, R&B, reggae, and world music. Dulcet vocal harmonies, propulsive guitar playing, uplifting and complex rhythms that surprise and delight, are all trademarks of his infectious music.
Sent by his parents to study accounting at Seneca College in Toronto, Slim couldn’t let go of his music. While in school be became a founding member of a French Canadian folk ensemble, La Ridiane. It’s been a long road for Slim since then, but he now has three Juno Awards to his name: World Music Album of the Year in 2000 for his solo album [italics] Omnisource[italics]; another in the same category for his 2005 collaboration with the world music group African Guitar Summit; and Roots & Traditional Album of the Year prize in 2001 for another collaboration, this time with folk music group Tri-Continental.