BIOS
Born in Madagascar, FIaindratovo (Mimy) Manavihare is a percussionist and drummer. His experience ranges from traditional Malagasy music to Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, African, jazz big band.
Mimy started his musical journey at 16 when he joined his brother's band Tsimihole. He was also one the original members of late Tata Rahely's project, recording her first album of Batrelaka music.
Mimy is the band leader for FIKIRA MUSIC, he composes the songs and sings in his native language Antandroy from Madagascar.
After moving to the US in 1998, Mimy found ways to expand his musical experience, joining Portland groups such as Boka Marimba, working with the composer Joan Szymko and the late "Dance gatherer" Keith Goodman. In 2000, Mimy was awarded a scholarship to Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he earned his BA as a Performance Major in hand percussion.
Now living in Portland, Oregon, Mimy has recorded and toured with Seffarine, toured with Pink Martini, helped to develop Okaidja Nii Afroso's tour projects, and recorded and produced an album with White Rhino Marimba.
Awards:
Berklee Alumni Grant for FIKIRA Madagascar Tour in 2007
The Roy Hynes drummer award from Zildjian in 2003
Berklee Scholarship in 2000-2003
Mimy has performed with: Pink Martini, Seffarine, Okaidja Afroso, Tiger Okoshi, Boston Landmark Orchestra, Chie Imaizume, Tsimihole, Tata Rahely, Ninie Donia, Boka Marimba, White Rhino Marimba, Uziel Colon, Keith Goodman, Chata Addy.
Uziel Colón is a pianist, arranger, and composer. He has performed with Grammy-winning percussionist Eguie Castrillo, legendary vibraphonist Victor Mendoza, percussionists Giovanni Hidalgo and Marc Quiñones, trumpet players Greg Hopkins and Humberto Ramirez, and accomplished bassists Oscar Stagnaro, Oskar Cartaya, and Abraham Laboriel.
In addition, he has performed with Latin superstars Juan Luis Guerra, Ruben Blades, and also the late drummer John Blackwell and singer Chaka Khan.
He is a graduate of Berklee College of Music in Composition, and earned a master’s degree in Commercial Music from Cal State, Los Angeles.
Uziel wrote and co-produced music for telenovelas for the Spanish-language television network Telemundo. He authored a monthly piano technique column for the most important Latin American music magazine of its time, MusicoPro.
As an educator, Uziel has been teaching music performance and theory in jazz, pop and afro-latin music. Currently, he works as an undergraduate and graduate-level adjunct professor/lecturer at both Cal Lutheran University and Cal State University, Los Angeles.
With FIKIRA MUSIC, Uziel Colón plays the piano and key-board. He also co-arranges and orchestrates our music.
Sam Dechenne is a trumpet player and composer based out of Portland, Oregon. He plays and composes a wide variety of music and has performed everywhere from Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Beacon Theater and The Kennedy Center to Othello's Castle in Cyprus, jazz festivals in Istanbul, Madagascar and Tokyo and many more festivals around the world. You can find him on over 100 records and singles, both as sideman and composer/bandleader.
Sam is a graduate of Berklee College of Music, a recent recipient of the RACC 2024 artist grant (Portland, OR) and the Iguana Fund (Cambridge, MA) for creating original music and bringing it to the general public. His beautiful tone and melodic improvisation, powerhouse endurance and creative horn writing makes Sam one of the most sought-after trumpet players around. He spends his free time hanging out with his family and friends in NE Portland.
Sam plays the trumpet and flugelhorn with FIKIRA MUSIC.
David Rajaonary (Rain-De) is a bass player from Madagascar who lives in New York.
A self-taught musician, back in Madagascar he learned to play harmonium as an accompanist at his local church, plays guitar and was a lead singer for various general business bands in Madagascar. He has been composing his own music for the “Bemaeva” project, with the prominent singer Dina Maeva from Baltimore.
His versatile playing style makes him a high demand bass player in the New York African Music scene, playing with artists from Madagascar, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ivory Coast and elsewhere.
Rain-De has been endorsed by MG Bass from New York.
Rain-De plays the bass guitar and sings with FIKIRA MUSIC.