Making a welcome return to the Brighton Festival, Dama from the group Mahaleo - Madagascar's most enduring and influential musical phenomenon - curates a showcase of the best

of Malagasy music.

In the three years since his last visit, Dama has stepped down as an MP, set up an eco-friendly farm and been involved in the development of rural radio stations. Incredibly, he has still managed to dedicate the majority of his time to making music.

The music of Dama's home country is as diverse as it is beautiful. From the ba gasy style of Madagascar's high plateaus to the modal incantations of the Northern jiji, from the driving dance beats of salegy to the lilting Mauritian sega, the island is a veritable musical melting pot, combining Polynesian, East African and Indian rhythms and harmonies.

Dama will be joined on the night by Regis Gizavo on squeezebox, Justin Vali on valiha (a 21-string tubular instrument) and Erick Manana, a prolific guitarist.

All three are solo artists or bandleaders in their own right and, though they all live in France, they frequently tour Madagascar.

Dama and his special guests will share the stage with Fenoamby, one of Madagascar's keynote bands.

The group released four albums between 1991 and 2002 and have come to be admired for their musical dexterity, switching effortlessly between regassy (Madagascar's answer to reggae), the trance-like salegy rhythm, and more downbeat, melancholy ballads.

Their charismatic leader, Marius Fontaine, has lived in Paris since 1998. On stage, he plays the kabossy, a type of guitar which is commonplace in Madagascar's folk music tradition.

Starts 8pm, tickets £14/£12.