Difference between revisions of "Joe Vella l-Bokser"
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'''Joe Vella Il-Bokser''' [[File:Joe_Vella_Il-Bokser.jpg|340px|thumb|right|Joe Vella Il-Bokser]] was born in the rural village of Manikata on the 2nd of August 1951, and started folk singing at the age of thirteen on his father's farm under pomegranate and carob trees in the same Maltese village. | '''Joe Vella Il-Bokser''' [[File:Joe_Vella_Il-Bokser.jpg|340px|thumb|right|Joe Vella Il-Bokser]] was born in the rural village of Manikata on the 2nd of August 1951, and started folk singing at the age of thirteen on his father's farm under pomegranate and carob trees in the same Maltese village. His maternal family were known as Ta' Brodu, his paternal were Ta' Mazzettu, originally from Mosta. | ||
He emigrated to Sydney, Australia | He emigrated to Sydney, Australia at the tender age of 16, following the footsteps of his elder brothers. An important facet of our culture which the young Joe took with him to the other side of the globe was his doze of ''għana'' which he had grown accustomed to listen on the Rediffusion service. | ||
Vella started folksinging in 1977, with [[Ninu Galea l-Kalora]] and [[Salvu Galea tal-Kalora]], and then sang with [[Loretu Vella tas-Siċċu]] and [[Saver Bonanno Tal-Manikata]]. | |||
He moved to Wetherill Park in New South Wales where he became the hero of the substantial Maltese community, on becoming Australia's super middleweight boxing champion in 1976, hence his nickname, when he beat Fiji-born Alipate Korovou at the South Sydney Rugby League Club. He lost the same title to Korovou in 1977. He later took the occupation of a taxi driver. | |||
Vella started folksinging in 1977, with [[Ninu Galea l-Kalora]] and [[Salvu Galea tal-Kalora]], and then sang with [[Loretu Vella tas-Siċċu]] and [[Saver Bonanno Tal-Manikata]], a close relative of his. | |||
Revision as of 15:14, 31 August 2013
Joe Vella Il-Bokser
was born in the rural village of Manikata on the 2nd of August 1951, and started folk singing at the age of thirteen on his father's farm under pomegranate and carob trees in the same Maltese village. His maternal family were known as Ta' Brodu, his paternal were Ta' Mazzettu, originally from Mosta.
He emigrated to Sydney, Australia at the tender age of 16, following the footsteps of his elder brothers. An important facet of our culture which the young Joe took with him to the other side of the globe was his doze of għana which he had grown accustomed to listen on the Rediffusion service.
He moved to Wetherill Park in New South Wales where he became the hero of the substantial Maltese community, on becoming Australia's super middleweight boxing champion in 1976, hence his nickname, when he beat Fiji-born Alipate Korovou at the South Sydney Rugby League Club. He lost the same title to Korovou in 1977. He later took the occupation of a taxi driver.
Vella started folksinging in 1977, with Ninu Galea l-Kalora and Salvu Galea tal-Kalora, and then sang with Loretu Vella tas-Siċċu and Saver Bonanno Tal-Manikata, a close relative of his.
Joe Il-Bokser performed in Għaxaq on 2 August 2013, during an event organized by Mikiel Cutajar Is-Superstar and at the Brooklyn Bar on the 9th August. His linguistic content in the vernacular contains of a more Semitic element than current spoken Maltese.
His visit to Malta in 2013 was openly welcomed by both folksingers and enthusiasts alike and he was invited to perform all over the country.
External Links
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fx7khrxdBD0&list=UUW-9O9Dj7cR0_vAd8-HzDSQ Folk singing at the Brooklyn Bar, Żejtun 9th August 2013.
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rECeXMf2ZD0 Folk singing session in Sydney.