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| email: manniec@manuelcasha.com |
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| Articles in English |
| Articles in Maltese |
| Contributions |
| Photogallery |
| Links |
| email: manniec@manuelcasha.com |
|
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Joe Pulo, or Peppi ta Frawla as he was known in the Maltese Folklore circles, was a guitarist of great talent and ability. His skill to project the melodies of Maltese traditional music in a very unique way made him stand out not only in the folk guitar circles but in the listening Maltese community in general. Peppi was what the folklore community refers to as a "kitarrist fin", a guitarist with a special touch. His reputation in Malta was already well established before he immigrated to Australia in the early sixties. He had achieved acclaim and recognition by the Maltese Ghana followers as well as the listeners of Cable Radio "Rediffusion".
In the 1950's he led a group called the "Giutareros"
who become very popular with the Maltese listening public of that
time. Their repertoire included a lot of popular continental melodies.
At the same time he had developed a reputation as a prim kitarrist
(lead guitarist) in the coffee shops and bars of town of Birkirkara,
where many of the folklore greats used to assemble. Peppi told
me of the vibrant scene which existed in post war Birkikara, where
a lot of the coffee shops would buy their own guitars and hang
them on the wall to entice players to come in and play them. This
practice attracted the Ghannejja (Folklore singers) from the street
and before you knew it, a session was in progress. Once this happed
the shop owner would have a shop full of patrons which would increase
his earnings tenfold for the day. Therefore it was a time when
shop owners did their best to attract the great players with all
the competition around.
In my interviews with Peppi he compared the streets of Birkikara
to those of Madrid, with the sounds of guitars and traditional
Maltese Ghana singing filling the day to day atmosphere.
Peppi gave a great contribution to Maltese
Folklore music in Australia and also produced one of our finest
guitarist composers in his son Vince. In fact all of Peppi's sons,
Vince, Ross and Manuel are guitarists. Ross is also a fine singer
and actor with a long list of performances under his belt of various
productions presented in Melbourne.
When Peppi Pulo left Malta to seek a better life in Australia
in the early sixties, he not only made a better life for himself
but his contribution as a guitarist will live on in the memory
of all those who heard him play in those communities of Maltese
who emigrated in the 1950's and 60's.
Peppi Pulo "Ta Frawla" helped continue an old Maltese
tradition of Ghana singing and Prejjem playing with his talent
and fine playing.
While I have seen him play on many occasions, my favourite memory
of him is his session he played at "id-Dar il-Bajda"at
St Albans, where Ghana sessions used to be organised weekly every
Thursday by Manwel Sultana "il-Moni". It was the feast
of Imnarja and the session was held outside among the trees at
night. Perhaps it revived the memories of nights of past Imnarja
Festivals at Busketto Gardens where the crowds would camp under
the trees for three day and nights and sing and play guitars and
be merry.
That day at "id-Dar il-Bajda (the White House' Peppi played
like he was back in his homeland.
Peppi Pulo "ta Frawla"'s contribution is Australia ill
live on through the recorded music he left us.
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