Cast in Stone

has biography | a une biographie

Born December 7, 1931, died June 5, 1984 in Pointe-à-Pitre. His father, an accordion player, was named VEnance LOllia, and he contracted the first and last names for his artist name: Vélo. Marcel Lollia is a master tambouyé, or ka player from Guadeloupe. With the group he formed, called “La Briscante”, Vélo set off to perform in Paris, Puerto Rico and Martinique. Returning to Guadeloupe in 1970, he joined “Takouta”, one of the first gwo-ka groups, and recorded his first LP with Marcel Mavounzy, who had already made the first gwo-ka recording during a Vélo performance in 1963. Other albums followed. In 1978, Vélo took part in the déboulés, impromptu processions at carnival time in the streets of Pointe-à-Pitre. The members of the marching group wore recycled clothes, prompting the question: “Mé A Ki Yo”, “who are these people? This gave the group its name, Akiyo.Vélo left the group a few months later.
Marginal and without a real home, recognized as an artist but with little help from other artists who feared his disrespect for convention, Vélo fell ill, ceased all activity in May and died in hospital on June 5, 1984.

was born | est né

7 December 1931

died in | est mort par

5 June 1984

has nationality | a la nationalité

France

has type | est de type

depicted

is referred to by | est référencé par

Fondation pour la mémoire de l'esclavage

https://guadeloupe.mediatheques.fr/album/171456