Louis Vola was born in La-Seyne-sur-Mer (France) on the 6st of July 1902 as son of an italian shoemaker.At first starting to play the accordeon of his father, he soon is interested in playing other instruments. Vola was to find at the "Bals Musette" as accompaning musician, but at first finishing his education as a bakerman.
Louis Vola learned to play the bass and became a professional musician. He was one of the first musicians of the legendary Quintett du Hot Club de France.
Very often he has been somewhat like the "peacemaker" between Django Reinhardt und Stephane Grapelli, which argued pretty often.
One of his first engagements where Louis Vola and his band invited the young Django Reinhardt as their Guitarrist was happening at the "Palm Beach Casino" in Cannes about 1932.
But as Django (see Django - private life) was not to show up at gigs very often, rather beeing on the road with his cousins in the provence area, Vola had a hard time with the clubowners pretty often. Nevertheless he instictively knew that Django was somebody special and that he had to take and accept his behavior if wanting to play concerts with him.
At the warbreakout in 1939 Louis Vola played with the "Ray Ventura Orchestra" and, together with some members of the orchestra, he flew to south-america, where he stayed for 8 years in exile.
Finally returning to Paris the music and the scene had changed a lot, leaving him behind without jobs or engagements. After returning to the Cote d´Azur, unsuccessfully tring to lead a restaurant, he joined a russian Restaurant named "Scheherazade", which was en vogue this time. He almost stayed there for more than 30 years.
One of his biggest efforts was the passion for music and the development and mentoring of young Django Reinhardt as his role as catalysator between Reinhardt and Grappelli. Although he made the best from his limited musical ability making the most of it. He was without a doubt an accepted session-musician that made concerts with many famous people. During his years at the "Scheherazade" he as well played drums and piano.
In the late 1950ies he retired and went to Cachan where he died in August 1990.
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