Edith Piaf, "La Môme Piaf" (the Little Sparrow) was a poignant, heartbreaking songbird, born and raised on the streets of Paris. She sang her way through a tempestuous life of lurid affairs, unsavory associations, and drug and alcohol abuse. Discovered in 1935 by a nightclub owner, Piaf impassioned audiences with her deep expressions of romance, love, grief, and joy. She died in 1963, but her spirit lives on through generations of audiences that fall in love with her fiery music and the story of her tumultuous life.

About 40 years later, Ziaf formed as an offshoot of Boston-based electronic rock band "All the Queen's Men" (AQM). With the addition of "La vie en rose" to their repertoire in early 2003, AQM was approached by the coordinator of a Bastille Day event with a request to expand and perform their own Piaf selections. The success of this show, subsequent demand for bookings, and the sheer enjoyment of playing Piaf's music, led to the crystallization of Ziaf as an official band in October of 2003.

Performing a classic repertoire of such complexity and character can be risky and challenging. Ziaf's inventive arrangements successfully pare down full orchestrations into a raw emotive musical experience, based on the core of the group-Christine Zufferey (vocals), Catherine Capozzi (guitar) and Tamora Gooding (drums). It is perhaps with the voice and presence of Swiss-native Christine Zufferey (the Z in Ziaf) that audiences find great resonance. The Boston Globe writes, "Piaf was known for a dramatic, vibrato-laden voice that infused her songs with palpable emotion, a characteristic that Zufferey embodies perfectly."

Within a short period of time, Ziaf has performed to capacity audiences throughout Northeastern U.S. and Europe. Enthusiastic fans, ranging in age from 18 to 80 (including some who had seen Edith Piaf perform in the 1950's), consistently demand encores of their favorite songs at every show. Performance venues include residencies, theatres, festivals, special events, private parties and clubs. Their debut recording, hommage à Edith Piaf, was released in April of 2004 and has garnered radio play in Boston, Montreal and Switzerland. Ziaf's second CD, Hello Boy! You come with me? was released in April of 2005. Their sophomore release elevated the band into the national radio spotlight in the U.S. with interviews and airplay on both NPR's Here and Now news show and the BBC World Program The Global Hit. Across the pond in France, they were interviewed on Serge Le Vaillant's show, Sous les étoiles exactement on FranceInter. In addition to radio play, the band captured the attention of Zoom-Zoom Productions and was featured in the film/documentary Marguerite Monnot, Dans l'ombre de Piaf. It was released in November 2005 and broadcast on TSR1 and TSR2 (SWITZERLAND) as well as France3 Bourgogne Franche Comté (FRANCE). Their third CD, En Rose, was recorded as a special edition EP for the fall 2005 European tour. It received significant airplay with hits such as La vie en rose, Mon Dieu, and Milord. Georges Moustaki, famed performer and writer of Milord and other Piaf songs, had said: Freshness, musicality, rhythm, talent, sensibility, emotion...Piaf would have loved to hear these songs "revisited" by Ziaf. A celebration that lives up to the genius of the great little lady.

Ziaf's 2007 Spring Touring Schedule will bring them to France, Switzerland, Taiwan and back to the US for a few select dates. Founding members Christine, Catherine and Tamora (voice, guitar, drums) continue to breath new life into Piaf's classic repetoire of songs (as a power of three trio.)

 

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