Zao were among the most important bands in zeuhl — the visionary genre pioneered by Magma — and the very first great Magma offshoot. Founded by two players from Magma’s early, jazzier era, keyboardist François ‘Faton’ Cahen and Hungarian-born reedsman Yochk’o Seffer, they took the zeuhl sound in a lighter, more jazz-driven direction all their own.

The short version

Zao were a French band, formed around 1972–73 by two former members of Magma. Their music was zeuhl — the Magma-derived style of cosmic, jazz-inflected prog — but jazzier, lighter and more earthbound than their parent band, driven by François Cahen’s keyboards and Yochk’o Seffer’s saxophones. The four albums here span their classic run, from the landmark zeuhl debut “Z=7L” (1973) to the increasingly jazz-fusion “Kawana” (1976).

Leaving Magma

Cahen and Seffer had both played on Magma’s first, jazz-leaning albums, but left in 1972 as Christian Vander took full control and steered the band toward the darker, more ritualistic zeuhl of ‘Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh.’ Wanting to keep the jazzier spirit alive, the two formed Zao — the first branch to grow from the Magma tree. They recruited bassist Joël Dugrenot, drummer Jean-My Truong and the remarkable singer Mauricia Platon, and in 1973 released their debut, whose title ‘Z=7L’ is itself a play on the word ‘zeuhl.’

A jazzier zeuhl

Zao’s music was instantly recognisable as kin to Magma — the same rhythmic intensity and wordless, operatic vocals — but lighter, warmer and more grounded in jazz. Where Magma sounded otherworldly, Zao sounded earthbound and playful, weaving Seffer’s saxophone and Hungarian folk flavours, Cahen’s Fender Rhodes and piano, violin, and jazz-fusion energy in the manner of Weather Report or Return to Forever. On the debut, Mauricia Platon’s soaring, celestial scat vocals gave the music an unforgettable voice.

If this is your scene, the books go deeper →

From zeuhl to fusion

After “Z=7L” (1973), Platon left, and Zao moved steadily toward jazz-fusion. “Osiris” (1974), released on Richard Pinhas’s Disjuncta label, was more instrumental and fusion-based; “Shekina” (1975) added a female string quartet; and “Kawana” (1976) brought in the celebrated jazz violinist Didier Lockwood. A final album, “Typhareth” (1977) — featuring a young Manu Katché on drums — completed their shift into pure fusion before the band wound down.

Album by album

Four Zao albums, in order. Tap any title to explore.

The players

Zao were founded by keyboardist François ‘Faton’ Cahen and reedsman Yochk’o Seffer, with bassist Joël Dugrenot, drummer Jean-My Truong and, on the debut, the extraordinary vocalist Mauricia Platon at the heart of the classic line-up. Later albums brought in bassist Gérard Prévost and violinist Didier Lockwood, among others. François Cahen — the band’s guiding force alongside Seffer — died in 2011, and a tribute concert the following year is regarded by the surviving members as the true end of Zao.

Where to start

Start with the debut “Z=7L” (1973) — Zao’s zeuhl masterpiece and a cornerstone of the genre, its jazzy intensity crowned by Mauricia Platon’s astonishing vocals. From there, “Osiris” (1974) shows their move toward instrumental jazz-fusion, while “Kawana” (1976), with Didier Lockwood’s violin, is their most polished fusion statement. For zeuhl and Magma lovers, the debut is essential.

Why they still matter

Zao matter as the first and one of the finest of the many bands to grow from Magma — the group that proved zeuhl could be a living, evolving language rather than one band’s private world. Their blend of cosmic intensity, jazz sophistication and sheer invention influenced the whole zeuhl movement that followed, and their debut remains a genuine classic. For anyone drawn to Magma, to jazz-fusion, or to the stranger and richer corners of French prog, Zao are essential.

Browse the bookshelf in the footer →