Biography
Born on 28 August 1972 in New York City, New York, USA, Ciofalo began singing at a very early age and gave her first public performance at nine. At that stage her material consisted of traditional church music, but after committing to a singing career she enrolled at the Juilliard School of Music. Educator Howlett Smith urged her to investigate jazz, leading her to jazz workshops that provided lessons from Sheila Jordan and Mark Murphy; she subsequently appeared with both Murphy and pianist Barry Harris. In the mid-1980s her professional career began after she was selected from 300 applicants to perform with a big band. Although jazz remains her main focus, Ciofalo has also worked with reggae and rock bands and appeared in musical theatre. She performs across a range of venues, from small clubs to festivals, and concentrates her activity in the East Coast states. An accomplished songwriter as well, she draws on a broad repertoire that features sultry ballads and raunchy blues songs.
Albums
