Biography

French jazz singer and recording artist Raquel Bitton is recognized as the foremost singer of French Jazz music in America today and has been internationally reviewed as the greatest interpreter of the music from the Edith Piaf repertoire.

Raquel Bitton

Raquel was Born in Marrakesh, Morocco. In 1970, as a teenager, Raquel and her family moved to San Francisco where she began her American career, focusing on the songs from the French l’Age d’Or.

She discovered her French repertoire by dusting off her father’s old records that he brought with him to America. Raquel was drawn to the passionate melodies and lyrics of the romantic period of the 1930’s and 40’s.

Raquel’s insatiable appetite for songs of the heart led her to the Edith Piaf songbook. Raquel became not only an expert historian on the life and songs of Edith Piaf, but also a renowned interpreter of her music, singularly able to capture the complete essence of one of the great vocalists of the 20th Century.

Raquel has performed her hit show, “Raquel Bitton sings Piaf- her story, her songs” to sold-out performances at notable concert halls across North America including Carnegie Hall 3x “PIAF- her story, her songs” celebrates the extraordinary life of the legendary Piaf through her songs. A 20-piece orchestra backs Bitton’s one-woman tribute to the “little sparrow.” Bitton’s unique, heartfelt renditions (sung in French) and her powerful delivery take her audience on an intensely moving and emotional journey.

In addition, Raquel performs several other elegant French-themed presentations including “Pops goes to Paris” (for symphony pops) “A Little Bit Of Paris” and now her newest show “Boleros” Where Passion Meets Romance to support her new French/Latin Jazz CD release “Boleros”

Critical Acclaim

“MAGNIFICENT, EMOTIONAL, MESMERIZING….

Musically stunning' Bitton’s impassioned delivery has a trance-like effect on a listener. Piaf and Billie Holiday share a poignancy that few others have mastered; Bitton, here, is one.” Phil Elwood, San Francisco Examiner

“BITTON’S VOCALS…HONORED PIAF’S STYLE

without strictly imitating it. No one could live up to a legend so inflated, but a bright interpreter like Ms. Bitton certainly can illuminate it.” Ann Powers, The New York Times

“BITTON OFFERS TOUCHING TRIBUTE TO PIAF.

Bitton delivered a performance that would surely have been touching even to someone who’d never heard of Piaf. Classic pieces such as Sous le ciel de Paris; Milord; Non, je ne regrette rien; and, of course, La vie en rose triggered ecstatic applause from a packed crowd.” Don Heckman, Los Angeles Times

“PIAF IS BORN AGAIN – RAQUEL BITTON BRINGS A LEGEND BACK TO LIFE.

Raquel Bitton went straight to the audience’s heart like Piaf before her…. [Carnegie Hall] was packed with people far as the eye could see. Raquel Bitton’s show was well and truly sold out! This singer doesn’t simply imitate, she performs in her own right and performs with the same burning passion of the one and only Madame Piaf! That Saturday night, another star was born.” Myriem Wong, France Amerique/Radio France International/Figaro.

“THERE IS THE UNMISTAKABLE PASSION

Ms. Bitton brings to her invocation of the Piaf vocal spirit.” Barry Singer, The New York Times