What’s in a name: Zia “The Cat”

Zia Tammami, the iconic KLSU deejay and internationally syndicated host of Spontaneous Combustion, wasn’t always known as Zia “The Cat.” The LSU graduate, who emigrated to the U.S. from Europe at age 17, launched his late-night jazz, Latin and big band show in 1977 when the station was an AM frequency and called WLSU. Back then two friends, acclaimed artist Emerson Bell and local jazz connoisseur and Big Joe Turner pal Charles Perry, began calling Tammami “The Cat.”

“They thought I was playing very ‘cool’ jazz music,” Tammami says. “Later on, Southern jazz professor Alvin Batiste gave me the ‘ice man’ title.”

Listen to Spontaneous Combustion, now celebrating its 35th year, every Sunday morning from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on KLSU 91.1 FM.