Saffire, The Uppity Blues Women is the funny, feminist and "somewhat famous" trio of Ann Rabson, Gaye Adegbalola, and Andra Faye. Saffire arrived on the blues scene at a time when male-dominated guitar-fueled bands ruled the roost. Over the course of six albums and hundreds of gigs, the group has gone from virtual obscurity to one of the most popular, witty, and just plain satisfying acoustic blues groups on the scene today.
These women tear into their material with passion, dedication, and originality, playing equal parts of sass, soul and humor. Every song they cover becomes theirs, and their originals blend seamlessly with their interpretations. They are indeed the torchbearers for the original classic uppity blues women like Bessie Smith, Sippie Wallace and Victoria Spivey.
These "Uppity Women" are all talented vocal artists with their own unique styles and each plays a number of instruments. Ann and Gaye perform solo acts as well as performing with Saffire.
Ann Rabson began playing professionally at the age of 18. She took a day job as a computer analyst, but never stopped performing at night. She plays piano, guitar, and kazoo. The year 2003 marks Ann's seventh nomination for a W.C. Handy Award as Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year. In 1998 her first solo album, Music Makin' Mama, was nominated as Album of the Year in both the Traditional Blues and Acoustic Blues categories. In 1992 her composition Elevator Man was nominated for Song of the Year.
Gaye Adegbalola, a former biochemical researcher and Teacher of the Year in Virginia, plays guitar and harmonica. In 1990 Gaye received a W.C. Handy Award for "Song Of The Year," for her composition The Middle Age Boogie Blues. She is the mother of industrial/gothic musician Juno Lumumba.
Andra Faye joined the group in 1992. She plays an array of stringed instruments, including the fiddle, mandolin, acoustic bass, and guitar. Andra adds her country-tinged voice to the mix in Saffire.
Saffire's debut album in 1990, Saffire - The Uppity Blues Women, became one of Alligator labels biggest selling albums to date. Their follow up albums, 1991's Hot Flash and 1992's Broad Casting took Saffire to even greater heights. Down Beat Magazine called Hot Flash "a butt kicking, foot stomping follow up...one of the best blues albums of the year."Saffire, The Uppity Blues Women, is sponsored by Lois Lehrman Grass. The RLAC Performing Artist Series is online at the Web Site below.