The Best of Acoustic Blues Trio Saffire-The Uppity Blues Women

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Deluxe Editon, the "best of" CD from acoustic blues trio Saffire-The Uppity Blues Women will be released on January 31 by Alligator Records. With the release of their self-titled Alligator debut album back in 1990, Saffire-The Uppity Blues Women burst on the blues scene at a time when male-dominated, electric guitar-fueled bands ruled the roost. With their infectious acoustic blues Saffire reestablished and updated the long tradition of uppity women blues singers like Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, Sippie Wallace and Memphis Minnie. Mixing first-rate musicianship with equal parts of sass, soul and humor, Saffire unleashed unforgettable originals-composed with humor and poignancy-alongside definitive versions of classic blues songs. Living Blues raved, "Saffire effectively bridges the gap between traditional and contemporary blues with grit, unpredictability and authority."

Thanks to the undeniable talents, sassy attitudes and constant touring of pianist, guitarist, vocalist Ann Rabson, guitarist, harmonicist, vocalist Gaye Adegbalola and multi-instrumentalist, vocalist Andra Faye, Saffire have continued to spread their message wide and far. Over the course of six outstanding studio albums and one foot-stomping live release, Saffire--The Uppity Blues Women have earned legions of fans of all ages and genders all across the country and around the world. DELUXE EDITION captures some of the best songs and performances from these releases, featuring over 75 minutes of material selected by the band.

The group as a whole and all three women individually have received numerous Blues Music Award nominations from The Blues Foundation, and won the Blues Song of the Year Award in 1991 for Adegbalola's The Middle Aged Blues Boogie. In 1991, 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1999 Saffire--The Uppity Blues Women were nominated for Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year. Rabson received two nominations in 1998 (Acoustic Blues Album of the Year and Traditional Blues Album of the Year) for MUSIC MAKIN' MAMA. She received the nomination for Traditional Blues--Female Artist of the Year in 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and is nominated again for the 2006 Award. Faye received nominations in 2004 and 2005 for Blues Instrumentalis of the Year-Other (mandolin/violin).

It's been over 20 years since Ann Rabson joined forces with her guitar student, Gaye Adegbalola (a former award-winning 8th grade science teacher) and they set course for a full-time music career. After gigging around their hometown of Fredericksburg, Virginia, they quickly developed a substantial regional following. Ann and Gaye, along with the band's original bassist, Earlene Lewis, pooled their money and recorded an album that they forwarded to Alligator Records president Bruce Iglauer. The original songs and the musicianship, but most of all the feisty personality that shone through, impressed Iglauer. Although he had never signed or recorded an all-acoustic act before, he couldn't get them out of his mind.

Their debut album, 1990's SAFFIRE-THE UPPITY BLUES WOMEN, became one of Alligator's biggest selling releases ever. Gaye won a Blues Music Award for "Song Of The Year" for her raucous Middle-Aged Blues Boogie. The group quickly went from being local favorites to internationally recognized blues stars, sharing stages with Koko Taylor, B.B. King, Ray Charles and Willie Dixon, who said of the band, "They knock me out." National media outlets like Entertainment Tonight, CNN's Showbiz Today, and National Public Radio's Weekend Edition ran feature stories on the band. Saffire had definitely arrived. Their follow-up albums, 1991's HOT FLASH and 1992's BROADCASTING, took Saffire to even greater heights. Constant touring and increased radio play earned the group new fans everywhere they went. "Even people who don't like the blues can't resist them, " declared The Washington Post. With the departure of original bassist Lewis after the release of HOT FLASH, BROADCASTING featured multi-instrumentalist Andra Faye rounding out the sound. Andra's mastery of all things stringed and her country-tinged vocals added a new dimension to Saffire's music.

The band's subsequent tour and album, 1994's OLD, NEW, BORROWED & BLUE, brought Andra into the band full-time, and their fan base continued to swell. Features in MS. and an interview on National Public Radio's Fresh Air spread the word all across the country. Their subsequent albums, 1996's CLEANING HOUSE, 1998's LIVE & UPPITY and 2001's AIN'T GONNA HUSH! earned the band hordes of new fans and mountains of critical acclaim. Throughout all of their albums and live performances, Rabson, Adegbalola and Faye combine their voices and instruments to create a rollicking mix of soulful energy and infectious spirit.

DELUXE EDITION will delight old fans and invite a host of new fans into the world of Saffire-The Uppity Blues Women. "These three middle-aged women look more like fugitives from a Tupperware party than a typical blues band, " The Chicago Tribune reported after a characteristically buoyant Saffire gig. "But appearances can be deceiving, as these musicians demonstrated by tearing up the stage with their high-powered, take-no-prisoners approach." With DELUXE EDITION, Saffire's soulful, uplifting music will make certain their message continues to be heard loud and clear.

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