CHICAGO, IL. (Top40 Charts/
Alligator Records) -
Alligator Records has set a January 27 release date for Havin' The Last Word, the new (and final) release from the groundbreaking and critically acclaimed acoustic blues trio, Saffire-The Uppity Blues Women. With their music, Ann Rabson, Gaye Adegbalola and Andra Faye reestablish and update 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 unleashes unforgettable originals, composed with humor and poignancy, alongside definitive versions of classic blues songs.
Over the course of six critically acclaimed studio albums, one live album and thousands of shows, the band has gone from virtual obscurity to become one of the most successful acoustic blues groups today. They will embark on their farewell tour starting in February to say goodbye to their long-time fans. In conjunction with the final album and tour, a n! ew documentary film on Saffire's incredible story, Hot Flash, will be available on iTunes beginning in early 2009.
During the course of their 25-year career, words like 'fearless,' 'inspiring,' 'witty,' 'joyful' and 'powerful' have been used to describe Saffire's smart, sassy, and deeply emotional blues. Havin' The Last Word will be their final declaration together as Saffire- The Uppity Blues Women; the group has decided it's time to move on so they can pursue their own individual interests. But pianist/ guitarist/ vocalist Ann Rabson, guitarist/harmonicist/vocalist Gaye Adegbalola and multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Andra Faye have plenty to say with Havin' The Last Word.
Saffire-The Uppity Blues Women burst onto the national music scene in 1990 with the release of their self-titled debut album, after six years of playing locally ! and regionally. With their brazen, no- holds-barred acoustic blues, Saffire took the music world by storm and earned legions of fans of all ages around the globe. 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 like People, Entertainment Tonight, CNN's Showbiz Today and National Public Radio's Weekend Edition sang the band's praises.
Their debut album, Saffire-The Uppity Blues Women, became one of Alligator's biggest selling releases ever. 1991's Hot Flash, followed by 1992's BroadCasting (with Andra Faye guesting on guitar, fiddle and mandolin), took Saffire to even greater heights; Andra's mastery of all things stri! nged and her country-tinged vocals added a new dimension to Saffire's music. Constant touring and increased radio play earned the group new fans everywhere they went. Features in Ms. and other magazines plus 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. And in 2006 Alligator released their "best of" CD, Deluxe Edition.
The new CD may be called Havin' The Last Word, but you haven't heard the last of Ann, Gaye and Andra; these three are far from hanging up their instruments, and each will continue to perform. The success of Saffire has opened up a whole new w! orld of possibilities. With Havin' The Last Word, Saffire's positive message of strength, joy, love and sisterhood through music will continue to reach all corners of the music-loving world. And that's saying a lot.
