ANN RABSON
Vocals, Piano, Guitar(#) and Kazoo GAYE ADEGBALOLA
Vocals and Guitar

EARLENE LEWIS
Vocals and Bass

*with BILLY BRANCH
Harmonica

Produced by SAFFIRE
...

ANN RABSON
Vocals, Piano, Guitar(#) and Kazoo GAYE ADEGBALOLA
Vocals and Guitar

EARLENE LEWIS
Vocals and Bass

*with BILLY BRANCH
Harmonica

Produced by SAFFIRE
THE UPPITY BLUES WOMEN
and BRUCE IGLAUER

Recorded and mixed at
STREETERVILLE STUDIOS, Chicago, IL

Engineered and mixed by
SAM FISHKIN

Cover photos by
PETER AMFT

Cover design by
MATT MINDE

Mastered by
TOM COYNE at DMS, New York, NY

Liner Notes

For us, the past year has been one big Hot Flash in so many ways. A year ago, having been a full time band for only nine months, we were touring the Southeastern U.S. in a cold van which was pushing 200,000 miles of hard travelling, often playing for the door and living on plastic money. Then it happened. Since the release of Saffire - The Uppity Blues Women in February of 1990, it feels like we've been riding a thrilling whirlwind. We have had the opportunity to appear in clubs, colleges, concerts, festivals and on TV and radio in Europe, Canada and throughout the United States. We have had the excitement of seeing our CD in bins in record stores not only at home but also in Europe. To be recognized in airports in Europe and at rest stops on American interstates amazes us.  

We've shared stages with so many of our blues heroes, people like Koko Taylor, Taj Mahal, John Jackson, John Hammond, Jr., Etta Baker, Dr. John, Etta James, Cephas and Wiggins, Lonnie Brooks, Eddie Shaw and Johnny Copeland. Having the immortal Willie Dixon join us in singing Wang Dang Doodle on stage at the Chicago Blues Festival was a delight beyond our wildest imagining. This has been a truly wonderful year for us, a year in which reality has far surpassed our fantasies.
-Saffire -- The Uppity Blues Women

THANK YOUS-To our families, friends, and fans, who have made this wonderful year possible. A special thanks is needed for those who are closely involved in the day-to-day conduct of our business. We want to thank Beth Perkins, our uppity editor, for letting everyone know where to hear us, Rosemary Oakley for keeping our finances accounted for, Janet Zacchini for letting nothing fall through the cracks, Lisa Shively for letting the world know we exist, and Kris Benson, Lee Moore and the crew at East Coast Entertainment for helping us give colleges the blues. We also want to thank Bruce Iglauer for all his help and for taking a chance with us.

 

We want to express our appreciation to Kathleen Finigan for doing so much more than just keeping us in work (but for also keeping us in work), and Chase Jackson for managing us even though we are unmanageable. And a very special thank you from all of us to Arleen Dowd. We have been blessed.

 

 

 

 

"They knock me out"
- WILLIE DIXON

"Saucy, bawdy, roadhouse-style take-no-guff blues with plenty of brass"
- PEOPLE