ANN RABSON
Interviewed by Andy Bassett via email on 18 February 1998
Blues pianist extraordinaire and founding member of Saffire - The Uppity Blues Women (along with Gaye Adegbalola), Ann Rabson balances Saffire's relentless touring schedule with her own solo career. At the time of this interview, she was promoting her debut solo album, Music Makin' Mama.
AB: First of all, congratulations on your recent grandmotherhood. How does it feel to be a blues-rockin' grandma?
Rabson: It feels great. She's perfect, free and without inhibitions like any good blues woman.
While we're in congratulatory mode, your solo album Music Makin' Mama has been nominated for two WC Handy Awards, along with one for yourself in the Traditional Blues Female Artist category. Let's talk about the album. How different was it recording outside of the Saffire environment?
It was very different. While I had lots of guidance, ideas and encouragement from Bruce Iglauer (co- producer), Bonnie Tallman (manager), Chris Murphy and Brian Jensen (engineers) and the guest musicians, the decisions were up to me. There wasn't as much compromise and give and take as we have within SAFFIRE. In other words I had a lot more freedom to have things my way, from choosing the tunes to choosing the guests and beyond.
Saffire has a pretty busy touring schedule, yet you're also fitting in solo shows, as far afield as Greece and Hong Kong! How do you pace yourself?
Pace myself? Why would I do that? I'll pace myself when I'm dead.
Was it the amount of touring that prompted Earlene Lewis to leave Saffire after the Hot Flash album?
I have no idea.
Her replacement, Andra Faye McIntosh, performs even sassier songs than Earlene - "Lightning In These Thunder Thighs," for example. Onstage, does Andra perform any of the songs Earlene used to do, such as "One Good Man" or "Mr Insurance Man" or has her material pretty much dropped out of the set list?
Yes - Andra Faye performs both "One Good Man" and "Mr Insurance Man". In fact, both of those have been recorded for our forthcoming live album Live and Uppity which is due out March 10th. By the way, Andra has dropped the McIntosh and is now simply Andra Faye.
Saffire took part in this year's Ultimate Rhythm & Blues Cruise in January, cruising around the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. Sounds like a tough way to earn a living! Any interesting memories of the cruise?
It was a ball! For me, I loved playing four-handed piano with the wonderful Rev. Billy C. Wirtz and, later six-handed with a couple of fantastic keyboard players out of a couple of the other great bands. SAFFIRE jamming with Marty from Room Full on bass and Danny, Anson and Sam's drummer, RULED! Hearing the other bands all mix and mingle on the band stand - WOW! Hanging with musicians and non-musicians alike was great. Hearing familiar bands in such a relaxed setting was great. Hearing Bernard Allison was especially nice. He's one sweet and deeply bluesy chip off the old block for sure.
The list for one of the Saffire songbooks includes a song called "Weak Hips/Strong Lips." I can't find it on any album. Is this going to appear on the new live album?
That was a short-lived tune by Gaye. I think she was trying to find an answer to Middle Age Blues Boogie. The song didn't really take off. Maybe some time in the future.