DTHOmnibusThursday, February 2, 19893
Sapphire keeps on shining with a clear blues light
By ALLISON PIKE
Staff Writer
in 1987, three middle-aged
women decided to leave their full
time jobs in order to pursue their
first love: blues music After play
ing blues part-time for four years,
Sapphire embarked on its new full
time career last summer, and have
been playing up and down the East
Coast ever since. Theyll be per
forming at the ArtsCenter on
Feb. 8.
"Uppity Blues women" is what
the members of Sapphire, who hail
from Fredericksburg, va., have
proclaimed themselves. They're
proud of their womanhood, proud
of their ages, proud of their
musical talents, and proud of their
heritages. Bassist Earlene Lewis, 43,
is part Cherokee "and all Okie"
guitarist Caye Adegbalola, 44, is a
Baptist Virginian; and pianist Ann
Rabson, 43, is a Jewish Ohioan.
It was Rabson who first decided
to leave her job as a computer
systems analyst to pursue her life
long dream of becoming a full
time musician. Adegbalola, a school
teacher, and Lewis, an information
analyst, both decided to take one
year leaves of absence in order to
help Rabson give her dream a fair
shot.
"iVe taken a big chop in salary
to realize a little dream of being
a full-time musician," said Adegbal
ola "IVe been a frustrated mus
ician since I was in high school. I
figure I better go for it now before
arthritis sets ia"
Musically, the jazz industry has
By CATHY MCHUCH
Omnibus Editor
I must admit IVe never seen
WAVC Top 20 I
1. Qmv Kins Gipsy Kings
2. Lou Reed New York
3. Roser Manntns Roger Manning
4. Death of Samaf ha Where the Women Wear the
Glory and the Men Wear the
Pants
5. Violent Fernmes 3
6. Donnor Party Donnor Party
1. The Reivers End of the Day
8. New Order Technique
.9, Throwing Muses Hunkpapa
10. Bongos Bass and Bob Never Mind the Sex Pistols
IK Syd Barrett Opel
12. Fugazi Fugazi
1 3. Woody Guthrie Dust Bowl Ballad
14. Replacements Don't Tell a Soul
15. Wonder Stuff The Eight Legged Groove
Machine
16. Christmas The Psykick Revolution
17. Beleza Tropical Brazil Classics One
18. Giant Sand The Love Songs
19. Midge Ure Answers to Nothing
20. Tfr3 Fall , , 1 am Kurios Qranj
been dominated by men who
leave only the singing to women.
Sapphire is unusual in that all three
female members are accomplished
musicians. But neither their ages
nor their gender has stood in
Sapphire's way. In fact, Rabson
says being an all-female act has
helped. "I think it's an advantage
because it's unusual. But once
we've gotten people's attention,
we still have to prove ourselves
by being good craftsmen.
"Men are great in their place.
But it's real nice working with
women. At least these women.
There's not a lot of competition.
There's not a lot of ego problems.
We're really supportive of each
other, both emotionally and mus
ically. And we're all really con
cerned about how the band
sounds."
Songs by everyone from Cab
Calloway to Little Richard to Huey
Lewis comprise Sapphire's reper
toire. All three group members
share vocals, but each Sapphire
show is highlighted by Adegbalo
la's soulful covers of Billie Holiday
and Bessie Smith tunes.
"I was always looking to keep
the blues alive," says Adegbalola.
"Bessie Smith lives!"
Apart from singing, Adegbalola
also writes a large portion of the
band's original compositions. Her
songs are both serious and light
hearted, covering topics about
love "How Can I Say I Miss You
When l Cant Get You To Leave"
and her occupation "School
Teacher Blues." Adegbalola also
a groundhog and we will go to
press before 111 know for sure if
today is sunny. Considering it's
been sunny and strangely spring
like for a while now, I guess the
chances that the the groundhog
will see his shadow are pretty
good. And you know what that
means ... an end to this lovely
weather weVe been having.
KJ ill VV 'T
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These "Uppity Blues Women" of Sapphire are on the road singing
ArtsCenter in Carrboro Wednesday.
writes about her age as in the song
"Middle-Aged Blues Boogie" where
she sings: "111 forget about my
arthritis, my backache, my lum-
bago. My young man makes me
boogie at the horizontal disco."
As Rabson points out, the group
covers the same subjects as do
male songwriters. The difference
is that Sapphire sings from the
We Americans just love all this
legendary stuff and silly holidays.
Groundhog Day started in 1871.
I dont know why. (I have the
same sickness as almost eve
ryone else on this campus so I
didnt make it to the library to
look it up. If it ruins your day,
let me know.) Anyway, the
legend holds that if the ground
hog comes out and sees his
shadow hell be frightened back
7 oz. baby bottles of :
Bud, Bud Light, Lite
-your choice- $2.99 an 8-pack
Natural Light $2.79
63
viewpoint of women.
"It's nice for women in the
audience if it's expressing some of
their experiences. But it's nice for
men, too, because it helps them
understand women."
Leaving settled lives behind has
its disadvantages and its risks, but
Sapphire feels these risks are
worth taking. Rabson says matur-
into hibernation if the day is
sunny it traditionally indicates
six more weeks of winter and if
the day is cloudy an early spring
is expected. All of this makes a
lot of sense, which is why this
is a national holiday listed on
every trendy calendar. I guess
this means Old Man Winter will
be coming back for a visit, bring
ing Jack Frost along for the ride,
wont that be nice?
VECSA! UTLET'S
-others available
(The little place on Rosemary Street)
the blues. They perform at the
ity makes Sapphire "confident"
and able to realize what the really
important things in life are.
"People play this music because
they love it," says Adegbalola. "It's
therapy. You can get up there and
bare your soul to somebody and
it's like providing a catharsis for
people. You aren't playing the
blues for the money."
Groundhog itself is an interest
ing word, in the dictionary,
groundhog is cross-listed. It says,
"See woodchuck." How much
wood would a woodchuck chuck,
if a woodchuck could chuck
wood? I wonder why no one ever
came up with "How much ground
would a groundhog hog?"
Well, l guess that speaks for
itself.
VISA
3
9S7-FREE
309 W. Rosemary St.