Saffron Summerfield

b. 29 August 1949, Weston Favel, Northamptonshire, England. Playing guitar and piano, singer-songwriter Saffron enjoyed a good deal of popularity during the mid- to late 70s. Having studied classical and modern guitar with Vic Jacques, in the early 70s, she went on to play support to Fairport Convention in Holland, Long John Baldry in the UK, Joan Armatrading in Holland, and Alquin in Holland and Germany, during the period 1976 to 1979. Despite working a great deal, and her style of combining blues/jazz influences, her career never took off, in England, as well as it should have done. However, she regularly toured in Holland and Belgium, where she was extremely popular, and played Ireland and Scotland a great deal. Both her albums were released on her own Mother Earth label in the UK, but in Holland were released on Polydor Records. From 1984-85, she was the ‘musician in residence’ at Battersea Arts Centre, in London, and in 1986/87, she was musical director for two documentaries, under the series title ‘Six Of Hearts’, on Channel 4 television. From 1987, Saffron took a temporary lay-off from performing, but has now returned to live appearances, with a new album, for Brewhouse Records, being recorded for release in 1994.