Saffire | Australian Guitar Quartet
7:30 p.m., Friday, February 8, 2008 Rosenberger Auditorium, Halbritter Center
"With its cutting edge approach and almost superhuman performance precision, Saffire is a jewel in the crown of Australian contemporary music".The rhythmic blend of an array of guitars characterize the music of Saffire, a guitar quartet from Australia. The group from Down Under tries to undermine audience expectations by straying beyond its classical music roots to play in such genres as rock, flamenco, Renaissance music, Celtic and jazz. At ease playing Bela Bartok or Deep Purple, Saffire was formed in 2002 by four of Australia’s top guitar soloists. The group was formed spontaneously at a music festival, but their musical compatibility convinced the musicians to make the quartet permanent. The group has recorded several albums, including the award-winning "Nostalgica." The musicians play an array of guitars including baritone guitar, bass guitar, steel guitar and dobro.