Singer Heads For Grad School at 53

Name: Rev. Rabia, 53

Occupation: Singer, guitarist

Where do you play around the Bay Area? I play every week at Café Mediterraneum. It’s in Berkeley on Telegraph—that’s kind of a famous place. A lot of people know me—sorta. I played at the San Francisco Blues Festival years ago. I’ve toured Italy.

What are you studying? I’m at Holy Names (University). My major is creative arts and cultural studies: I self-designed it. It’s a lot of fun, but it’s a lot of work. Then I’m getting ready to get into grad school (laughs). Why stop now?

This is my husband (next to me) and partner in crime, Keizo Yamazawa. He’s a famous photographer.

Keizo Yamazawa: Used to be!

Rev. Rabia: Infamous, too. He’s from Japan, but he’s been here many years. 

What kind of music do you perform? Mostly blues and some rock, a little jazz, kind of mixing it up. Right now, I’m known mostly for blues: that’s what I started out with.