RENEE GEYER, BLUES LICENSE
Blues License - 25 June 1979 - (RCA/Mushroom)
Produced by Mal Logan & Renee Geyer
The Thrill Is Gone
That Did It Babe
Set Me Free
Bellhop Blues
Won't Be Long
Stormy Monday
Dust My Blues
Feeling Is Believing
Musicians
Mal Logan Keyboards
Kevin Borich Guitar John Annas Drums Tim Partridge Bass
Kerri Bidell B Gnd Vocals Ron King Blues Harp Tim Piper Guitar
Steve Hopes Drums
Mark Punch Guitar
John Watson Drums
Renee Geyer
In the 70's, Renee Geyer rose to national prominence with a
clutch of hit singles and albums that found her music
flowing gracefully between pop, rock, soul and blues.,
Renee serenaded the charts with a string of songs
including It's A Man's Man's World", "Stares &
Whispers" and "Heading In The Right Direction".
The hits continued into the "80"s with the memorable
"Say I Love You" which was recorded in the US as
part of the "So Lucky" album. In the mid "80's Renee
settled in America where she began writing, and
broadening her musical base to include R&B, jazz,
country and Latin rhythms. In 1988 Renee formed a
group with legendary funkster Hamish Stuart of
Average White Band fame, recording an album for
release in America. She also toured and recorded
with everyone from Chaka Khan, Buddy Guy and Sting
through to Joe Cocker, Julio Inglesias and Neil
Diamond. Occasionally Renee nipped back to the
Land Of Oz where she was still in demand, working
with revered artists such as Paul Kelly.
At the same time a new generation is discovering the
raw groove of Renee's earlier work. With the energetic
dance scene inventing new genres every day, DJ's
searched feverishly for new inspirations. Renee Geyer
was soon finding her way into the sets of a new groove
scene: drum 'n' bassheads, trip hoppers, house
fanatics and super funkers were scouring record
stores for Renee rarities (and the prices began to
soar). Acid Jazz head honcho Eddie Pillar gave her
work the thumbs up as did Oss, resident DJ at
London's Blue Note.
A return to Australia found Renee more in demand
than ever before. DJ Paul Maine was the first to
expose her ever-improving vocals to the "90's dance
set. A wild house collaboration found its way to the
very hot Strictly Rhythm label in New York, and onto the
decks of America's leading DJ's (recently dropped
into the club set of Washington's Deep Dish while
touring Australia).
Renee's music and the ability she has as a singer has
grown and evolved by experimenting with many
different styles. She has continued to push the
envelope during her career, but the one thing that
remains constant is the high calibre of musicians that
Renee has worked with both here and overseas. The
reason for this unusually tight bond with most
musicians is her spontaneous and fresh approach to
material, old and new, which then encourages
musicians to stretch themselves as well.
Her influence is so strong that a recent benefit concert
organised by Renee to raise money for Marc Hunter
brought together the likes of John Farnham, Dave
Graney and Tex Perkins with newer bands Snout and
Even.
Perhaps the Herald-Sun best summed up Renee
Geyer when commenting on her work for Marc Hunter.
Congratulating her organisational efforts, they wrote
she was able to produce 'an event without ego only
compassion.' She sings it like that as well.
One of the biggest challenges with a singer who has
had such a prolific career is deciding which songs
warrant being included in a compilation entitled the
"Best Of". The decision to omit certain tracks was by
no means an easy one, and the tracks included were
narrowed down by way of representing Renee as a
vocalist and her growth as a singer. The songs chosen
were those that represent the transformation and
development through the years. A vocal journey of
Renee Geyer.
Renee has always had major respect from her peers
in the industry, and on 'Sweet Life' she works closely
with a high calibre of musicians including Mark
Kennedy, Harry Brus, Paul Berton, Paul Gray, Spencer
P. Jones, Peter Luscome, Shane O'Mara, Ross
Hannaford and many more.
Joe Camilleri & Paul Kelly produced the album, which
includes tracks written by Paul Kelly, Peter Milton
Walsh, John Clifforth, Kenneth Crouch and Renee
Geyer.
'Sweet Life' tracks include 'You Broke A Beautiful
Thing', an achingly beautiful song penned by Paul Kelly
that will surely become a signature tune for Renee,
and a stunning version of the Motown hit "I'm Gonna
Make You Love Me", with Renee and local heroes
CDB teaming up together in what will become an
alltime classic collaboration...
