Blue Heat

THE rain finally gave way allowing sunny blue skies to shine on the 17th annual Thredbo Blues Festival.
Two thousand people hit Thredbo village over the weekend with 21 bands and over 100 muso’s all partying the weekend away to a mix of blues, soul, funk and some classic Australia rock.
The Poolside Bar was packed both days with people of all ages enjoying the blues and the sunshine while children splashed in and out of the pool to the tunes of festival favourites Gail Page and Blue Heat.
Sensational sunset sessions were the highlight of the festival according to Thredbo Chamber of Commerce executive, Reggae Elliss.
“It was certainly a favourite festival for many of the performers” said Mr Elliss.
“The perfect weather helped crank up the outdoor venues, such as the Poolside Bar and House of Ullr,” said Mr Elliss, “and a lot of variety in the line up attracted festival goers of all ages”.

Seven piece rhythm and blues band Blue Heat from Warrnambool returned to the festival for the first time since reforming in 2005 after a 14-year break. The band played Poolside during the days and led the festival finale at the Keller Bar at midnight on Sunday that saw an all star jam session with Gail Page, Jeff Lang and Ray Beadle joining the Blue Heat boys on stage for a late night jam lasting until 3am.
Many of the festival performers return year after year. Blue Heat co-manager Robert Quantrelle has been a regular at the Thredbo Blues Festival for 15 years. He praised the efforts of the festival organisers. “It is a really good program with something new and different each year and a high standard of quality music” said Mr Quantrelle.
“From a musicians point of view the festival organisers and the Chamber of Commerce do an exemplary job of looking after the artists. It keeps them coming back year after year as they enjoy the opportunity to network with other musicians and to get away and take advantage of the fantastic facilities at Thredbo.”
Workshops on offer over the weekend were extremely popular and included two dance workshops, two guitar workshops a drum workshop and a recording workshop. Classically Blue were outstanding at Poolside and Steve Edmonds Band rocked Eagles Nest. Other highlights included Jeff Lang, Gail Page, Chris Mawer, Bridie King, Ray Beadle and Marshall and the Fro making an amazing weekend in Thredbo with the most amazing weather.
After coming to so many festivals Mr Quantrelle remarks on all the familiar faces he sees year after year. “They wouldn’t come back if it wasn’t good,” he concluded. - SUMMIT SUN BY JACKIE FENTON 20 Jan, 2011 10:48 AM

LAUNCHING their debut CD (Marooned, on Blues Club Records), Warrnambool blues band, Blue Heat, entertained a modest crowd at the Central Club. They really deserved to be playing to a full house.

For musicianship, quality of material, and the high-spirited energy they put into their performance, they stand comparison with the very best blues bands that can be heard in Melbourne or Sydney.

The first thing that hit me when Blue Heat started playing was the size of their sound. The mix was a notch louder than I would have chosen, but it was not a matter of volume, so much as the weight of sound the power that they could produce with an organ at the heart of the band and three horns blowing hard.
Bass guitarist Graeme Galbraith and drummer Barry Galbraith provided a rock-solid foundation, while trumpeter Matthew Trenery, trombonist Paul Lemke and tenor saxophonist Bradley Harrison gave the band its distinctive sound, playing exuberant riffs.

At the centre of everything was guitarist and singer Marco Goldsmith, who was rewarding in both roles. He sang with complete assurance and plenty of feeling, often reaching into the falsetto register for good emotive effect.
Goldsmith's guitar playing was sensational, without ever being flashy or exhibitionist. He knew how to pace his solos, showing a keen sense of drama as he built to a climax on slower numbers like I Cried All Day.

Richard Tankard played an electric keyboard with organ, electric piano and clavinet settings, and gave the band another strong solo voice to contrast with Goldsmith. So did Harrison, whose beefy tenor solos generally wasted no time reaching a frantic peak of energy, and stayed right there.

Apart from one song by the American blues star, Joe Louis Walker, Blue Heat played an all-original program, with lyrics by Goldsmith and musical arrangements by the whole band. The style of their material was within the modern American blues tradition Chicago blues with a dash of R&B but it would be foolish to dismiss Blue Heat's music as derivative.

The lyrics may not look especially deep on paper, but in performance they provided a fresh, personal look at the perennial subjects of the blues and the joys and woes of physical attraction and personal relationships, with an appealing element of wit.
This review is copyright © Tuesday February 28, 1995 Adrian Jackson. All rights reserved. Used by permission. - The Age

Here I go again ! Irresistible Behaviour by Marco Goldsmith's Blue Heat is the best Australian blues album since Blue Heat's previous album, Marooned.
The seven strong Warrnambool outfit crank up a sophisticated brand of urban R&B with just a touch of the woodshed, no pretension whatsoever and mountains of class and cool.

Quality is in top order and not one lick is overblown or dragged out in the name of false improvisation. Blue heat swings the blues courtesy of fabulously subtle horns that have the inherent ability to make one cry as attested by the fills and the changes of "Don't You Love Me Too Much".

The fraternal tightness of the Galbraith brothers rhythm section anchors the 10 tracks perfectly - just the security that Bradley Harrison needs to float a sinuous sax fill. Or for Mr. Goldsmith himself, the hip vocalist, writer, and guitarist who uses it to inject his craft. Yes, Blue Heat has got it right on all three stages of the song - the intro, the body and the finale.

"I'm Comin' Home" and "Right Track" are so good they warrant a long eulogising paragraph. Richard Tankard's slick keyboards provide the most subtle intro to this refined tune but if you were to intro-scan the intros to each tune at 10 seconds a song, you would have, in 100 seconds, all the persuasion needed to shell out your hard earned for what is another hallmark in Blue Heat's remarkably short recording career.

Marco Goldsmith's Blue Heat has the same tenacity, the same verve, the same economical yet improvisatory craft and deep feel that the best R&B bands from Houston, Los Angeles and West Memphis exhibited in the '40's, 50's and 60's. And yet this band is very much part of today's scene.

The next time this most esteemed gentlemen of the blues, Mr. B. B. King comes to Melbourne, he would be well advised to employ Blue Heat for himself. That's for sure!

This review is copyright © September 1996 by Terry Reilly. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

- The Age

The seven strong Warrnambool outfit crank up a sophisticated brand or urban R&B with just a touch of the woodshed, no pretension whatsoever and mountains of class and cool. - Terry Reilly - The Age

Independent
In the early to mid 90's, arguably a time when blues music was at its peak in Australia, Blue Heat garnered a reputation as the premier blues act in the country. Hailing from Warrnambool, originally a three piece, the three soon became seven, resplendent with three piece horn section, guitar, piano and rhythm section. They wowed audiences with music that you could dance too, had lyrics that both sexes could relate too and at times delved into deep blues that soothed the soul. The difficulties of touring a large band in such a large country eventually took its toll and Blue Heat disbanded at the height of their career, on their own terms. After two highly acclaimed and award winning albums, 'Marooned' 1995 and 'Irresistible Behaviour' 1996, this their third album, 'Live at the Continental ' , was recorded in 1997, the same year they disbanded. Its 2009 release, following the band's reformation in 2005, has stirred interest across the country. Revisiting songs about deep love, the fear and trials and tribulations of such love and the hurt when such love is destroyed, along with music that truly energizes, has fans remembering the bands greatness and new fans wondering why they have never heard of them! 'Marooned,' 'I Want Your Love,' 'I'm Coming Home,' 'One Day Too Long,' 'Someone Else Is Kissin' Ya,' 'Why Oh Why' and 'Hey Hey Hey' provide a "best of " compilation and an excellent introduction to their material and the energy of their live performance.
For Melbournians, this album also ignites memories of a legendary music venue, that sadly has not been equalled since its close in 2002. Guest artist on the album, Jeff Lang, has since forged a reputation world-wide and thoughts emerge of what Blue Heat may have been able to achieve if they had continued. However their absence has acted like a time capsule, we didn't have to suffer a bands burnout or changes in personnel or styles. Blue Heat left in their prime and after recent shows, at the Port Fairy Folk Festival, Wangaratta Jazz and Blues Festival and Queenscliff Music Festival have returned to their prime, with potential for exceeding it. They have shown that maturity has enhanced rather than diminished quality. Not having to tour relentlessly has given band members the freedom to once again enjoy their music with enthusiasm and energy. Timeless songs ensure that Blue Heat are as relevant today as ever and aren't simply a nostalgia act, they have already added new songs and arrangements to their extensive catalogue. This album is an example of what blues could and should be, tapping into deep emotions but leaving you hopeful and energised, an album we will have to relish until a new recording evolves, we hope!
Rooster McBlurter
http://www.myspace.com/roostermcblurter
- Ross (Rooster) Mortimer.

Friday night, Saturday and Sunday
Reviewer Andra Jackson

THE festival-goers dancing in the rain to Blue Heat late on Friday night and into Saturday morning defiantly showed that even thunder storms could not dampen the spirit of the Queenscliff Music Festival.
The festival, now in its 13th year, excelled in terms of diversity, but the act that delivered the most excitement was the original Wailers. With the late Bob Marley a hard act to follow, lead singer-guitarist Junior Marvin delivered Marley's songs (many written with contributions from the Wailers) with conviction, authority and, perhaps unexpectedly, charisma. Underpinning the spirit of reggae was a staggered throbbing bass line. Into the mix were infectious rhythms, rich vocal harmonies, catchy colourful melody lines and Marvin's soulful vocals. Highlights were Exodus, Get Up, Stand Up and Buffalo Soldier.
The only disappointment was the crowd's impatience with a 25-minute delay to the band's starting time, caused by a meticulous sound check, which meant the band took to the stage in a hurry. While Al Anderson's sizzling guitar-playing could be heard on solos, the lyrical lines he wove throughout the music were barely heard.
Blue Heat were in a class of their own. Marco Goldsmith's soul-drenched vocals and wrenching blues guitar were accompanied by punchy rhythms from their three-piece horn line-up, the raunchiest of horn solos coming from saxman Brad Harrison.
Yvette Johansson and her trio drew a standing ovation. The jazz singer has an appealing voice and knows how to use her range and phrasing to put her own stamp on a song. On Black Coffee she glided between ranges to evocative effect, while on I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter her impeccable timing was evident.
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra players Markus Tomasi (violin), Fiona Sargeant (viola) and David Berlin (cello), performed Mozart's Divertimento for violin, viola and cello in E flat. Some passages had two instrumentalists playing in unison, on others the melody moved between instruments, but always their playing blended as one voice.
This story was found at: <http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2009/11/30/1259429335118.html>
- The Age: December 1, 2009