Album Notes

Take three women with hugely varied musical influences. Add two acoustic guitars, an electric bass and three heavenly voices. Mix in passion and dedication to exploring all the possibilities that this combination can realise and you have a small insight into what is the amazingly talented trio 'the bluehouse'.

Defying comparisons, Bernadette, Jacqui and Samantha of 'the bluehouse' have stamped their own style over the categories of folk, folk/pop and contemporary acoustic music. Since forming in Melbourne Australia in 1995, 'the bluehouse' has forged a successful career as a truly independent worldwide touring and recording entity.

'the blueouse' fan base spans the length and breadth of their home country - Australia - and has expanded over the years to include New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Canada and the USA. (and who knows where else, as they've played to a estimated worldwide listening audience of 200 million when on the Mountain Stage Radio in West Virginia USA)

An immensely entertaining and engaging live show has been the hallmark of their success garnering such praise as "the best night you've ever has" with "glorious harmony work and individual voices ranging from teardrop soft to thunderstorm forceful"- Geoff Wilson SCENE magazine.

'the bluehouse' have independently released two extended-play plus two full-length CD's. Pre-selling both full-length CD's to their obviously loyal fans created a precedent for independent music in Australia (no mean feat!) Both CD's - 'big' and '6 minutes of breathable air'- have received critical acclaim in Australia and overseas.

Here are just a few 'CAREER HIGHLIGHTS':
In Australia....
-Woodford Folk Festival, QLD.
-Fairbridge Folk Festival, WA.
-Queenscliff Folk Festival, VIC.
-Port Fairy Folk Festival, VIC.
-Queensland Biennial Festival, QLD.
-Adelaide Fringe Festival, SA.
-Melbourne International Festival, VIC.
-Women of Voice, Sydney, NSW.

Rest of the World...
-Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Scotland (3 sell-out seasons)
-W.O.M.A.D., United Kingdom
-Hamburg Music Festival, Germany
-Hero Festival, New Zealand
-Philadelphia Folk Festival, USA
-Kerrville Folk Festival, USA
-California World Music Festival, USA
-Ann Arbor Folk Festival, USA
.... just to name a few.

Along with the countless highlights, there are also the challenging times that have brought the members of 'the bluehouse' together in a way that makes them one of the tightest groups around... and without these "experiences", the good times would never be quite as sweet! So, here goes...

The 'CAREER LESS-THAN-HIGHLIGHTS':
- Watching a 31 dates tour of the UK fall over and then being stuck in London with no money for 3 months (no better way to learn how to eke out a weeks worth of meals with only a carrot, a potato and half a frozen chicken)

- finding out that taxi's in Paris charge per item of luggage and deciding that it would be cheape
r to send the bags in the cab and walk the 4 miles to the hotel.
- being asked to sing Elvis songs (nothing against the 'king', but we're an original songs group) at a music festival in Germany...."play some rrrrock und rrrroll"

- performing at a pub in London with sawdust on the floor - not for dancing, but for vomit...charming! - with 2 security guards either side of the stage to keep the revelers at bay.

- sleeping in a car in a vacant lot after a gig that paid us $1 (USA) each.

- jacqui involuntarily throwing the microphone off stage after receiving an electric shock through her lips and the audience giving a standing ovation yelling "more! more!" because they thought it was part of the act.... sparks and all!

- crowd-surfing at a Folk Festival in Queensland and asking permission from the audience first...they were very sweet to agree... and gentle...

The anecdotes are endless... but it all goes to prove that Jacqui, Sam and Bernadette are dedicated to their craft and feel so grateful to be able to live their musical dream that 'the bluehouse' continues to receive accolades wherever they perform in the world.

Enough about what they say... here's what others have said about them:

"They fill venues right across Australia, get 5-star reviews in Edinburgh (Fringe Festival highest score), break attendance records in England and get ranked in the media alongside k.d.lang and the Indigo Girls..." David Curry of TIMEOUT

"This acoustic trio from Melbourne have been winning rave reviews.... they write powerful radio-friendly tunes and twist them with a quirkiness which keeps them outside formula pop." Lesley Sly of ROLLING STONE

"..the bluehouse...have some of the best harmonies you'll find this side of heaven." Bruce Elder of SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

"A reviewer once suggested that if there are certain things that you should do before you die, seeing 'the bluehouse' live should be near the top of the list. I disagree - when the opportunity presents itself, it should be at the top of that list, while you've still got a pulse" Kim Fleischfresser of RAVE MAGAZINE