Lost Renée Geyer Rarity Reissued

Australian music icon Renée Geyer will have an old rarity reissued via Aztec Records/Aztec Music. Geyer’s Facebook page notes that this release isn’t a pop or rock album but tracks a period when the legendary singer was in a jazz fusion band in the early 70s.

Aztec has reissued the 1972 self-titled Sun LP, Sun 1972, starring none other than Renée Geyer on vocals. Sun 1972 was the only album released by the Wollongong outfit, and Geyer was the lead vocalist for twelve months. Australian music journalist Ian McFarlane described the LP as one “collectable, progressive jazz-rock album”.

“Some people would probably ask ‘what is SUN and why is it part of a Renee Geyer Facebook page,’” management of Geyer’s Facebook page posted yesterday (23 August).

“This is the start of an amazing young female singer who was our best ever.

“The SUN and their album, titled 1972, were Renee Geyer’s first band that recorded and released an LP in 1972.

“Renee was 18 years old and it’s obvious from her vocal ability even at 18, that she had a brilliant future.”

As the Facebook page notes, “This is an important part of Renee’s singing future,” and vinyl records have, until now, existed as a collector’s item that’s gained a reputation for selling for over $2,000.

“This is not a pop or rock album. It’s a very early Australian Jazz fusion band and it could be said that this is Renee singing “jazz”, on her way to being regarded as the queen of Australian funk and soul music,” the post continued.

“The band consisted of Keith Shadwick (sax, flute), Henry Correy (bass), Garry Norwell (drums) and George Alamanza (electric piano) and of course Renee Geyer on vocals.”

“For any Renee Geyer fan, this is a must buy. This is her beginnings as a young 18-year-old singer. A singer that will become Australia’s best ever female vocalist.”

Sun 1972 is being released as a double CD featuring the original album’s tracklist as well as 13 rehearsal songs. You can order your copy here.

Renée Geyer passed away in January 2023 at the age of 69. The trailblazing singer died peacefully, surrounded by family and friends from complications following hip surgery. While in the hospital, it was discovered that she also had inoperable lung cancer.

You can read The Music’s obituary of Renée Geyer here.