GEOFF ACHISON: Gettin' Evil

Geoff Achison

Gettin' Evil

© 1999 Geoff Achison (669910733226)

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A true Australian Blues-Rock guitar master. He mixes excellent songwriting with bursts of jazz, funk and soul adding plenty of intensity and passion.

tracks

1 Comin' Ta Getcha
2 Be Careful What You Wish For
3 Tell Me Something I Don't Know
4 Gettin' Evil
5 Jungle
6 Adam & Eve
7 Help Yourself
8 Hotel Room
9 Natch'l Fact
10 Don't Play Guitar Boy
11 Take What You Can Get
12 Overtime
13 End of the Line

notes

This CD has won the Kweevak.com CD of the Year - both Viewer's Choice and
Critic's Choice for top overall album in 2001. Also the acoustic song "Adam
& Eve" won an Independent Music Award Finalist.

Australian Geoff Achison has been rocking the world from Melbourne to
Memphis, where he won the prestigious 'Albert King Award' for the Most
Promising guitarist and a Gibson Guitars endorsement in 1995. Born in
country Victoria, he headed for Melbourne to find his way in the world.
He learnt from local blues legends before stepping out on his own and
forming his own band, 'The Souldiggers'.

Since 1994 he has released six albums winning high praise from
international critics: The debut album "Big Machine;" the award winning
"Genevieve" in 1995; his rootsy acoustic tour de force "Mystery Train" in
1996; the blues-rock kicker, "Gettin' Evil" in 1999 featuring his Portland,
Oregon Souldiggers; the live electric jamming "Live at St. Andrews" with
his hometown band in 2000; and most recently, another live effort with his
British Souldiggers - "Souldigging in the UK" which is half acoustic and
half electric.

He's won a swag of awards and established himself as a blues-rock
guitar virtuoso and songwriter who excels in both acoustic and electric
settings. His playing also features bursts of jazz, funk and soul. Mix this
together with Geoff's gravely vocals and you have a world-class,
all-round musician.

Touring non-stop, Geoff built his reputation on his live performances, full
of energy, artistry, complexity and simply great playing. A reviewer in
Atlanta noted "his mastery of both the acoustic and electric allow his
guitars to achieve heights never reached by most accomplished rock
guitarists."

This has built him a loyal cult following among fans not only of blues,
but of great guitar players in general. While deeply acknowledging his
blues predecessors, his sound is a unique blend of rock, blues, soul and
jazz. Those who know claim "Geoff is at the top of the pile of
contemporary blues artists."

In 2000, he did a US national tour with the legendary Hot Tuna, which
introduced Geoff to many new fans. He has been invited 5 years in a row
to Jorma Kaukonen's Fur Peace Guitar Ranch, where he instructs
students on his distinctive electric and acoustic styles.

Wherever he plays, whatever he plays, Geoff Achison is a performer of
the highest order.
____

Here is a review of a Souldigger show in the UK that gets it just right:

Live Blues Reviews - Stoned Free Publications, London UK

Geoff Achison and The Souldiggers
The Spitz, London June 12, 2001

Every one or two years, if you listen to enough music and go to enough gigs you finally get to hear something exceptional and Geoff Achison is exactly that. No-one else has stood out as being so excessively gifted since I saw Carvin Jones in action about two years ago, and the choice of material at the Spitz was faultless.

Achison is unique in that he runs two sets, a John Hammond-like solo acoustic section and a second set with full electric band: not only does this display his versatility but allows his material to run the gamut stylewise. Opening with "He's Got Away With Women" recalls the easy going humour of Dave Van Ronks' "Gaslight Rag" or Skynyrd's "Gimme Three Steps". Achison's composition "Beggin' Bowl" follows with the warmth and fludity of John Martyn's "Jellyroll Blues" and a total re-vamp of the Neville Brother's "Voodoo" is dispatched before the daunting task of the Allman's legendary "Whipping Post" arrives. Most bands would quake at the thought, Achison merely deconstructs it and re-builds it into his own monumental tour-de-force, if it wasn't so damn good you'd think it was unbelievably arrogant. "Hi my name's Geoff Achison and I'm about to play Layla on solo acoustic, don't worry though it'll be different but just as good as the original".

The full band joins Geoff for the funky "Getting Evil". It's at this point the semi goes into retirement and Geoff switches to electric, it's like watching a cat on a hot tin roof there's so much energy flowing through this band. Whether it's the slow blues of "Careful What You Wish For" (which shows why Kelly is so highly rated), the killer guitar solo on "Someone Tell Me Something I Don't Know", or the reggae pulse of the re-jigged "Years Go Passing By", it just gets better and better.

By the time Achison gets to "Souldigger" he's on fire, at this point it like watching lightning strike, just enough control to direct the firestorm. Willie Dixon's "Same Thing" has been re-designed and now recalls the easy grooves of Little Feat's "Spanish Moon" and also displays Geoff's uniquely subtle facility to play at extremely low volumes as on the outro. "Natural Facts" has the blues rock dynamics of prime time Jon Butcher before the "Willie and the Handjive"'s version of Johnson's "Walkin Blues".

The encore of "Overtime" is complete overdrive with Kelly in particular showing his mettle, and also "Hold On to what You Got" with its quote from "Third Stone From The Sun". One of the prime attractions is that although Achison may briefly recall anyone from Larry Coryell, through Peter Green to John Martyn, there is no overt influence but merely a brief flicker of recognition before dipping into the next way-station- Geoff Achison is simply his own governor.

Geoff's appeal is manifold, whilst being an exceptional player and playing his fair share of solos, he doesn't lean on extreme virtuosity, the song and the groove is king. Geoff, rarely overstays his welcome. To be honest Achison and Souldiggers are going to have a hard time improving on this because you don't get much better. Whilst the race to canonise him in the same way as Clapton or Hendrix may be slow, those that get to see and hear him will recognise that Achison and the Souldiggers are a major musical talent at the peak of their profession.

reviews

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  • Crank it up people, there's a new sheriff in town!
    author: Aaron Bryant

    Go ahead and make room on your cd shelf for Mr. Achison's collective works. You'll be glad you did.

  • author: Jammin John

    Geoff has a definite presence unfilled by many guitarists. Why he is not known more is beyond me. I do have minor problems with his back up group, and I think there could be some changes for the better made there, but still, this is about as good a group as is out there. Songs like, "Don't Play Guitar, Boy", are one of a kind and just blow me away. I put him (Geoff) in the same class as Vernon Reid, Scott Henderson and the like. I plan on getting some more of his stuff to fill the cd changer in the car. Great road music.

  • author: Frank Bratkovics

    I was fortunate to hear Geoff Achison with a band from Atlanta. The music was very tight and professional with the occassional dig. As with his "Gettin'Evil ,no blues fan will be dissapointed. Probably have to buy new furniture for the house because you'll have thrown it out to make room to kick up your heels..most excellent !

  • World class compositions and playing
    author: Tom Byrnes

    G'day, this guy is as good a guitarist as there is. He is technically stunning, but his compositions are just as good. I'd recommend starting with his two live discs - check them out at his web site at http://www.souldigger.com.au/site/index.html Geoff should be among the best known artists in the world rather than playing metopolitan Melbourne most weeks.

  • A Genuine Australian Treasure
    author: Mykl Lozin

    Geoff has to be one of the most passionate performers on the planet. I love the man, his music and his performances. A genuine Australian Treasure and great inspiration to all musicians and music lovers.

  • Got lucky Gettin' Evil
    author: Bob

    This guy can play. This CD is a buffet of different styles of guitar work, jazzy, acoustical, and rock....and it's all well done, combine this with a voice that sounds like it's done it's fair share of work on the blues bar curcuit. I like it, you will too.

  • Ret hot blues !
    author: Laura T Lynch of Kweevak.com

    Geoff is a blues-rock guitar virtuoso who has been compared with some of the greats. Gettin’ Evil is the smoking fourth release from this versatile musician. Geoff has a deep throaty voice ideal for this 13-track blues-based CD. He writes honest lyrics about life experiences such as ‘Overtime,’ the story of his former days as a factory worker. Gettin’ Evil is jammed packed with excellent guitar solos and backed by the talents of Souldiggers. ‘Comin’ ta Getcha’ which opens the set has a great groove and sets the tone for the solid musicianship that is found on every track. The keys and guitar work on ‘Tell me something I don’t know’ are grand. ‘Jungle’ and ‘Adam and Eve’ are accented with horns and congas that add even greater depth to these deep soulful songs. Gettin’ Evil is highly recommended for fans of the rocking blues

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