GEOFF ACHISON: Little Big Men

Geoff Achison

Little Big Men

© 2005 Geoff Achison (9324953001954)

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A funky groove runs throughout this CD, with richly textured guitar and keyboards. Gravely vocals add power and punch to the world-wise lyrics. A great 9th CD by this guitar master.

notes

Geoff Achison has a reputation as a guitar player’s guitarist. Equally adept at acoustic or electric styles, either choice can be beautifully intricate or feature high energy explosiveness. He has his own sound that is exquisitely tasteful, you recognize an Achison lick when you hear it.

With a soulful voice that evokes Joe Cocker or Warren Haynes, you realize this is a multi layered performer. Add to that his award winning songwriting skills and you have the total package. He has been a musical force on three continents and won honors on all of them. Twenty years of touring and playing with scores of artists like Jorma Kaukonen and Hot Tuna, John Mayall, John Mayer, Levon Helm, Tommy Emmanuel, and Hubert Sumlin have challenged him to play as passionately and skillfully as they do.

Geoff started his worldwide explorations back in 1994 with his first trip to the US. The question was could he succeed playing the American originated music of blues, rock, soul and funk coming from the other side of the world, Melbourne, Australia? That was answered when Geoff won the coveted ‘Albert King Award’ in Memphis TN, 1995 and went on to score an endorsement deal with Gibson Guitars USA. He returns regularly to America playing clubs & music festivals. Jorma Kaukonen has used him for the past 9 years as a guest guitar instructor at his legendary Fur Peace Ranch in Ohio.

Moving to London in 1997 he established a UK following, eventually recording ‘Souldiggin’ In The UK’ with a British version of the band. Here too he returns every year winning more fans to his cause with each visit. He counts Australia, the UK and USA among his touring bases playing solo acoustic shows or hiring the best musicians available to form ‘The Souldiggers’ as he goes.

In 2002 Geoff was honoured as an official Patron of the Frankston International Guitar Festival in Australia. And with the release of “Chasing My Tail” in 2002, Geoff was voted the Best Blues Band in Australia as well as the Best Male Performer. His newest CD, “Little Big Men” is his 9th album to date and shows the progression Geoff has made as a guitarist/bandleader/vocalist of high regard. He and his bands have been nothing less than world-class without diluting the unique view and style his Australian roots have given him.

To see his live show, either acoustic or electric, is to witness a player at the peak of his profession.

reviews

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  • phenomenal guitarist, great singer
    author: Biff

    Healthy influx of reggae, funk, soul grooves and jazz inflection. Phenomenal guitarist, great singer, beautifully integrated production.

  • Another great record !
    author: Laura T Lynch of Kweevak.com

    Geoff Achison is a guitar master proficient on both acoustic and electric styles. Geoff can conjure up high energy rockers or beautiful, blues based ballads. Achison has a rugged vocal style that adds to the integrity of his music. He is an award winning player and Little Big Men is Geoff's impressive ninth release. Like some of his previous records, this fourteen-track CD features a wide range of innovations, moods, styles and tones. First class musicianship and clean production are also constants on Little Big Man, which is solid from start to finish. I particularly like the first three tracks of the album but each song keeps growing on you with multiple listens. Achison's lyrics are insightful including some caustic commentary about the world but Geoff speaks most powerfully through his expressive instruments. A quote from Jorma Kaukonen aptly describes Achison and his latest CD - "Geoff is one of the finest blues guitarists that I know with a completely individual style"!

  • Geoff's best studio cd?
    author: Tom Byrnes

    I've got most of Geoff's nine cds, and I reckon this is probably the best studio recording he's produced. As usual, there's fantastic guitar work with his trademark variety. The compositions are really first class, so all in all, this a great buy. This cd sat unchanged in my car cd player for a couple of weeks, which is always a sure test.

  • Got a mind to change my mind...
    author: Paul Bondarovski - Midnight Special Blues Radio

    Playing Geoff Achison's "Little Big Men" album over and over, and over again, and can't get enough... What a great idea to include the lyrics! So I can listen both with my ears and with my eyes, so I can get deeper inside it with my mind... Questions, nothing but questions. The answers are in the press - false and zombifying as they only can be. Want the true answers - search for the questions first, and think for yourself. You have all the true answers inside of you, you always had. "Turning off my TV / Turning off my radio too / I've got a mind to change my mind..." Thank you Geoff!

  • Every listening to this CD reveals great little gems ...
    author: Peter Dougherty, Artstreams Magazine

    Little Big men is a beautifully intergrated production with every musician sharing the honours and playing a vital role. The regular Souldiggers line-up is augmented by Nikki Nichols on backing vocals and James Mack on percussion. This is a carefully mixed studio recording and regular fans will be well pleased with the result. It has a lot to offer: fourteen new Achison compositions: cool, clean and relaxed guitar picking and The Souldiggers in great form. One of the things that stamps this as a great leap forward is the sophisticated production with the instruments nicely and beautifully balanced. Every listening to this CD reveals great little gems of combined sound and overlooked contributions.

  • New songs, vintage Geoff
    author: Jim McColm

    New songs, vintage Geoff - enough said!

  • At last, the album fans have been waiting for.
    author: Sunday Herald Sun (Australia)

    Geoff Achison is a seriously good guitarist, blessed with a rich voice and a keen ear for lyrics, but patience may prove his greatest attribute. For Achison continues to make music on his own terms, meaning projects such as this have had to wait until the stars are aligned. After studio albums with the UK and US Souldiggers, and a partial one with this version, now comes the full blown extravaganza with Mal Logan (keyboards), Roger McLachlan (bass)and Gerry Pantazis (drums) joining the singer-guitarist on 14 new songs. Achison is in rare form, his playing inventive yet disciplined. Fans have long appreciated the partnership of his guitar and Logan's keys and at times here it is breathtaking. The lyrics reflect the new family man as well as the worldly wise traveller who spends extended time in the US and the UK each year spreading the Souldigger word.

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