| Geoff Achison | |
| Birth Name: | Geoffrey Raymond Achison |
| Birth Date: | 5 August 1965 |
| Birth Place: | Cowes, Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia |
| Instrument: | Guitar, vocals, bass guitar, double bass |
| Genre: | Blues, soul, funk, blues rock, jazz, acoustic blues |
| Occupation: | Musician, songwriter |
| Years Active: | 1989 present |
| Label: | Jupiter 2 Records, Zyx, Black Market Music |
| Past Member Of: | Dutch Tilders |
Geoff Achison (born 5 August 1965 in Cowes on Phillip Island in the Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia) is an independent Australian Melbourne-based singer/songwriter guitarist, whose artistic focus is of the blues, blues rock and soul genres. He performs in two modes – as a solo artist performing and singing with acoustic guitar, and bandleader as a singer/electric guitarist.
Achison performed[1] as lead guitarist for Dutch Tilders between 1989–96, before beginning to feature as a solo artist. He appeared in many festivals in Australia, including:
After performing with Dutch Tilders, Achison formed his band 'the Souldiggers' and produced his first album, Big Machine in 1994.[10] It is featured in the National Library of Australia.[11] By 2002, membership of 'The Souldiggers' included Gerry Pantazis and two ex-members of Little River Band: bassist Roger McLachlan, and keyboardist Mal Logan.
Achison has been an instructor at Fur Peace Ranch guitar camp run by Jorma Kaukonen each year since 1998,[12] [13] and has featured in a live performance with the Allman Brothers.
He currently plays a Lichty Guitars[14] acoustic instrument when performing in the US. In Australia, Achison plays Cole-Clark acoustic guitars.
In 1995 the Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society sent Achison to the Memphis International Blues Challenge, where he won the Albert King Award [15] for the most promising guitarist of the finals. He received a Gibson Nighthawk guitar and signed an endorsement contract with Gibson Guitar Corporation following the event.
He was awarded London-based Jazz FM's Album of the Month in 1999, for Mystery Train.[16] Achison, along with the Souldiggers, won 'Group of the Year' at the 2007 Australian Blues Music 'Chain' Awards.[17] [18]
In 2007, Little Big Men won Kweevak Music Magazine's Readers' Choice awards.,[16] and in 2008, 'Guitar Player' magazine's readers' poll listed Achison as one of the top 10 Hot New Guitarists.[12]
The Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society has awarded Achison 'Male Artist of the Year', 'Album of the Year', 'Song of the Year' and 'Band of the Year' 2012.[19]
| Band | Album | Date | Label | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dutch Tilders & The Blues Club | Blues Is My Life | 1989 | Blues Club Records | ||
| Real Australian Blues Vol 1 (compilation) | 1992 | ||||
| Live at the Station | 1995 | Blues Club Records | |||
| One More Time | 2001 | Independent | |||
| Classically Blue | Classically Blue | 1994 | Larrikin | with Violinist Adrian Keating, Sydney Souldiggers Tim Sampson Bass, Julia Day Drums and String Quartet | |
| You Get That | 1998 | Larrikin | |||
| Classically Blue 'Live at the Basement' DVD/CD | 2012 | Jupiter 2 Records | |||
| Geoff Achison Band | Big Machine | 1994 | Jupiter 2 Records/Larrikin | ||
| Genevieve | 1995 | Jupiter 2 Records | |||
| Real Australian Blues Vol 3 (compilation) | 1997 | ||||
| Geoff Achison (solo acoustic) | Real Australian Blues Vol 2 (compilation) | 1993 | |||
| Mystery Train | 1996 | Jupiter 2 Records/Newmarket | |||
| Acho Solo | 2007 | Jupiter 2 Records | |||
| Live at Burrinja Cafe | 2011 | Jupiter 2 Records | |||
| Geoff Achison | Sovereign Town | 2018 | Jupiter 2 Records | Geoff Achison - Vocals, GuitarsAndrew Fry - Upright Bass Dave Clark - Drums Liam Kealy - Hammond Organ John McNamara - Backing Vocals | |
| Geoff Achison & The Souldiggers | Gettin' Evil | 1999 (US) | Jupiter 2 Records | ||
| Live at St Andrews | 2000 (Aus) | Jupiter 2 Records | |||
| Souldiggin' In The UK | 2001 | Powerhouse Records | |||
| Chasing My Tail | 2002 (UK) | Jupiter 2 Records | |||
| Each Long Day | 2002 (UK) | Powerhouse Records | |||
| Little Big Men | 2005 (Aus) | Jupiter 2 Records | |||
| Souldiggin' DVD/CD | 2005 (Aus) | Jupiter 2 Records | |||
| One Ticket One Ride | 2009 (US) | Jupiter 2 Records/Black Market Music | |||
| Live at Guitars Across The Bay | 2010 (Aus) | Jupiter 2 Records | |||
| 20th Anniversary Concert double disc DVD/CD set | 2014 (Aus) | Jupiter 2 Records | |||
| Randall Bramblett & Geoff Achison | Jammin' In The Attic | 2010 (US) | Hittin' The Note Records | ||
| Chris Wilson & Geoff Achison | Box of Blues | 2012 | Jupiter 2 Records | Feat: Chris Wilson – Geoff Achison – Mal Logan – Roger McLachlan – Gerry Pantazis with Shannon Bourne & Kerri Simpson | |
| Other Appearances | Hot Tuna: 2000-11-15 The Birchmere, Alexandria, VA | 2000 | Features on the encore track 'I Just Want To Make Love To You' |
The Music Victoria Awards is an annual awards ceremony celebrating Victorian music.[20]
|-| Music Victoria Awards of 2013[21] [22] | Box of Blues (with Geoff Achison)| Best Blues Albums| |}