Geoff Achison LIVE @ Pisgah Brewing Co. 10-11-2017
After serving an apprenticeship with veteran bluesman Dutch Tilders, Geoff Achison released his first solo album Big Machine in 1994. He held some popular residency’s around Melbourne most notably at The Espy and St Andrews Hotel. In 1995 Geoff represented the MBAS in Memphis, USA winning the Albert King Award in and scoring an endorsement deal with Gibson Guitars’ acoustic division. By 1997 Geoff had relocated to London and established a presence on the UK scene.
To combat the difficulties of travelling internationally, Geoff expanded on his Souldiggers concept, hiring the best local musicians available whether in the USA, UK, or at home in Oz.
In Melbourne he gathered what became known as the ‘A-team’ featuring the legendary Mal Logan on keys, the great bassist Roger McLachlan and the incredible Gerry Pantazis on drums. Inventive and adventurous, this line-up gained a reputation for delivering spontaneous and exciting improvisations within Geoff’s original compositions. “The songs are all designed to be fluid so they can take whatever turn we want on the night. To achieve this, the musicians need to play instinctively; from the heart. That’s what ‘Souldiggers’ is meant to convey”
The group has always had a home in the blues/roots scene but to call it a Blues band or even a Soul outfit (as the name suggests) is a misnomer. Certainly there is blues & soul influence at the core, but like many contemporary roots music acts, the Souldiggers transcend any specific genre. In 2014 the group celebrated 20 years with the release of a live concert album & DVD. Mal Logan departed for sunnier climes (in sub-tropical Queensland) and Richard Tankard took over keyboard duties. In 2016 the group was employed to record Geoff’s next studio album. Featuring 14 new original songs and delving stylistically into blues, country, folk and a little funk, ‘Another Mile Another Minute’ has enjoyed wide critical acclaim (including 5 trophies at the 2017 ‘Chain’ Australian Blues Music Awards) and provided more touring opportunities for Geoff in the UK and US.
