Classically Blue Live - Geoff Achison and Adrian Keating - New Release Review

I have just received the newest release, Classically Blue Live, a new CD/DVD live recording from Geoff Achison and Adrian Keating. This recording is much more fusion and ballad than blues but interesting just the same. The first track, Each Long Day is a well composed track with very clean classically executed guitar intro, smooth fusion oriented violin work by Adrian Keating and further electric guitar exchanges with Achison and Keating. Julia Day plays flawlessly on drums and Tim Sampson plays driving articulated bass lines. You And I is a strong ballad accompanied primarily by acoustic guitar with orchestral backing. One Ticket, One Ride is a rock style track with a bit of funk making it a catchy track. Bridge gets back to the more sophisticated time signatures of a fusion track but with a bit more vocal that is typically associated with this type of music. It is really quite well orchestrated and instrumentally interesting. Apparatus opens with a very unusual funky guitar riff which continues throughout with guitar pyrotechnics. Very interesting. Kissing Angels is again a solid ballad backed with violin and articulated acoustic guitar. My Little Bag takes a walk in the Steeley Dan vein with a poppy track and danceable rhythm with some flashy guitar riffs dashed in here and there. There are some obtuse guitar solo's on this track that I really think are quite daring and exciting. Blew My Top has a strong rock beat held down by Achison's vocals. There is a slower instrumental break in this track adding theatrics and dynamics. Stepping Stones is a bluesy jazz track with some cool guitar harmonics on the intro. It's Over closes the recording, opening with a really luscious violin solo. The track morphs into a pop style rock track which could easily garner a lot of airplay. This track has a particularly strong guitar and violin lead making it one of the strongest tracks overall. I also had the opportunity to review the DVD which accompanies this recording and the band is very entertaining to watch with huge warmth with the strings backing the vocal/guitar unit.
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AUSTRALIAN BLUES/ROOTS GUITAR SENSATION GEOFF ACHISON SETS HIS SIGHTS ON THE U.S. WITH RELEASE OF LITTLE BIG MEN CD, OUT APRIL 10 ON JUPITER 2 RECORDS

GEOFF’S UPCOMING U.S. TOUR DATES INCLUDE SOLO ACOUSTIC SHOWS, PERFORMANCES WITH HIS SOULDIGGERS BAND & SOME SPECIAL SHOWS FEATURING RANDALL BRAMBLETT

ATLANTA, GA – Australian blues/roots guitar sensation Geoff Achison, whose sound combines elements of blues, funk and jam band music, will hit the American shores with a vengeance for an extensive tour starting in March and extending through June in support of his upcoming CD release, Little Big Men, due for release April 10 on Jupiter 2 Records. Little Big Men, which will be available for sale on Amazon.com, iTunes, CD Baby and at the artist’s website, contains a re-mastered version of 14 tracks originally released to great acclaim in Australia several years ago but had been in limited release in the U.S., augmented by three previously unavailable bonus tracks.

To celebrate the new CD release, Geoff Achison will embark on a series of shows showcasing his many talents as a guitarist and singer, including some solo acoustic dates, full-band shows backed by his Souldiggers group and some special shows featuring his good friend, the immensely talented Randall Bramblett (Sea Level, Gregg Allman, Steve Winwood). Kicking off the tour is a prime date in New York City at The Iridium on March 17 starting at 2pm as part of Hittin’ the Note magazine’s annual party during The Allman Brothers Band Beacon Theater concert series. Also joining in the fun for this performance will be the dynamic rhythm section of drummer Yonrico Scott (Derek Trucks Band, Royal Southern Brotherhood) and bassist Ted Pecchio (Susan Tedeschi Band).

The great Jorma Kaukonen of Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna fame said of Achison, “Geoff is one of the finest blues guitarists that I know with a completely individual style. I have never seen anyone play quite like him.” Kaukonen is such a fan of Achison’s playing that he’s made him a charter guitar instructor at his celebrated Fur Peace Ranch in Ohio. Geoff will be celebrating his 15^th year as an instructor at the ranch with the upcoming session in late March.

Since first arriving to tour in the U.S. in the mid 1990s, Geoff Achison has garnered consistently strong reviews. Down Beat magazine lauded his music as, “Catchy, intelligent songwriting. Achison controls an expressive, individual singing voice and he spills out blues guitar phrases that shed further light on various emotional states.” Elmore Magazine said, “Achison seems more like a singer/songwriter’s soul in Jeff Beck’s body.” And perhaps the celebrated Times of London said it best when it called him, “Possibly one of the most gifted musicians to arrive on the scene ... his playing verges on the miraculous.”

One of the hallmarks of Geoff Achison’s mix is the incredible array of sounds he’s able to coax from his guitars and amplifiers – without benefit of any special effects. This evolved because of his upbringing in an isolated area of rural Australia. Unaware of how the sounds he was hearing on his limited record collection were produced, he invented some of his own techniques - without the aid of pedals or gadgets. Just watching him wrench a myriad of sounds from his simple set-up can be something of a spectacle. Having taught himself to play, he has developed a blues/funk style all his own that can be delicate one moment and explosive the next. He is also a very forceful vocalist with a gritty, soulful quality to his voice. Inspired by the classic blues and r & b music icons, Geoff’s live set features an infectious mix of gutsy original tunes, improvised jams and dynamic new arrangements of blues and soul classics.

At an early age, Geoff developed a passion for American blues music and taught himself to play on a beat up guitar he discovered under the stairs of the family home. In his early 20s, he became lead guitarist with Melbourne's top blues band; but after five relentless years of touring, he left to pursue his own musical ideas and formed the first incarnation of his own band, The Souldiggers.

“The idea was to have a name that described the music,” recalls Achison, “and I greatly admired the blues philosophy - tapping into one’s soul for honesty and truth. That’s what ‘Souldiggers’ is meant to convey.”

He formed his own Jupiter 2 Records in 1994 and released the first of many recordings of his original blues/funk/soul flavored material. These early recordings were well received by fans and critics alike and encouraged Geoff to take his music to other parts of the world.

Geoff started his worldwide explorations in 1995 with his first trip to the USA. He represented the Melbourne Blues Society at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis and won the coveted Albert King Award for his guitar skills. He went on to accept an endorsement deal with the Gibson guitar company's acoustic division. In 1998, Geoff formed a U.S.-based Souldiggers group and while in the States recorded his third album, Gettin' Evil, in Portland, Oregon.

Geoff had moved to London in 1997 to establish a UK following, which led to appearances on BBC radio and the recording of a live album with his British Souldiggers group. The band was featured on a BBC radio special with host Paul Jones in 2007 and Geoff graced the cover of Blues in Britain magazine in July 2009.

In 2007, Geoff relocated to Atlanta, and during his two years in that city his annual tours extended throughout Australia, the UK and USA, playing either his immensely popular solo acoustic shows or hiring the best musicians available to form The Souldiggers as he goes.

He has won numerous awards over the years for writing, performing and recording. In 2007, Geoff & The Souldiggers picked up the Chain Blues Music Award in Australia for “Group Of The Year;” and a Guitar Player Magazine reader’s poll voted Geoff one of their “Top Ten Hot New Guitarists” in June 2008. In 2011, the folks at TrueFire.com put Geoff on the list of the “100+ Most Gifted Guitarists You Should Know.”

In 2009, his two years of living in the American southeast bore fruit by providing Geoff with an extensive network of top-level U.S. musicians. He released the critically-acclaimed One Ticket, One Ride, which boasted an enviable cast of ace band members for the project, including guitarist Oliver Wood, drummers Yonrico Scott and Tyler Greenwell, bassists Ted Pecchio and Charlie Wooton and sax player Marcus James Henderson. The CD charted on Living Blues and the Blues Chart as well as making several “Best Of 2009” CD lists.

In 2010, Geoff teamed up with Athens, Georgia legend Randall Bramblett and a new “super-group” was born. They released a live album, Jammin' in the Attic, featuring Geoff and Randall, with Yonrico Scott, Ted Pecchio and Oliver Wood. Captured live playing a red-hot show at the famous Eddie's Attic, located just outside Atlanta in Decatur, Georgia, the CD was officially released by Hittin' the Note magazine.

Since returning to Australia as his home base, Geoff’s relentless touring has continued with regular visits to the USA, UK and Europe. The tireless travel has kept fans enthused and gleaned several live CD releases from different corners of the world. He released Live at the Burrinja Cafe, an acoustic tour de force; and for fans of his electric jamming, he produced the smoking Live from Guitars Across the Bay in 2011.

Geoff Achison is managed and booked in the U.S. by Nancy Lewis-Pegel of Brilliant Productions (404) 373-2299 / npegel@mindspring.com. To arrange an interview with Geoff, contact Jill Kettles (770) 804-9555 / jill@markpuccimedia.com. To download a hi-res color photo, click on this link: Geoff Achison Photo. For more info, visit www.geoffachison.com.

GEOFF ACHISON TOUR ITINERARY

3/17 - The Iridium, New York, NY / Hittin' the Note Magazine Annual Party - 2pm

Randall Bramblett & Geoff Achison Band (with Yonrico Scott & Ted Pecchio)

3/23 - Suwannee Springfest, Live Oak, FL / Suwannee Music Park

Randall Bramblett & Geoff Achison Band (w/Yonrico Scott & Ted Pecchio)

3/24 - Suwannee Springfest, Live Oak, FL / Suwannee Music Park

Randall Bramblett & Geoff Achison Band

3/27 - Moondance Lounge, Suwanee, GA / Solo Acoustic Show - 7:30pm

3/28 - Joni's Artisanal Wine Shop, Saluda, NC - Solo Acoustic Show - 7:30pm

3/31 – Fur Peace Station Concert Hall, Pomeroy, OH

Randall Bramblett & Geoff Achison Band – 8pm

4/l 6 - The Crimson Moon, Dahlonega, GA / Solo Acoustic Show - 8pm

4/7 - Eddie's Attic, Decatur, GA / Geoff Achison & The Souldiggers

4/19 - Bamboo Room, Lake Worth, FL / Oliver Wood/Geoff Achison Acoustic Show - 9pm

May and June tour dates will be announced shortly.

Caldonia - Jorma Kaukonen, George Porter, Geoff Achison

In a career that has already spanned a half-century, Jorma Kaukonen has been the leading practitioner and teacher of fingerstyle guitar, one of the most highly respected interpreters of American roots music, blues, and Americana, and at the forefront of popular rock-and-roll. He was a founding member of two legendary bands, The Jefferson Airplane and the still-touring Hot Tuna, a Grammy nominee, a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the most in-demand instructor in the galaxy of stars who teach at the Fur Peace Ranch Guitar Camp that he and his wife operate in picturesque Southeastern Ohio.

The son of a State Department official, Jorma Kaukonen, Jr. was born and raised in the Washington D.C. area, with occasional extended trips outside the United States. He was a devotee of rock-and-roll in the Buddy Holly era but soon developed a love for the blues and bluegrass that were profuse in the clubs and concerts in the nation’s capitol. He wanted to take up guitar and make that kind of music himself. Soon he met Jack Casady, the younger brother of a friend and a guitar player in his own right. Though they could not have known it, they were beginning a musical partnership that has continues for over 50 years.

Geoff Achison has a reputation as a formidable acoustic and electric guitarist, a capable vocalist and a composer of good, funky songs without the cliches. IT'S BLUES JIM ... BUT NOT AS WE KNOW IT! Having taught himself to play in the isolation of rural Australia, he has developed a blues/funk style all his own that can be delicate one moment and explosive the next. Unaware of how the sounds he was hearing on his limited record collection were produced, he invented some of his own techniques - without the aid of pedals or gadgets. As a result, watching this guy wrench sounds from his simple set-up can be something of a spectacle. Geoff also possesses a soulful voice that has evoked favorable comparisons to Joe Cocker or Warren Haynes. An award winning songwriter to boot, Geoff’s live set features an infectious mix of catchy original tunes, improvised jamming and inspired versions of blues & soul classics.
 Having taught himself to play in the isolation of rural Australia, he has developed a blues/funk style all his own that can be delicate one moment and explosive the next. Unaware of how the sounds he was hearing on his limited record collection were produced, he invented some of his own techniques - without the aid of pedals or gadgets. As a result, watching this guy wrench sounds from his simple set-up can be something of a spectacle. Geoff also possesses a soulful voice that has evoked favorable comparisons to Joe Cocker or Warren Haynes. An award winning songwriter to boot, Geoff’s live set features an infectious mix of catchy original tunes, improvised jamming and inspired versions of blues & soul classics. He has toured regularly around the globe and won honours on 3 continents.

George Porter, Jr. (born December 26, 1947 in New Orleans, Louisiana) is a musician best known as the bassist and singer of The Meters. Along with Art Neville, Porter formed the group in the mid 60's and came to be recognized as one of the progenitors of funk. The Meters disbanded in 1977, but reformed in 1989. Today the group is called the Funky Meters, and Porter is still a member.

He had been active in playing with his own group the Runnin' Pardners, and also other projects such as The Trio with Johnny Vidacovich, New Orleans Social Club, and Deep Fried but is now focusing his efforts on his own band Porter Batiste Stoltz. He is frequently in demand, and has been performing and recording with wide range of artists including Dr. John, Paul McCartney, Robbie Robertson, Willy DeVille, Robert Palmer, Patti Labelle, Jimmy Buffett, David Byrne, Johnny Adams, Harry Connick Jr., Earl King, Warren Haynes, Tori Amos, and Snooks Eaglin among many others.

Porter joined John Scofield's Piety Street Band in 2008 to tour and to record. Jon Cleary and Ricky Fataar are also members of this band.

In 2010 replaced Reed Mathis in Bill Kreutzmann's newest band, 7 Walkers.

Also in 2010 He is performing with Runnin' Pardner at New Orleans' Voodoo Experience

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	DATE	VENUE	PERFORMER	NOTES
	01/06/12	Lobero Theatre Santa Barbara, CA	Acoustic Hot Tuna	also David Bromberg
	01/07/12	The Fillmore San Francisco, CA	Electric Hot Tuna	also David Bromberg
	01/08/12	Paradise Performing Arts Center Paradise, CA	Acoustic Hot Tuna	also David Bromberg. Tickets
	01/27/12	Iao Theater Wailuku, HI	Jorma Kaukonen	Also Chris Smither Tickets
	01/28/12	The Royal Kona Resort Kailua-Kona, HI	Jorma Kaukonen	Also Chris Smither Tickets
	01/29/12	Palace Theatre Hilo, HI	Jorma Kaukonen	Also Chris Smither Tickets
	02/03/12	McCabe's Guitar Shop Santa Monica, CA	Jorma Kaukonen	Two shows each night. 8pm & 10pm.
	02/04/12	McCabe's Guitar Shop Santa Monica, CA	Jorma Kaukonen	Two shows each night. 8pm & 10pm.
	02/08/12	Billboard Live Osaka, Japan	Jorma Kaukonen
	02/09/12	Billboard Live Tokyo, Japan	Jorma Kaukonen
	02/11/12	Yugong Yishan Beijing, China	Jorma Kaukonen
	02/12/12	Yuyintang Shanghai, China	Jorma Kaukonen
	02/22/12	Camden Opera House Camden , ME	Acoustic Hot Tuna
	02/23/12	Infinity Hall Norfolk, CT	Acoustic Hot Tuna	New Venue!
	02/24/12	The Colonial Theatre Keene, NH	Acoustic Hot Tuna
	02/25/12	Swyer Theater-The Egg Albany, NY	Acoustic Hot Tuna
	02/27/12	Rams Head Tavern Annapolis, MD	Acoustic Hot Tuna
	02/29/12	Birchmere Alexandria, VA	Acoustic Hot Tuna
	03/01/12	Jefferson Theater Charlottesville, VA	Acoustic Hot Tuna
	03/02/12	Keswick Theatre Glenside, PA	Acoustic Hot Tuna
	03/03/12	Whitaker Center Harrisburg, PA	Acoustic Hot Tuna
	03/05/12	The German House Theater Rochester, NY	Acoustic Hot Tuna
	03/06/12	The Ark Ann Arbor, MI	Acoustic Hot Tuna
	03/08/12	The Englert Theatre Iowa City, IA	Acoustic Hot Tuna
	03/09/12	Old Town School Of Folk Music Chicago, IL	Acoustic Hot Tuna	Two shows: 7pm & 10pm
	03/10/12	Cedar Cultural Center Minneapolis, MN	Acoustic Hot Tuna	Two shows: 5pm & 9pm
	03/11/12	Pabst Theater Milwaukee, WI	Acoustic Hot Tuna
	03/15/12	20th Century Theater Cincinnati, OH	Acoustic Hot Tuna
	03/17/12	Fur Peace Station Pomeroy, OH	Acoustic Hot Tuna	also John "Hurl" Hurlbut. SOLD OUT!
	04/19/12	Wanee Music Festival Live Oak, FL	Electric Hot Tuna	Mushroom Stage. 7pm-9pm
	05/18/12	Nelsonville Music Festival Nelsonville, OH	Jorma Kaukonen
	08/02/12	Tower Theatre Bend, OR	Acoustic Hot Tuna
	08/04/12*	Mount Baker Rhythm & Blues Festival Deming Log Show Fairgrounds, Bellingham, WA	Electric Hot Tuna	correct venue
	08/11/12	Fur Peace Station Pomeroy, OH	Acoustic Hot Tuna	Jack & Jorma. Also The Persuasions
	11/10/12	Fur Peace Station Pomeroy, OH	Electric Hot Tuna	with Bill Kirchen. SOLD OUT!