Sunday, July 1, 2012

Geoff Achison & the Souldiggers -- Little Big Men (remastered)

 
Geoff Achison is a wonderful Australian blues/roots guitar player and singer/songwriter. His music combines elements of blues, funk, and jam band music, and he has a unique and distinctive style.

Back in 2006 I stumbled across some music by Geoff & the Souldiggers, including this album, in the blues library at KJLU. I listened to it, and fairly soon I decided that I didn't care if this was blues music or folk music or soul music or whatever--but I knew this great music needed to be on the radio. I didn't know then that Geoff's music was not widely available in the US. Then eighteen months later I moved to Atlanta, and I discovered that Geoff had just moved there too--on a two year work visa. So from 2007-2009 I got to meet him, I got to hear him with the Souldiggers, with Randall Bramblett, in solo, electric, and acoustic settings. I bought every cd he had ever made from him in person, still not knowing that this great music was pretty rare in the US. Anyway, to make a long story short, back in February of 2012, I got this cd in the mail with a bunch of other cds, and I looked at it and frowned and threw it aside--"What's this? This is not new!" Well, it really is sort of new--this is the remastered re-released "Little Big Men," and it is now getting the big push in the US. Now you can discover this terrific musician.

They picked a great cd to present Geoff to new fans. This is one of Geoff's strongest albums from start to finish. The songs here are all terrific--the original 14 songs are all just as I first heard them back in 2006, plus three bonus tracks. Geoff wrote all the songs. He is an amazing guitar player, completely unlike anybody else, and he can play everything you hear on this cd without effects pedals, without computers. And the Souldiggers (here consisting of Mal Logan on keyboards, Roger McLauhlan on bass, Gerry Pantazis on drums, Nikki Nichols on backing vocals, and James Mack on percussion) are all in top form too, and they make razor-sharp music great for listening to at home, in the car, at the beach, anywhere. On two of the bonus tracks the Souldiggers have a horn section (Paul Williamson on sax, Tibo Gyapjas on trumpet, and David Palmer on trombone) and those songs are really good too. I think my favorites songs here are "Bit By Bit" and "Boy," but everything is really good. Some cds get put in the player and immediately programmed to skip the clams. You know the drill. Well, when I put this one in the player I listen to it all. There are no skunks here.

The result is is this is a wonderful cd. Don't miss it. Give Geoff Achison a listen and you will want to buy more of his music. Everything can be bought at http://www.brilliant-productions.com/

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