eoff Achison is from a place not necessarily known for blues... Melbourne, Australia. Despite the supposed handicap of not growing up in a cotton field near Helena, Arkansas, Achison managed to walk away with the "Albert King Award" (presented to the most promising guitarist) at the 1995 International Blues Talent Competition in Memphis. He also scored an artist endorsement with Gibson's Montana Acoustic division. It doesn't take a long listen to figure out why. Achison, who normally performs and records with the Geoff Achison band, cut Mystery Train with an acoustic guitar, a chair and his voice. Achieving a sound that occupies sonic territory somewhere between Robert Johnson and Michael Hedges, Achison proves that people all over the world can get the blues. On cover tunes such as Steve Winwood's "Gimme Some Lovin'" and Johnson's "When You've Got a Good Friend," Achison's fingers fly. Alternating between percussive slaps, powerful chords and lightning fast triplet licks, he turns six strings into an orchestra. Precious few artists simultaneously possess killer instrumental ability and great pipes. Aside from being blessed with nimble appendages, Geoff also has a deep and soulful voice. Achison's double-barreled musical attack really puts this indie player in a class with better known artists. There is plenty of good music on this 13-song selection which winds down with the mellow Achison-penned instrumental "Rain Song" (since I dissed Nick Colionne last month for using a fake rain sound effect, it's only fair that I do the same to Geoff). Throughout the album, the sound stays fresh and just when you think a 12-bar blues progression is about to get predictable, Achison completely turns the beat around or throws in a jazz or country lick that at first strikes you as weird, but then seems to fit. Geoff Achison is without question an artist to keep your ears open for.