Mervyn Acheson

Mervyn Fletcher Acheson (1922–1987) was a jazz musician and journalist from Sydney.

Career Born in Sydney, NSW on 31 March 1922, Mervyn Acheson studied violin from age four until age 11 until a broken arm caused him to stop. He switched to reeds and began working professionally at 15 at the Cairo Ballroom in Drummoyne.

Acheson had been performing tenor sax and taught himself soprano sax and clarinet after he joined the army in October 1941 as a volunteer with 17th Battalion Military Band. He led the 116 Rhythm Ensemble's small jazz combo and then performed at the Booker T. Washington Club in Darlinghurst, which had been set up for visiting Black American servicemen. After Acheson was transferred to Canungra, Queensland for jungle training, he went AWOL and returned to the club. No one realised he was missing until a shooting brought Acheson to the attention of authorities. such as an article on the Sydney jazz scene published by Tempo in 1952 which was then quoted in The Sunday Herald. Acheson wrote that "the Sydney Swing Club is dead, rotting in a grave dug by a handful of mouldy figges".

He contributed an autobiographical series to Jazz Magazine beginning in 1982. Across thirteen issues, "The Merv Acheson Story" was published until 1986. A fourteenth article was submitted, but it was lost when the magazine ceased publication.

In 1985, aged 63, Acheson was considered one of the most competent jazz musicians in Australia. At the time he was performing with the Bob Bernard Quartet.

After a series of medical operations and boughts of ill health, Acheson retired from music. He died in Sydney 11 August 1987.

Family Merv Acheson's father Robert Edward Acheson was a professional musician.