Reference Point was nominated for a Grammy Award. Six more albums followed, starting with Reference Point (1990), featuring a cover of "Take Five" by Dave Brubeck and Back on the Case (1991). The title track from Natural Elements became the theme music for the BBC TV programme Gardeners' World.Īcoustic Alchemy were soon moved to jazz label GRP as MCA bought GRP in February 1990. Two more albums followed for MCA: Natural Elements (1988) and Blue Chip (1989). The album was the first of many to be recorded at the Hansa Haus Studios, in Bonn, Germany, where they met sound engineer Klaus Genuit, who worked on many of the band's albums. Appearing on the album were Mario Argandoña on percussion and Bert Smaak on drums. Six weeks after sending demos to MCA, the band was called to record their first album, which was released in 1987 titled Red Dust and Spanish Lace. The new pairing found work as an in-flight band on Virgin Atlantic flights to and from the United States. In 1985, Webb discovered Greg Carmichael, a guitarist with a London pub band called the Holloways (not affiliated with the indie band of the same name), who became James' successor. In the mid-1980s, James left, and in the 1990s he formed Kymaera, a similar, though more Latin oriented band. The band made two albums that were unprofitable. The positive spirit behind our music and album titles comes from the wonderful relationship we have always had with them.”Ĭomplementing their live performances are familiar Acoustic Alchemy recording and touring members Greg and Gary Grainger from Baltimore, MD, who provide the powerhouse rhythm section, and the remarkable Fred White on shimmering keyboards.MCA, GRP, Higher Octave, Narada, Heads UpĪcoustic Alchemy is an English smooth jazz band formed in England in the early 1980s by Nick Webb and Simon James.Īcoustic Alchemy was formed around the acoustic guitars of Simon James ( nylon string) and Nick Webb ( steel string), often backed up by double bass, percussion, and string quartet the Violettes. For me, whether we’re jamming or stopping for gas at a truck stop, it’s honestly like being on vacation, and we’re excited to have so many loyal fans who have enjoyed taking the journey with us. “I’m happy these days because I love all the musicians in the band and its great touring with them and playing live onstage. “The band has been through a lot of changes over the years, but the concept of two acoustic guitars has always been the emotional centerpiece which draws people close,” says Carmichael. Lucia, a CD/DVD live concert package based on a performance recorded by BET television. In 2002, Acoustic Alchemy also released Sounds of St. Recorded over three days at Pinewood Film Studios in England (home to all the James Bond films), the sessions were filmed by director Aubrey Powell for a television documentary of the band, released on video as Best Kept Secret GRP re-released this on DVD in July, 2006 with extra archived live performance and documentary footage. One of the band’s most remarkable recordings was 1996’s live in the studio date Arcanum, which featured new arrangements of classics, a few new tracks, and full orchestration. Signed to the MCA Master Series label by Tony Brown, their popularity took off in conjunction with the rise of the New Adult Contemporary radio format.Īcoustic Alchemy’s early MCA albums-starting with Red Dust and Spanish Lace and continuing with 1988’s Natural Elements and 1989’s Blue Chip-were all later re-released on GRP. The road to instrumental stardom began when Webb and Carmichael provided the one-off-in-flight entertainment for a Virgin Airlines England to America flight, in search of an elusive recording contract they often liked to say they “played their way to America”. Carmichael with each successive recording is carrying on a legacy begun by Webb and a guitarist named Simon James in the early 80s those early recordings were collected for the 1992 collection Early Alchemy. Triple Grammy nominated artists Acoustic Alchemy are fast approaching their quarter century of recording since 1987’s Red Dust and Spanish Lace established the ensemble as an ever evolving force in contemporary jazz.Īcoustic Alchemy’s rich legacy is based on the extraordinary airplay, sales and critical reception given the many early Nick Webb-Greg Carmichael led recordings followed by those helmed later by Carmichael and Gilderdale.
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