Home » Jazz Musicians » Acoustic Alchemy

Acoustic Alchemy

With the release of This Way, Acoustic Alchemy’s first album under Higher Octave/Narada Jazz’s association with Blue Note Records, guitarists Greg Carmichael and Miles Gilderdale celebrate a remarkable two decades since 1987’s Red Dust and Spanish Lace established the British ensemble as an ever evolving, powerhouse force in contemporary jazz. Their thousands of fans around the world may be feeling nostalgic, but the duo--while keeping their trademark acoustic guitar synergy front and center--is clearly committed to forging ahead, following the laid back pop-soul vibe of American/English (2005) with their most aggressive and swinging, hard rocking and artfully jazzy disc to date. Complementing performances by familiar Acoustic Alchemy recording and touring members Terry Disley (piano), Snake Davis (sax), Fred White (keyboards and trumpet), Julian Crampton (bass) and Greg Grainger (drums) are special guest appearances by smooth jazz stars, trumpeter Rick Braun, saxman Jeff Kashiwa (who has toured with the band and appeared on 2001’s Aart) and keyboardist Neil Cowley, a member of jazz groove band (and Narada Jazz/Blue Note labelmates) Down To The Bone. While Carmichael and Gilderdale composed the majority of the songs and produced several tracks at Gilderdale’s home facility 9 Miles High Studio in York, England, others were produced at various studios on Carmichael’s home turf of London and at Hansa House Studios in Bonn, Germany, where many of the band’s classics were recorded, produced and mixed over the years by longtime associate Klaus Genuit. In addition to Genuit’s three tracks, This Way includes six others produced and engineered by Richard Bull, who began working with AA on 2000’s The Beautiful Game. Two tracks, the trippy and sensual “Out of Nowhere” and the snappy, neo-soul driven “Now I’m On My Way” were mixed by legendary mixer Steve Hodge (Usher, Janet Jackson, Mary J. Blige). Carmichael explains the very loose and spirited feeling of This Way as the result of a natural chemistry he’s developed with Gilderdale over the years since Gilderdale--formerly a backing guitarist with the band--became Carmichael’s full partner after the passing of founding member Nick Webb in 1998 and the release that year of Positive Thinking. “What I love about This Way is that it’s got so much more playing on it than we’ve done before,” he says, “a lot more soloing and a really relaxed and organic vibe. I think this is less by design and more due to the fact that Miles and I are great friends who are very comfortable and laugh a lot together.

Read more

Tags

155
Album Review

Acoustic Alchemy: The Beautiful Game

Read "The Beautiful Game" reviewed by Dave Hughes


Following the passing of guitarist and co-leader Nick Webb in 1998, Greg Carmichael has decided to move forward, retooling the band with a new guitarist/co-leader John Parsons and several other new collaborators. (Parsons produced several early AA albums and also provided some supporting guitar.) The result is a little more of a “band" feel; the centerpiece is still the two guitarists, but keyboards and the occasional trumpet or sax push the band in new directions. Here, acoustic guitars, piano, and ...

141
Album Review

Acoustic Alchemy: Positive Thinking

Read "Positive Thinking" reviewed by Robert Spencer


Nick Webb is dead; the Acoustic Alchemy guitarist succumbed to pancreatic cancer not long ago. In the months before he died, his longtime partner Greg Carmichael worked up these tunes with him. He wasn't able to play on the album (he is credited with “composition, arrangements and inspiration"), so John Parson was recruited to take Webb’s place as Carmichael's guitar other half and foil. Miles Gilderdale plays electric guitar and takes care of the programming; Dennis Murphy is on bass ...

Read more articles
133

Reza Khan
guitar

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Roseland

Heads Up International
2011

buy

This Way

Mood Records
2007

buy

American / English

Mood Records
2005

buy

Radio Contact

Mood Records
2003

buy

Aart

Mood Records
2001

buy

The Beautiful Game

Mood Records
2000

buy

Videos

Similar

Earl Klugh
guitar, acoustic
Spyro Gyra
band / ensemble / orchestra
Wayman Tisdale
bass, electric
The Rippingtons
band / ensemble / orchestra
Fourplay
band / ensemble / orchestra
Tuck Andress
guitar, electric

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.