England's Acoustic Alchemy, known for their sophisticated instrumental sound blending jazz, classical, flamenco, and new age, gained fame in the 1980s with guitarists Nick Webb and Greg Carmichael leading the group. Following Webb's passing in 1998, Carmichael continued the band with guitarist Miles Gilderdale, releasing chart-topping albums like The Beautiful Game and AArt. Over the years, Acoustic Alchemy maintained their success and marked their 30th anniversary with 2011's Roseland, followed by 2018's 33 1/3, which reached the Top Ten on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart.
The band originally formed in London in 1981 with Webb and nylon-string guitarist Simon James before Carmichael joined in 1985. They gained recognition with albums like Red Dust & Spanish Lace and Natural Elements before signing with GRP and achieving a Grammy nomination for Reference Point. Despite Webb's passing, Acoustic Alchemy continued to thrive under Carmichael's leadership, delivering albums such as Positive Thinking and collaborations like This Way with labelmates Down to the Bone. Their enduring success culminated in 2018's 33 1/3, solidifying their presence in the jazz music scene.
