Acoustic Alchemy Roseland Heads Up 2011
Let's face it, smooth jazz is a radio format as dead as Elvis Presley. For over 25 years, Acoustic Alchemy has not only survived a dramatic change in personnel, but every pretentious label tag thrust upon it, given the group may well be the last commercially viable entity from what was once considered New Age. This is the key to the success of Acoustic Alchemy, pushing musical boundaries by embracing change without self-imposed limitations. Acoustic Alchemy's co-founder, Nick Webb, passed away in 1998, yet the band has continued to push forward in the same optimistic fashion in which it was formed.
Four years in the making, Roseland pushes the boundaries of contemporary jazz by embracing rock, reggae, and folk, along with their contemporary jazz influences. Greg Carmichael and his nylon-string acoustic guitar work are front and center with the opening "Marrakesh," also featuring Ricky Peterson on Hammond organ. Peterson's organ continues with the snappy "One For Shorty," adding nice texture to a release that is as far from the smooth jazz norm as you can get. With a more pronounced horn section and the addition of even more electric guitar from Miles Gilderdale, Roseland begins to separate from the pack by lending itself more to the original idea of fusion influences, while exploring a more warm and open sound, without a need for the programming or other gimmicks that imitators continue to use today.
Roseland was recorded in Gilderdale's newly constructed home studio, but it is his electric guitar edge on tunes such as "Marcus" that show the musical development and shifting direction of the band without ever losing an originality that has attracted such a worldwide fan base. The reggae-flavored "Ebor Sound System" includes some captivating synthesized guitar sounds, and this world music infusion continues with "Sand on Her Toes," where Gilderdale again plugs in for that extra edge in pushing the sound beyond the expected.
"Stealing Hearts" leans to the country side, with Frank Mizen's pedal steel, and the authenticity of the country sound, along with the more straight-ahead "Right Place—Wrong Time," makes Roseland a diverse and highly entertaining release.
This is organic, eclectic instrumental fusion that weaves a sonic tapestry as well any Acoustic Alchemy release of the past quarter century.
This is organic, eclectic instrumental fusion that weaves a sonic tapestry as well any Acoustic Alchemy release of the past quarter century.
Track Listing: Marrakesh; One For Shorty; Templemeads; Marcus; The Ebor Sound System; State Of The Ark; Swamp Top; Sand On Her Toes; Roseland; World Stage; Stealing Hearts; Right Place Wrong Time; A Kinder Loving.
Personnel: Greg Carmichael: nylon string guitar; Miles Gilderdale: steel string acoustic guitar, electric guitar, variax (7); Fred White: electric piano (1-5, 8-13); Greg Grainger: drums; (2-4 ,6-12); John Goldsby: upright bass (4, 7); Ricky Peterson: hammond organ: (1 ,2, 7); Fayyaz Virji: trombone (2, 7); Snake Davis: saxophone (2); Malcolm Strachan: trumpet (2); Ian Chalk: trumpet (2); Dan Mizen: drums (13); Sam Hobbs: drums (5); Frank Mizen: pedal steel (11).
Be sure and check out my 5 star review in All About Jazz
Be sure and check out my 5 star review in All About Jazz
