Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Acoustic Alchemy: The Beautiful Game

Acoustic Alchemy: The Beautiful Game

By Dave Hughes
October 1, 2000
View read count

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 percussion co-exist almost seemlessly with computer-driven backgrounds and percussion. The result is genuine and natural, with little condescension to fad or formula.

The band achieves a nice balance of staying true to the Acoustic Achemy roots while also introducing new elements. For example, on "Kidstuff" there are touches of kids' voices (natural and electronically altered), sax and piano solos, and a zippy background horn section. For added variety, two of the program's more memorable tunes, "Big Sky Country" and "Trail Blazer" (which are new but somehow seem familiar already), were re-recorded in Nashville with some of that city's top session players, achieving a more country-fied feel with dobro and harmonica. Both versions of each tune are included.

Good compositions, sparkling clean musicianship, and nice variety within the contemporary jazz framework combine to make a thoroughly competent and enjoyable addition to Acoustic Alchemy's already impressive discography.

Personnel

Acoustic Alchemy

band / ensemble / orchestra

Album information

Title: The Beautiful Game | Year Released: 2000 | Record Label: Mood Records

About Acoustic Alchemy

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Meet Lynne Arriale
< Previous

Charles Lloyd: Crossing the Waters W...
Next >

Acoustic Alchemy Concerts

Oct 7 Wed

Acoustic Alchemy

Musical Instrument Museum
Phoenix, AZ

Oct 16 Fri

An Evening With Acoustic Alchemy

Sellersville Theater 1894
Sellersville, PA

Oct 21 Wed

Acoustic Alchemy

Iridium
New York, NY

Oct 22 Thu

Acoustic Alchemy

Iridium
New York, NY

Oct 24 Sat

Acoustic Alchemy

John Lyman Center For The Performing Arts
New Haven, CT

Oct 28 Wed

Acoustic Alchemy

Birchmere
Alexandria, VA

Nov 1 Sun

Acoustic Alchemy

Judson's Live
Orlando, FL

Apr 6 Tue

Acoustic Alchemy

Birchmere
Alexandria, VA

Become a Sustaining Member

Since 1995, All About Jazz has championed jazz as an art form and supported the musicians who create it. Over three decades, it has grown into one of the world's leading jazz resources, serving hundreds of thousands of readers, musicians, presenters and industry professionals each month.

Help Build the Future of All About Jazz

Your support helps us continue building All About Jazz for the next generation—expanding our editorial coverage, preserving jazz history, developing new community features and creating better ways to discover the music and the people behind it.

Become a sustaining member for as little as $20 per year and you'll immediately enjoy an ad-free experience along with access to subscriber features and future articles for a full year.

Together, we're not simply sustaining All About Jazz—we're building its future. Thank you for being part of the journey.