Acoustic Alchemy

In an alternate musical reality where "smooth jazz" is not an insult, Acoustic Alchemy is god. With 18 albums to its credit and a career that spans more than 20 years, it is the rarest of the rare -- a best-selling instrumental jazz group.

Acoustic Alchemy, known for dueling guitars up-front, was founded in the early 1980s by Nick Webb and Simon James; within a few years, James moved on to form his own group, leaving a spot open for Greg Carmichael. Webb and Carmichael had a decade of success before Webb died of cancer in 1998. Miles Gilderdale joined the group soon after. Together he and Carmichael carried on, enjoying a growing international audience and those all-important CD sales. Throughout the musical chairs, Acoustic Alchemy has maintained a focus on the music, with personalities and popular music trends a distant second.