My wife and I returned to Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley in Seattle to see and hear Acoustic Alchemy on Sunday night, 5 July, and it turned out that they were returning also, having played there many times for many years. The band was formed in England in 1981. I used to hear them on the soft jazz radio station while driving around the Greater Seattle area, doing residential real estate while I worked at John L. Scott on Mercer Island for 20 years.

Why that band, why that night? It was my wonderful birthday gift from my wonderful grandson, Isaiah, and his wonderful wife, Sequoia—“Happy Birthday to Me!”. All four of us had dinner at Jazz Alley! The band had been on tour for a month, and this was their last venue.

The band of five has no brass players—two guitars, bass, keyboard, and percussion. But in their discography, I see that in their 1990 album, Reference Point, they incorporated Randy Brecker as a guest artist (trumpet and flugelhorn). That album featured a cover of Dave Brubeck’s “Take Five,” and the album was nominated for a Grammy Award in the New Age category for their track, “Caravan of Dreams.” One year later, they released Back on the Case, featuring Ludwig Gotz on trombone. Then again, in their 2007 album, This Way, they included a guest appearance by Rick Braun on flugelhorn. Also, in their 2001 album, AArt, Fayyaz Virji, trombonist, was featured. This album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album.

So, that’s another reason I like them—they’re outstanding, versatile, and experimental. They explore multiple genres and welcome other artists (not only brass but also piano, saxophone, harmonica, and vocal).

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