Kymaera - Into The Rainbow (CD)

Facts Into The Rainbow is a delightful album which pays tribute to Acoustic Alchemy founder Nick Webb by celebrating the beauty of the acoustic guitar. Recorded with a warm and attractive "room" sound, the album explores some of the early gems of the Acoustic Alchemy catalogue as well as some lesser-known pieces. Nylon-string virtuoso Simon James is ably assisted by a group which includes the steel-string guitarist Shane Hill and Acoustic Alchemy frontman Greg Carmichael. Together they explore all the sources of the Acoustic Alchemy sound - English folk, Flamenco, classical and jazz. There's a sheer joy in melody which is evident from an early piece like Little Bercheres - a Nick Webb bossa nova which provides an early template of the Alchemy sound - up to one of Webb's last compositions, Into The Rainbow, co-written with James. Carmichael and James collaborate on the beautiful and sensitively-played ballad, Desert Rose. But then there is the sunny exultation of the African-flavoured Starjive and the hard-swinging jazz of Crossfire, both highlighting the improvising talent of boppish saxophonist Dave O'Higgins. This thrillingly varied album is a fitting tribute to Nick Webb and a joy in it's own right. It deserves a place on the shelves of lovers of acoustic music of all kinds - and, for that matter, anyone with an ear for melody.