The Jack Grace Band & Luther Wright (CD) ~ Live at The Acoustic Grill

Live at The Acoustic Grill. The Jack Grace Band & Luther Wright

The friendship between Grace, a New Yorker, and Wright, former Weeping Tile guitarist and mastermind behind the Wrongs, is genuine. Both share a skill at painting perfect vignettes with their songs – some humorous, some heartbreaking – but always drawn from real life. This album captures them together on Wright’s home turf near Kingston, ON in front of an intimate audience, featuring a stellar guest appearance by Canadian folk legend Dan Whiteley on mandolin. It’s essentially a showcase of both Grace and Wright’s best material, and since many Canadians might already be acquainted with some of the latter’s tunes, such as “Luther’s Got the Blues” and “Guitar Pickin’ Martyrs,” the treat is getting familiar with Grace’s deft lyricism on such offerings as “Cigarettes” and “Stayin’ Out All Night.” The natural interplay between the two makes one wonder what they could do if they truly put their heads together to make an album. But for now, Live At The Acoustic Grill will have to serve as a charming document of what was undoubtedly a special night.