Classical Guitar Magazine

‘Billed as one of South Africa’s leading concert guitarists, James Grace studied at the Royal College of Music with Carlos Bonell where he was the first guitarist to receive the Tagore Gold Medal and has also been awarded first prizes in two South African Competitions.

On the strength of this, his second recording, he is a highly gifted performer with a strong technique, an excellent tone and a good sense of phrasing. All this, and the fact that he strongly resembles George Clooney, puts him in the running for a splendid future career.

I have had great enjoyment from listening to this splendid recording and am delighted to have the opportunity to hear someone as good as this perform these works, someone whom I probably would not have heard of otherwise.

As an added bonus, Mr Grace concludes with an exquisite little gem of a piece composed by one of his teachers in South Africa, Dietrich Wagner, who died in 2007, the manuscript of which was presented to him by the composer’s wife, Nana. The version heard on this CD is a first recording.

Recommended.’ – James Grace – Portrait

Steve Marsh, Classical Guitar Magazine, 2008