Press for Sundown Rising
JOHN’S SUBSTACK
John Porter
June 18, 2024
Okay, if I’m being honest, this was another performer that I knew nothing about prior to her new disc, Sundown Rising, landing in my inbox. It came from a publicist that I trust and he told me that I would like it.
He was wrong. I love it.
Denise La Grassa is the real deal. She lives and performs mainly in the Chicago area and is in great demand. Aside from her regular appearances in clubs in the Windy City, she branches out to other hot spots in the Midwest and has another couple of CDs that she has released previously.
Her resume doesn’t read like the average blues performers. I doubt many blues artists had a career working in improv comedy, but La Grassa was a member of the Second City touring company, traveling all over the country making people laugh. She stepped out on her own after that and quickly gained a reputation for her voice and for her outstanding showmanship.
The album starts off with the title track, Sundown Rising. The lyrics are poetry and the backing musicians pour their soul into each note. This is my first exposure to Denise La Grassa, and I am not disappointed. She has a dark voice that made the hair stand up on the back of my head. If the rest of the album is like this, this will be on my “Best Of” list.
La Grasse transitions to None Of Your Business and the drums usher us into the world of the song. The guitar sounds jazzy and when her vocals come it, there’s a strong rush headlong into an exciting number.
Hope In Love is a powerful funk blues number that is optimistic in its evaluation of love. “It’s what we live for, it’s what we die for.” It’s quirky and upbeat and the rhythm section gets a real workout during the song. It’s crunchy and I’m sure it’s a real crowd pleaser as La Grassa’s husky whiskey voice adds so much to the song.
La Grasse gets down and gritty on Key To The Highway. Her low notes drop precipitously and there is some good harmonica work that should satisfy the most discriminating blues fan. This is a solid number and should find its way onto a number of playlists.
La Grasse picks up the tempo with Vision Of Good Rule Makers. The drums get a real workout on this song and don’t miss a beat. The guitar run is sweet and adds a nice touch as does the chording of the organ. The high energy is a nice change of pace and there’s a Gospel drive to the song. Good song!
The Door is a beautiful ballad that showcases La Grassa’s sumptuous vocals and a stripped-down arrangement. The deceptive simplicity of the song makes it a standout on the album. I’m sure I’ll be playing this one sooner than later.
There is a nice bass intro to Sweet Talk that quickly adds drums and guitar and turns into a delicious jazz number. La Grassa’s vocals have been exciting throughout the album, and she delivers another outstanding performance on this song. I’m delighted by her tone and look forward to hearing more from her soon.
The next song, Quit Your Whining, is short but powerful. La Grassa tells the person to whom she is addressing, “Quit your whining before I quit you.” In a difficult world there is so much to be concerned about, she doesn’t have time to listen to petty complaints. It’s got a fast tempo and good lyrics.
She ends the album with Loving For Love’s Sake, and it’s a good way to sum up the experience.
Denise La Grassa may not have been on my radar previously, but she is firmly on it now. Her voice is powerful but not overly so. She has good control of her instrument and knows what the song calls for.
According to her upcoming show page on her website, she tends to stay near her home in Chicago, so if you are lucky enough to live in the area, keep an eye out for one of her shows and let me know how she does live.
I bet it’s a killer performance.
For the rest of us, I’m going back to her store page and drop a few bucks on her earlier CDs. You can’t have too much from this talented performer.
MUSIC-NEWS.com
Andy Snipper
July 10, 2024
I am always happy to discover a talent I’ve not heard before, and Denise La Grassa is both new to me and a real talent.
She has a rich voice, imbued with accents of all the places she has called home – Wisconsin, Chicago, Europe – and writes songs in a Blues style but with vaudeville phrasing. There is something here that reminds me of Maria Muldaur, but also crossed with Joni Mitchell.
The songs are more than your standard Blues themes. She touches on racial marginalization, social media, politicians and mass shootings, but all within a Blues, and occasionally Gospel, framework.
More than anything though, this is a musical ride, and it is varied and full of the best things. Her vocals on ‘The Door’ is full and soulful, very much in the vein of a stage musical, with backing music that propels her dark lyrics to the fore. The title track references the ‘Sundown Towns’ of America where non-Whites were instructed to leave town before sunset – she intimates that racial segregation and discrimination is still rife in many areas.
So, not your standard love songs. However, on my favourite track ‘Hope In Love’, she sings to a gospel style backing vocal, sharp guitar work and a funky backbeat, saying that love “Is what we live for/Is what we die for/Is what we give for.” Or on ‘Loving for Love’s Sake’ where she says “If you’re living in hell hate/You’re not loving for loves sake.”
A new talent is always worth checking out and this is a fine album, worth investigating.
BLUES BYTES
Graham Clarke
July 2024
"'Sundown Rising' is Denise La Grassa’s follow-up to her successful 2023 release, The Flame. It's a heady mix of blues, rock, roots and soul.
The energetic, uptempo rocker “Vision Of Good Rule Makers” gives the current slate of politicians a good lambasting, while “The Door” is a lovely, delicate ballad that serves as a fine platform for La Grassa’s vocals, and “Sweet Talk” is a tasty bit of blues and funk. The brisk “Quit Your Whining” takes on a breakneck pace, driven by Harris’ violin, and the closer, “Love For Love’s Sake” is a mid-tempo shuffle that wraps the disc up nicely"
MAKING A SCENE
Richard Ludmerer
July 11, 2024
When Denise LaGrassa was only a spunky child, she went door-to-door selling her poem-like songs for 25 cents apiece and it foreshadowed a full-time music career. She began her full-time songwriting and performance career following the closing of the 157-year-old private school where she led and revitalized the music program. She called it her ‘North of 40’ (years old) dream of returning to Europe to perform with her new blues band.
“Sundown Rising” is the follow-up to LaGrassa’s 2023 rockin’ blues album “The Flame” which was her debut recording. That first effort garnered La Grassa a Top-25 spot on the Roots Music Report Contemporary Blues Chart; with the song “Better Day’s Coming” sky-rocketing into the Top-10 single chart.
The 29 minute “Sundown Rising” was recorded at the Narwhal Studios in Chicago. All of the Lyrics were written by La Grassa, while the music includes four originals from La Grassa and, four from her and guitarist John Kregor. The opening title track is a nod to historical ‘sundown towns’ where the poor and marginalized, disproportionally people of color, are still cast aside in a country of abundance. Pierre Lacocque, the extraordinary harmonica player from Mississippi Heat guests. La Grassa not only sings but also plays organ.
“None of Your Business”, a swipe at social media, features The Nunn Sisters (Aprelle Mitchel-Smith, Iris Nunn, Tecara Parker, and Dahlia Manns) on background vocals. On “Hope in Love” guitarist Stephen Ryan replaces Kregor, as the beautifully articulate La Grassa reminds us that love “Is what we live for/Is what we die for/Is what we give for”.
“Key to the Highway” is the classic written by “Big Bill” Broonzy and Charles Segar, and again features Ryan on guitar, and Lacocque on harmonica; “I’m gonna’ leave running cause walkin’ is much to slow”. On “Vision of Good Rule Makers” La Grassa criticizes politicians, with both guitarists and the great rhythm section of bassist Steven C. Manns, and drummer Mike Gee, laying down the strong foundation. “The Door” is a gorgeous ballad offering hope “get out and go wipe off the tears/ The clock is ticking fast in years/The door Is open today it’s time/Listen hard and keep on dreaming”.
“Quit Your Whining” is another topical song about living in a world of normalized mass shootings, with a violin solo from Anne Harris, and Andrew Ryan on guitar. The closer is the driving rhythmic blues “Loving For Love’s Sake” with the lyric “If you’re living in hell hate/You’re not loving for loves sake”.
La Grassa’s “Sundown Rising” preaches that love transcends all. Denise LaGrassa is a fabulous lyricist, organist, and singer as she mesmerizes us on this new album. Unfortunately it’s a little too short so she leaves us begging for more.
Denise La Grassa Interviews
BLUES.GR
How has music influenced your views of the world and the journeys you’ve taken?
I’m often drawn to music that has a message or tells a meaningful story. Songs that uplift the soul or expresses honesty and joy about the human condition are most appealing. You can listen to John Lee Hooker, Etta James, Hound Dog Taylor, and R.L. Burnside, Aretha Franklin, Sister Rosetta Tharp, and hear the deep connection to something more painful, or joyful, not unlike a lot of blues songs. Blues artists often present the music in a very approachable way, hitting the emotional center and even something you want to dance to, makes it an attractive hopeful vibe. I’ve always tried to infuse my songs with the same sort of hope. Like ‘here’s the problem, let’s find the solution, and along the way we’re going to stomp our feet and move our bodies.”
How do you describe your sound, music philosophy and songbook? Where does your creative drive come from?
I would call what I do “blues infused soulful, rocking music.” I love my blues but there are so many other kinds of music’s I’m attracted to that it all ends up finding a way into my music and message. Sometimes you‘ll hear a straight up blues, then something more soulful, or country, or funky sounding. I’m not following any form when writing the music, but rather, blending life experiences or my observations of others struggling or overcoming the many obstacles we all encounter on the journey. Amen to Happiness is one of those types of songs. A blues infused structure with a call to God to send down some Happiness. Sounds bluesy, Americana and the message is there, a call for justice. Sometimes it just comes out of joy or deep sadness, and I have to let the song be what it is. Bottom line though, the blues is at the center and everything else comes from that rockin chair I sit in when writing a song, pouring out my honest emotions.
What's the balance in music between technique (skills) and soul/emotions?
You need all of it, and ideally a healthy balance of those two ideas.
What moment changed your music life the most?
Losing my job at Lincoln College, a small, private school in central Illinois. I was running the music program there and had just almost a year prior completed with the Higher Learning Commission the transition from a jazz studies program to a music business and music production curriculum. My program was doing well. But on March thirtieth in 2022, the college decided to close their doors permanently after 157 years. It was so sudden, so very sad for the students, staff, faculty, everyone was in a state of shock. Enrollment was down. Many smaller liberal arts schools were closing after Covid. That and other issues made it impossible for the school to remain open. We had basically two months of notice, and you can imagine how painful and scary it was for everyone. And it was another economic shock to the town, which had already been in decline for the past 30 years. It was then I decided that instead of trying to stay in academia, my husband recommended we take some real time to focus on my music. I was going to move back to Chicago and pursue songwriting and performing full-time. I have been a performer all my life, but I had never devoted 100% of my time to music. So, I guess like a lot of people that went through the pandemic, I took a leap of faith and I’m still at it. It’s been scary, exhilarating, frustrating, and rewarding. And I imagine those emotions will continue.
What are the highlights in your life and career so far?
Well, if we’re talking about childhood to today, I was a spunky little kid. When I was five, I wrote what I call poem-songs at home, then went door to door in my suburban Chicago neighborhood singing and trying to sell them to my neighbors. I even told them I’d write a song right there on their doorstep. I was thinking I could make money to buy presents for my parents for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, or Christmas. Well, the neighbors called my parents to tell them what I was doing, and Mom shut that down quickly.
When I was in 8th grade, I set the world record for muscle grinds on a trapeze and got my name in the Guiness Book of World Records. It was a challenge from the Circus World Museum in Baraboo, WI. It’s where I spent my junior and senior high school years.
After moving to Chicago after college I spent time in the 2nd City touring company and acted in musicals and plays around Chicago. I formed my own blues/funk band, sang lead with a blues/funk band. I always blended the theatrical with my bands. For professional acting, I even landed a part in a made for HBO movie with Anthony Edwards and played a couple parts in the TV series Unsolved Mysteries.
Even with all that and a “day job,” I played music all over Chicago as well. Moved from blues/funk into jazz and created my own jazz-theater shows that got me to NYC, Scotland, Germany, and Switzerland.
What do you miss most nowadays from the music of the past? What are your hopes and fears for the future?
Great melodies and great storytelling. My hope is that I can continue to write and perform music, hopefully on a world stage in the future.
What does it mean to be a female artist in a Man’s World as James Brown says?
It can be brutal and at the same time surprisingly welcoming. The hard knocks always contribute to my songwriting. I don’t literally write about what I’ve gone through or go through as a woman in these songs, but the hard knocks and roadblocks that present themselves because of my gender get weaved into the emotions of the songs I write and perform.
Why is it important to preserve and spread the blues?
The classic blues is ground zero for American music, and for my songwriting. Everything else comes from that. It’s like being influenced by Led Zeppelin or the Rolling Stones without understanding that they took their inspiration from Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, and others we now call blues icons. So even though nobody will confuse my music with blues legends like John Lee Hooker, Albert King or R.L. Burnside, you will hear those old souls in my music, and my songs would not be what they are without these trailblazers.
What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience along your music path?
Forgive the cliché, but “teamwork makes the dream work.” And that if someone doesn’t fit into your vision, move away from them, you don’t need band mates dragging you down. Also, always keep your patience and courage and flexibility intact, and as John Hiatt once told me when I asked him for advice on songwriting, “just be true to yourself.”
Do you think there is an audience for blues music in its current state? Or at least a potential for young people to become future audiences and fans?
Most definitely. People need a release from our war-torn world and division in America. I think the blues can help us release the anxiety and sadness around all the hard times we’re going through in this country and world. It’s a cathartic expression both in the song itself, and the movement that comes from hearing the music.