Denise La Grassa – A Crossroads Communion
deelagee Publishing
9 Tracks – 35 minutes
Denise La Grassa life has been a series of challenges that she has set for herself. As a five -year-old, she went door to door singing and selling poems and songs. As an eighth grader, she set the record for the most muscle grinds on a trapeze on a challenge issued by the Circus World Museum in Baraboo, Wisconsin. She toured nationally with The Second City Comedy group. She relocated to Chicago at age 20 to take on her desire to pursue a career in the blues world. Her willingness to tackle challenges shows up in her music. All lyrics on the album were written by her, and she shares the music credits with guitarist John Kregor on all eight original tracks with one cover song.
Denise’s deep-voiced singing stands out as uniquely different. She also plays the organ on all tracks with bassist Stephen C. Mansn and drummer Timothy Walker backing her on all songs with guitarists Alvin Santner and John Kegor. Stephen Ryan plays slide guitar on tracks 1,2,3 and 7 and special guest Pierre Lacoque plays harmonica on tracks 4 and 6. Denise describes her band’s sound as ” a blend of swamp heat, Chicago muscle, and spiritual mystique”. Describing this album “she says ” My faith is always with me. The internal blues you hear on this album is a prayer of trust that God hears me and others who long for a more just and empathetic world.” The album was supported by the Illinois Arts Council.
The album opens with “Big Bad Dream” in which she says she is “Hiding out on my basement couch far away from the madrigal play unfolding every day on the big-bad citizen stage.” “A heartbreak angel breaking her promise. Is there anyone honest?” “Living in the big bad dream”. A fast rhythmic vocal delivery gives a modern spin to hill country music. On “These Vain Games” she establishes that today “There is no place for modesty and honesty is respectfully ignored”. She then chastises “grandstanding every pocket sitting on a Sunday waiting for a record profit. Good reverend telling me about the best I can be living.” and further tackles “Shame names from politician stars. They never sound like Roosevelt or Rosa Parks. They make the news with whatever they say – I can make the world a better place with the truth I just erased.” “No world will stop these vain games”.
In a reflective, gospel-tinged songs, she asks, “Who Will Mourn You?” when you are gone, forgotten all the good you’ve done, sacrifices, no one praised you. Soothing souls through tears you made new. Every minute, every day, healing strangers love you gave away.” and she explodes toward the end of the song advising “I will mourn you when you are gone.” She then cries, “Boy the Blues Have Been Blue to Me” “robbing me of my dignity, drowning dreams in my sacred seas where I’m sailing away”. Pierre’s harmonica swings into a solo mid-song. “The Jesus Reel” is an open prayer. “Jesus, the whole world is turning dark, raging and roaring day in, day out. Preaching your teachings turned upside down, when are you coming. “Angels of mercy open the gates, run down from heaven and change their ways. Lead us from darkness, wake up our conscience.”
“I’ll Play the Blues for You” is the sole cover song, written by Jerry Beach and first recorded by Albert King in 1972. She captures the Chicago blues feel as she croons “If you’re down and out, and you feel real hurt, come on over to the place where we live and all your loneliness we’ll try to soothe, “I’ll Play the blues for you.” Steve Mann joins her for a duet on the song with Pierre’s harmonica again a central portion of the music. She goes back to her social issues in a rapid-fire almost rap delivery on “Go Down Laughing Good”. She cites “Read the news this morning, shook my soul awake. How millions of people could get so evil giving my heart an ache, put me in a panic for sixty days and after tons of tears, wine and beers, my Lord appeared and this is what he said. Let go of all the turmoil on my sunshine heaven day, don’t fret your heart, make a fresh start because fools disobey.” “If they’re coming round and if you’re going down, go down laughing good. Folks living in a hateful haze aren’t living life like they should.” The song ends in a cacophony of sound reflecting the turmoil suggested.
“Joyride” continues her examination of social issues noting “One day of glory, next day the story is destroying my sisters and brothers. What happened to the best of you? Who are you turning onto? Not the person I knew. Got to get a remedy for you.” The album concludes with “Go Bad Mouth Yourself” which asks you to step back and take a look at yourself before attacking others. She states, “girl said she done had about enough of you, she’s sick and tired of you trashing her name, look in the mirror fool, cause you’re the one causing her pain. Spending all her money on mighty fine things, driving her car, boat, living at her pad like a king…now she’s telling everybody what you’re all about, go bad mouth yourself, guilty as charged, you better get some help.”
The cover song shows Denise understands the classic take on the blues. But as she states in her bio, “I have my own voice and journey, and the songs coming out of me lately have been true to the blues that howls within me.” The songs on this album reflect the consternation that many feel today with many world issues and she gives those issues a modern spin to the blues. Social commentary has always been a cornerstone of many blues songs, and she captures that concern in her own take on the blues.
