Photo of Denise La Grassa

Denise La Grassa

Denise La Grassa Radio

Music

FEATURED SONG
Deep Down Love
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Deep Down Love
Album:
Released: Apr 11, 2011
Label:

General Info

  • Genre: Blues / Jazz

    Location Chicago/Bloomington, Un

    Profile Views: 16577

    Last Login: 10/14/2011

    Member Since 4/17/2008

    Website www.deniselagrassa.com

    Record Label deelagee Records

    Type of Label Indie

  • Bio

    Denise La Grassa's talent for writing lyrics and music was evident from an early age. "I was 5, maybe 6 years old and I was writing songs like mad. Once I had a fistful ready to go, I would head out and knock on my neighbors doors and sing the songs right there on their doorstep! I was hoping they'd like the songs enough to buy them. I thought if I sold enough songs, I could buy birthday & Christmas presents for my family. I tell you, I was on my way, but once my family phone started ringing with those, ahh, entertained neighbors, my Mom, politely asked me to stop. But I did get a few dollars in my pocket, and more importantly, I got confidence at an early age as a songwriter." <p> Her song-selling may have been stopped prematurely, but Denise continued writing. "In third grade, I decided to tackle playwriting. My teacher, Mrs. Collins, read my stories, thought I was pretty good and arranged a meeting with the elementary school principal. She allowed me and my group of third grade thespians the chance to perform a Christmas play for the school. We rehearsed in the library after school, we got parents involved typing scripts, finding props and designing costumes. The play was a huge success and I was on my way to fame and fortune. But then, 4th grade blindsided me. My new teacher was, how should I say this, a wee bit underwhelmed by my endless creativity. I did write a few plays and songs, but my grades suffered, and I was "diagnosed" as a hyper-creative child. Back then I was misunderstood. I still wrote songs and plays, but when I was done, I tucked them inside my piano bench. I was really bummed." On break one summer from college, Denise traveled to a place called The Second City in Chicago and discovered a school for performers and writers. "I couldn't believe what I found. A SCHOOL for people LIKE ME!!!! I left college and soaked up improv writing and acting. Within a year I was traveling with The Second City Touring Company and having the time of my life. One of my favorite improv techniques was called "Make-A-Song." The audience would shout out topics and ideas and I had to make up songs on the spot. I had a blast writing and singing melodies & parodies under pressure. My only regret is that I don't have recordings of those performances ... then again, maybe that's a good thing!" Following her stint at The Second City, Denise continued to work in professional theater, performing in plays and musicals. She also wrote and produced two musical One-Person shows. In between musical theater, she landed small parts in a couple of made for HBO movies, including Hometown Boy Makes Good with Anthony Edwards (She's the funny secretary). And you can still occasionally catch her portrayals of real life people on the TV show Unsolved Mysteries. Despite her busy acting schedule, Denise made time for her music. She performed with her band at nearly every Chicago music venue, including The Jazz Showcase, Katerina's, Andy's, The Velvet Lounge, and The Bop Shop. She also produced two CD's of original music. The Tracks was released in 1999 and Pieces of Peace three years later. "My old Professor and mentor Bill Russo, who was a big band arranger - he arranged for Stan Kenton among others - kept telling me that I was a talented songwriter and that I should keep writing songs. So I produced those CD's by myself and shopped them around to a few labels. But I was so busy acting and performing my One-Person musical shows that I wasn't able to give it the big push that it needed." With her move downstate a couple years ago, Denise began focusing on her music. "I wasn't going to get acting offers living in Central Illinois, so I really dug into my songwriting. And I don't know what it was, maybe the wide open spaces, but I found that lyrically I was writing more and more about some of the painful events of my life. And it's funny that when my April Dreams CD came out, people around me were saying I should be singing blues. I guess they heard Sweet Talk and Deep Down Love and thought my big voice would sound great singing my songs as blues songs. People like "Delta" Frank Black, the legendary blues DJ on WGLT in Bloomington/Normal, and the late Eric Tapley, the founder and promoter of the Nothin' But The Blues Festival here in Bloomington. Early this year, I finally took the leap, and it's been a great decision. Eric even gave me the opening slot at his festival this year, and I'm so sad that he wasn't able to be there to see me. I'm loving the transformation, cause even though my foundation is firmly rooted in jazz, I'm still able to express myself freely singing blues ... the lyrics are just more concrete. And I think it's an interesting mix, cause I've retained my jazz sensibility in that I'm "connecting in the moment" with creative melody and lyric ideas, but now these ideas are jam packed with feeling, emotions and a soul sensibility."

  • Members

    Denise La Grassa, John Kregor, Erik Swanson, Michael Carlson, Michael Hill

  • Influences

    Betty Carter, Billie Holiday, John Hiatt.

  • Sounds Like

    Denise La Grassa.

Comments

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  • Tim Cheatle


    Lunapic Photo Editing

    1 year ago
  • Jaye Davis

    Whoohoo! Surfin' through the wide space on the wave of your attention, yellin' out the words: My space is your space... so feel free to visit mine whenever you want to! Your friend Jaye Davis Photobucket Photobucket

    1 year ago
  • Tim Cheatle





    1 year ago
  • Patricia Brown

    Hello,
    Thanks for finding me, your request, and your friendship.
    I wish you all the best.
    Patricia

    1 year ago
  • Nic Koray

    great u like it:) stay in touch, dear friend Dense.
    music is the key
    nic

    1 year ago
  • Mel Lejones

    Have a wonderful day! ;)

    1 year ago
  • Ian

    Hey!
    Thank you for adding us, It means the world ! 
    we understand myspace has so many bands on here..
    Wanted to give you a big thank you for that!

    Feel free to check out our songs between Radiohead, Coldplay, Porcupine Tree, Pink Floyd, King Crimsons..

    Cheers from France !

    IAN

    2 years ago
  • Nathan Fifield

    Hi Denise,

    Thanks for checking out my new album.  Enjoyed listening to your tunes and beautiful voice.  Keep in touch.
    Nathan

    2 years ago
  • Aduki !

    Denise how on earth did you manage to get a gig at Central Station ? Very well done!

    Simon

    2 years ago
  • Sterling Koch

    Thanks for the add D. Good blues to you.

    2 years ago
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