Denise La Grassa – A Crossroads Communion
If you’re looking for an original singer with a distinctive brand, Chicago-born Denise La Grassa is the ticket. She has the pipes, but isn’t like any of the well-known high-octane female belters of the past. There’s a quirky, deep-throated, polished hell-bent tonality to Ms. La Grassa that stands out like lightning between dark clouds. “Big Bad Dream” has sparks & the band’s performance supports her sizzle.
What Denise has is a penetrating approach. The lyrics are delivered with coherence. “These Vain Games” is narrated like a TV thriller & it’s captivating, a disarming blues that’s invested in a smoky ambience. The guitars aren’t grating, not pristine, but delivered with a murky conviction. It all works as a competent original display of an old genre.
There are 9 succinct explorations with A Crossroads Communion (Drops June 5/deelagee Records/Illinois Arts/35:01) produced by Jim Gifford in Chicago, IL. The majority are bluesy; some border on a blues-gospel embodiment. Denise (organ) uses her vocal intonation, phrasing, & range to good effect. There are generous dips into soulfulness that don’t go unnoticed. She explores various themes such as emotional contradictions, pain & hope, anger & joy, despair, & resilience. Typical subjects of the genre, but enlisted in a creative, faithful manner. I can’t single out one influential voice that’s evident in these tracks, except to suggest that Denise has succeeded in shaping a wholly creative, well-accentuated repertoire that’s now opened to influencing others.
The blues aside, Denise also manages to inject some faith into her arrangements (“The Jesus Reel”) & it’s played with pure essence, exuberance & smashingly delivered. Segueing into a low-down & electrifying tune is “I’ll Play The Blues For You,” rooted deeper in the traditional blues & possessing a hint of Paul Butterfield Blues Band (circa 1966). It’s a duet with bassist Steven C. Manns that has a deep, warm tone perfectly in contrast to Denise’s octane.
In some blues (which is basically a simple genre), a wordy excursion like “Go Down Laughing Good” gets a little laborious because there are too many words compromising the groove. The instrumental break redeems the performance; in the blues, less is better. Save the words for progressive rock. The other slight is “Joyride” — sounds too soapbox & preachy. The music is tight, well-played, & engaging. But too much salvation pontificating will appeal to some, but not all. But maybe that’s what Denise intended. It’s her album. I hope she doesn’t rely on that direction consistently.
Highlights – “Big Bad Dream,” “These Vain Games,” “Boy The Blues Have Been Blue To Me,” “The Jesus Reel” & “I’ll Play The Blues For You.”
Musicians – Alvin Santner & John Kregor (guitars), Stephen Ryan (slide guitar), Timothy Walker (drums) & Pierre Lacocque (harmonica).
CD cover image courtesy of Israel Melendez. Seated image courtesy of Denise’s Facebook gallery. CD @ Bandcamp & https://deniselagrassa.com/ & https://www.markpuccimedia.com/?p=4971