Straight
from the heart of Chicago, GRANA’ LOUISE encompasses the Blues. She
is simply hands-down, the quintessential female voice of Chicago
Blues. GRANA’ LOUISE’S show brims with all the elements that make
a performer great! Her deep-throaty-broad- rich voice, belts out the
kind of raw gut Blues that makes your spine tingle and heart and body
ache. Her impeccable timing and staging is keen, spiced with ribald
fun and pizzazz that gives audiences a show to remember! Her
background in professional theater and dance, lends itself wonderfully
to her act.
In short, she engages everyone watching her.
Nationally Recognized:
Chicago
GRANA’ LOUISE is a regular act at Chicago’s hottest Blues
Club’s, including Blue Chicago, Buddy Guy’s Legends, Andy’s Jazz
Club, Shaw’s Crab House, Redfish, KoKo Taylor’s Celebrity,
B.L.U.E.S on Halsted Street, and Kingston Mines.
After living in Chicago for only two short years, she accomplished
what many musicians spend a lifetime trying to do ----- she was
featured in the 17th Annual Chicago Blues Fest 2000 with her band, The
GRANA’ LOUISE BLUES BAND. Her Band drew one of the largest crowds of
the day, on Gibson’s Guitar Crossroads Stage. She appeared again in
the 21st Annual Chicago Blues Fest 2004. This time she performed
"Old School" Good For Your Soul Gospel, opening the Festival
on the Front Porch Stage, early Sunday afternoon. Again she was a
Pioneer, this was a first for a local act to perform Gospel music at
this Blues Festival.
2005 - 22nd Annual Chicago Blues Festival: GRANA' LOUISE Lights up
Gibson's Guitar Crossroads Stage! Her Fiery, Charismatic Persona, and
Power-packed vocals, along with her Stellar three pieced band, rocked
the world of the thousands of Fans that attended the Fest that day! So
much so that the band that was to perform after her, didn't want to go
on! The people showed her a lot of love and respect, to a standing
ovation, which brought her back for a encore. That normally isn't
permitted, but in this case to the Promoter's wisdom, they made GRANA'
LOUISE, the exception to the rule!
New York
GRANA’ LOUISE Blues and Jazz performance has also rocked the
house at the acclaimed Apollo Theater.
Minneapolis/St. Paul
GRANA’ LOUISE performed Blues, Jazz, "Old School"
Rhythm and Blues/Soul as well as "Old School" Gospel
Classics at the following venues: The Times, The Dakota Bar &
Grille, The Café Luxford, Biscuits and Blues, The Fine Line, Bunkers,
Whiskey Junction, The Northrop Auditorium, The Brown Derby (The Derb)
Famous Dave’s BBQ and Blues, Legends in St. Cloud, MPLS. Café, and
many others
Her one woman show, A Tribute To The Great Women of Blues and Jazz
from the 1930’s to the Present, was also a big hit in the Twin
Cities.
Other Venues
GRANA’ LOUISE performed to an enthusiastic crowd with Magic Slim
and The Teardrops, at the SoulShine Festival in Bascomb, Ohio
September 2000.
The GRANA’ LOUISE BLUES BAND was a Headliner for the 6th Annual
Blues Cruise on the Queen Elizabeth II December 2001 with such notable
Blues "heavy weights" as Gatemouth Brown, Charlie
Mussellwhite, The Persuasions, Shemeika Copeland, Billy Branch, and
Big Walter Smith.
GRANA’ LOUISE rocked Detroit, Michigan when she headlined with
the Michigan Jazz Masters at the Afro-American Music Festival,
alongside Chicago’s Legendary Jazz Master Jodie Christian. Their
blend of Jazz and Blues highlighted the Festival July 2003.
Internationally Acclaimed:
2006 May 17-20 2006 Mexico City, Mexico, GRANA' LOUISE Headlined at
Ruta 61 Blues Bar She was received with so much love and admiration,
that at times it was very difficult for her to hold back the tears of
joy. Mexico City, opened it's generous arms to GRANA' LOUISE, and in
return, she gave the people of Mexico her heart, which they felt,
every time she opened her mouth, to let the golden tones come out.
2006 Reykjavik Blues Festival, Iceland April 3-6 2006 GRANA' LOUISE
Headlined at the Festival, along with the fabulous Dietra Farr, and
Zora Young. These woman individually set Iceland on fire! But when
they joined together as a group!... Well, Reykjavik has never quite
been the same. GRANA' will team up with these fantastic ladies again
in March 2007, to give the South of France a taste of what they gave
Iceland. Then GRANA' LOUISE is off to Rky. Iceland again to wake the
volcano with Zora Young, & Deitra Farr at the Blues Festival. I
hope these people have their hospital insurance updated, they're going
to need it.
2005 ITALY, AUSTRIA, and SWITZERLAND were all inclusive for GRANA'
LOUISE, as she Headlined the November- December Tour
Backed by the fantastic funky blues band MORBLUS, she rocked the
house everywhere she performed! A match made in heaven.
In ITALY, GRANA' LOUISE is an exclusive Artist with Break Live
Music.
2005 BRAZIL: GRANA' LOUISE toured four cities in Brazil from May 17
- 30, 2005,
Rio de Janeiro, Sao Palo, Belo Horizonte, and Rio das Ostras.
Touring with two other blues women from Chicago, Big Time Sarah,
and Nellie "Tiger" Travis. They were billed as the Chicago
Blues Ladies.
Originally hired as opening acts for Magic Slim & The
Teardrops, Coco Mantoya, and Rod Piazza they kicked butt SO tuff, that
the promoters made them headliners!
2004 - Centro Jazz Torino: The GRANA’ LOUISE BLUES BAND Toured
Torino, Italy and surrounding cities, from Nov. 1 - 15, 2004 to
standing ovation crowds.
DUSSELDORF, GERMANY, GRANA’ LOUISE was a featured performer with
the Chicago Blues Revue, Ally Entertainment, Promoter. May 6-10
2003,2002,2001 - Riga, Latvia: GRANA’ LOUISE performed at The
Bitzes Blues Club, and Jazz Festival with an excellent band, the
Latvian Blues Band (LBB).
2001- GRANA’ LOUISE was the headliner at the Jazz Club & Bar
in Central Hong Kong, China
1998 - GRANA’ LOUISE performed for entire month of November, to a
wildly appreciative audience at Paris , France’s famous Maxwell Café,
Discography
HIT THE BIG TIME: Diamond Blue Records, MPLS. MN
This Lady’s talent is so huge that her first CD " Hit The
Big Time", sold out completely, both nationally and
internationally! Febuary 1999. FIGHTIN' THE BLUES: Crazy Joe Records,
MPLS. MN Duet with Joe Juliano on the song 12 Bar Blues.
MOJO MAMAS : CD compilation of the best women of Blues in Chicago.
Blue Chicago Label, Chicago IL.
GENERATIONS : Released June 2003, Crystal Blue Records, Riverside
Studios, Chicago IL, has heavy rotation at several Chicago, and
surrounding areas radio stations-( it hit the Top 10 at WBEZ) and in
Minneapolis/St. Paul, on KFAI Fresh Air Radio, and Jazz 88 KBEM. Also
radio stations in Houston TX, New York, Boston, Maine, Colorado, and
Philly.
"...this CD makes me want to come out and see you live, which
I will do...I hope that you will be encouraged to keep creating fresh
new material."
- Bruce Iglauer (Alligator Records)
ALLIGATOR CRAWL: Delmark, Riverside Studios, Chicago IL GRANA'
LOUISE is a Special Guest Vocalist with The Bay City Jazz Band.
WILD ABOUT THAT THING (Ladies Sing The Blues) Delmark's 50th
Anniversary CD. GRANA' LOUISE is featured on this fantastic CD, with
Dinah Washington, Blu Lu Barker, and others.
Media Acclaim
2005 - IL Blues , One of Italy's top Blues and Music Magazines
2004 - GRANA’ LOUISE’S original song "City Slicker
Bill" (from her GENERATIONS CD) was chosen and is featured in the
newly nationally released movie "JUSTICE".
The movie premiered on Showtime’s Black Starz Channel on Cable
and Satellite Dec. 3, 2004. On March 3, 2005 the movie will be
released in Detroit,MI, and March 4, 2005 "JUSTICE" will be
released in Chicago, IL and surrounding suburbs, as well as New York,
DC, San Francisco, Philly, Cleveland, and etc.
Another one of her original songs (her GENERATIONS CD) "It’s
Another Workday" is currently being featured on the DMX Music
Service for Cable and Satallite, on their Blues Channel.
GRANA’ LOUISE was featured in the traveling museum exhibition
" Sweet Home Chicago: Big City Blues, 1946-1966", which was
on display at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, thru June
2004.
2002 - GRANA’ LOUISE appeared on the Cable Access Program,
"Speaking of the Blues", by Living Blues Magazine’s Justin
O’Brien - August 2002. An audio tape of the show is archived at the
Harold Washington Library in downtown Chicago.
GRANA’ LOUISE also garnered Top Reviews :
2005 IL Blues Magazine Italy
March 2005 Blues Revue
Chicago Reader June 2005
Soul Bag 2000
Living Blues Magazine July/August 2004, & 1999
Blues Access 38 Summer 1999
Big City Blues June/July 2003, 1999
and other Internationally recognized Blues Magazines.
E-mail: music@granalouise.com
Website: www.granalouise.com
