THE MUSIC OF RENOWNED SOUTHWEST ARTIST TED DEGRAZIA
On this episode of Big Blend Radio, Lance Laber, Executive Director of the DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun in Tucson, Arizona, shares the musical legacy of Southwest Artist Ted DeGrazia who shared dual passions for art and music.
Growing up in the copper-mining camp of Morenci, Arizona, Ted DeGrazia played trumpet in bands with his brothers. To pay for his university expenses, he planted trees on campus by day and led his big band at night, which performed popular music and original compositions DeGrazia wrote in the 1930s. In 1945, DeGrazia completed his Master of Arts in Music at the University of Arizona. For his thesis, “Art and Its Relation to Music in Art Education”, he explored the connection between visuals and music.
The album “Please Remember Me” features the first recordings of original DeGrazia scores from the 1930s, which are performed by faculty at the Tucson Community Music School, Tucson Jazz Institute, and the artist’s son Domingo DeGrazia.
DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun is a 10-acre historic landmark nestled in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains in Tucson, Arizona. Opened in 1965, it is home to over 15,000 originals of Ted DeGrazia art pieces including oil paintings, watercolors, ceramics and sculptures. There are six permanent collections on display and several rotating exhibitions each year. More: http://www.degrazia.org/
The Big Blend Radio “Tales of Ted DeGrazia” podcast airs every 4th Sunday. Follow the show here: https://shows.acast.com/artist-ted-degrazia
