- 2024 Tas Cru Band Live – September release – CDs available now at shows only!
- 2023 (February) Riffin’ The Blue releases feat. Mike Zito and Bruce Katz
- 2021 Broke Down Busted Up feat. Anne Harris released
- 2018 Simmered & Stewed Nominated for Blues Music Award
- 2015 You Keep the Money Debuts at #1 on Roots Music Report Blues Chart, Debuts #2 on Living Blues Chart
- 2014 Blues Foundation Keeping the Blues Alive Award for Dedication to Blues Education
Discography:
- Riffin The Blue (2023)
- Broke Down Busted Up (9/3/21)
- Drive On (Released 2/2/20)
- Memphis Song (Released 6/1/18)
- Simmered & Stewed (2016)
- Doggone Blues (2016)
- You Keep the Money (2014)
- Tired of Bluesman Cryin’ (2012)
- Jus’ Desserts (2010)
- Grizzle n’ Bone (2009)
- Gravi-Tas (2008)
- Biscuit (2006)
- WEBSITE: https://www.tascru.com/
- TWITTER: https://twitter.com/tazcru
- INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/cru.tas/
- FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/tascrublues
- YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/c/TasCru
With six albums in the last eight years , Cru is slated to release his Tas Cru Band LIVE in 2024. This album showcases his 2024 tour band performing his fan’s top-ten requested songs. To no surprise, these fan-fed songs are all rough and tumble. Gone are the frills of a studio album. The band just gives each song a best go, kicking down the fences – cage-free – loose, loud and proud!
Cru is a well-seasoned performer and entertainer. He knows how to read an audience. By intuition, Cru adjusts his sets on the fly to make sure he reaches them. While this is a skill acquired from years of performing, having a repertoire of well over 100 original songs to draw on certainly gives him a leg up on most others.
Indeed, above all else Tas Cru is a songwriter. “He is a real writer,” says Bruce Iglauer – owner/producer of the renowned Alligator Records. High praise comes from Downbeat magazine, describing Cru as one of the most unique of roots musicians plying his trade today; “With fresh melodies and his trademark well-crafted lyrics, Cru has the ability to cast a magical hook.” According to Tas, himself, “I insist that words serve more than to treat the listener like a hitch-hiker desperate to reach the guitar solo!” Tas Cru – always original and where the songs matter, lyrics speak, and melodies thrive!
Cru is most known as a blues artist but his songs show that he is truly a roots music eclectic who refuses to be bound to any one genre. Based out of Central New York he performs in multiple formats ranging from a six-piece backing band to solo acoustic. He sings and plays a wide variety of guitars – at home on either electric, acoustic, resonator or cigar box and is known to sprinkle in a bit of harmonica from time to time. Tas made his mark in the blues world as the founder and host of his Tas Cru Annual Rum Boogie Jam (2008 – 2023) at the Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge in Memphis Today, Tas tours extensively throughout the US and international touring includes Europe and Canada. Tas is a Delaney Guitars (Austin TX) endorsed artist and is signed to Subcat Records, Syracuse NY. Tas Cru is a BMI artist and is represented by Anne Bello Productions and in Europe by Martin Scheschonka (Electric Blues Bash).