- 2024 (Sept) Tas Cru Band Live Release
- 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:
- Tas Cru Band LIVE (2024)
- 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 released his brand new 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).