Biography

"The vivacity and sheer joy with which Cru plays is intoxicating and his ability to cast a memorable hook is magical! " - LIVING BLUES

It is not for nothing he has been called "the master of the triple entendre." His songs are blues poetry - telltale life lessons crafted with rare verbal flair and delivered with a power and passion the heights of which only the seasoned concert entertainer can reach. Raucuss, rowdy, gentle, sweet, eccentric, quirky, and outright irreverent are all words that fittingly describe Tas Cru's songs and testify to his reputation as a one of the most unique of bluesmen plying his trade today.

Cru grew up in a very musical and generally unquirky family (except for him). Unlike his talented brother and sisters, he did not pursue music in school instead exploring and developing his talent taking up with a rougher crowd of self-taught musicians. In these early bands he was introduced to the Sun Records heroes of that day. Cru's first foray into the blues came after leaving the US Navy when he was asked to join a band formed by a former shipmate named Delray Streeter, a bluesman of unlimited bravado and attitude but limited singing and harmonica skills. Streeter was raised in El Dorado, Arkansas and claimed a rich blues heritage from his upbringing. This partnership, though shot-lived, proved to be very influential as Streeter's repetoire tended toward the older and much rawer country blues. Cru's schooling in country blues later served as a counterpoint to the rock- blues influences he idolized like so many other young guitar players of his time.

Based out of upstate New York. Cru performs in a variety of formats ranging from solo-acoustic to a 7 piece backing band. Recent Blues Festival performances of note include Billtown, Chenango, Kalamazoo , Chattauqua Hills (KS), Bluesberry Festival (LaFayette LA), Niagara Falls, and NYS Blues Fest (Syracuse NY). Noteworthy recent major club appearances include BB King's and Rum Boogie Cafe (Memphis TN), Ground Zero Blues Club (Clarksdale, MS), Blue Rose Cafe (Tulsa OK), Legacy Blues Club (Fayettevile AR), Uncle Bo's (Topeka, KS), 411 Club (Kalamazoo MI), Black Eyed Sally's (Hartford CT) Dinosaur BBQ (Rochester, Syracuse, Troy NY), Club Helsinki (Hudson NY) Bearsville Theater (Woodstock NY) and Caffe Lena (Saratoga Springs, NY) . As well, he has performed numerous Blues Education programs and workshops in schools and communities around the country.

Tas Cru's discography includes four albums of original songs - "Biscuit" (2006), "gravi-Tas "(2008), "Grizzle n' Bone" (2009) and "Jus' Desserts" (2010). His new album "Tired of Bluesmen Cryin'""was just released October,2012 AND IS NOW AVAILABLE. In addition to these albums is Cru's 2009 recording, "Even Bugs Sing the Blues", an album of original blues music for kids. This album is not for sale. Instead Cru donates copies to schools, community groups and blues societies to use for their fundraising efforts in hopes that it will help inspire a new generation of blues fans and musicians.

Cru's 2010 album, "Jus' Desserts" spotlights Cru's critically acclaimed songwriting talent. Accolades from the blues press include Living Blues who writes, "The vivacity and sheer joy with which Cru plays is intoxicating and his ability to cast a memorable hook is magical." Cru's earlier albums have also received wide recognition. Downbeat Magazine named"Grizzle n' Bone" as one of its top 10 blues picks for 2010 saying "Tas Cru has the soul of a poet." Tas' CD, "gravi-Tas " (2008) and his solo acoustic 2006 CD, "Biscuit,"both enjoyed wide international and national airplay -especially "gravi-Tas" that was featured as a "Pick to Click" on XM Radio's BB King's Bluesville.

Honors and recognition include Cru being nominated as a Blues Educator for the 2012 Blues Foundation's Keeping the Blues Alive award and in 2009 he was named by Blues Festival Guide Magazine as its 2009 Blues Artist on the Rise.

Tas Cru records on the Crustee Tees Records label and is represented by:

KT Management - Rick Bates 315.244.1468 rbates2@twcny.rr.com
Publicist - Frank Roszak Promotions 818.679.7636

froszak2003@yahoo.com