Tas Cru Band - Live (2024)

Personnel:
Tas Cru – vocals, guitar
Mia (Mary-Ann) Casale – vocals
Tom Terry – vocals, bass
Phil Diiorio – vocals, drums
Scott Ebner – piano, organ

Tas Cru (born Rick Bates in Quebec, Canada), is a seasoned musician who has been living in the US for many years. Although he comes from a musical family, Rick himself did not have much to do with music until he was introduced to the blues by an old US Navy buddy and he started playing in his band for a while. Cru developed as a songwriter and started a solo career. In 2006 his debut album Biscuits was released. In 2009 he released the album Even bugs sing the blues , an album with original blues songs for children and in 2016 he recorded the album Doggone blues , a blues album for dog lovers (!). He tours extensively with his band through the US, Canada and Europe.

This month sees the release of Live , the new album by Tas Cru Band. A live album with his current road band with whom he toured in the summer and fall of 2023. Recorded with an audience at Subcat Music Studio in Syracuse, New York. The ten songs form a nice anthology of Tas Cru's repertoire.

After the opening words 'Don't say you will, when you know you won't' the concert opens swinging with Dat maybe, followed by the uptempo stomping gospel blues Stand up! , with a tight guitar solo and backing vocals by Mia Casale. The pace is kept up with Brown liquor woman with a tight rhythm section and a prominent role for Scott Ebner on organ. In Have a drink Casale takes care of the lead vocals. The more than six minutes long Take me back to Tulsa , with lead vocals by Ebner, starts very quietly but rocks a little later with various nice melodious solos. The drumming of Phil Diiorio is also very strong here and that is also in the funky Grizzle n' bone, enhanced with wonderful piano sounds. “I play with the hand that the good Lord has given me”, sings Cru in the funky title song One eyed Jack. The gospel-like You keep the money is again characterized by the tight drumming, a penetrating guitar solo and the harmony vocals of Casale. The organ is prominent in the intensely sung Drunk half the time. The closing number Heal my soul is a swinging gospel blues. The opening is with piano and the almost acapella singing of Mia Casale, but the number continues rocking with a flamboyant piano solo and beautiful duets by Tas and Mia.

Conclusion: Live is an excellent album with raw, honest music from a passionate Tas Cru Band.