#429 : Tas Cru - Drive On

2020 – Subcat Records

By Phillip Smith; Jan. 25, 2020

Tas Cru (Rick Bates) has been on my radar since reviewing his Simmered & Stewed album in 2017.  Since then, I’ve seen him perform some kick-ass blues live at the Beale Street Music Festival in Memphis and the Prairie Dog Blues Festival in Wisconsin.  Drive On, his latest album is another superb recording of music rooted in the blues.  With backing vocals from Mary Ann Casale, Tas keeps front-and-center on lead vocals, guitars, and harmonica.  Adding a lush new sound to his music is the new guy Saxophonist Anthony Terry.  The band also includes Gabe Stillman on slide guitar, organist Anthony Geraci, bassist Bob Purdy and drummer Andy Hearn.  Special guests include drummers Sonny Rock and Cathy Lamanna, and Colin “Big Yellow Dog” Beatty on bass.       

Tas kicks this one off with “That Lovin’ Thang”.  Delivered with a cool, swinging groove and a hot keyboard lesson from Geraci, this barn-burner is an absolute gem.  Stillman loads “Money Talks”, up with a nice juicy dose of slide guitar.  Title-track “Drive On” is so sweet and infectious, it’s certainly among my favorites.  Sonny Rock, who has toured with Tas quite a bit over the past few years, makes a guest appearance on “Save Me”, a heady tune with a Doors-meets-Dire Straits atmosphere.   On a haunting and ominous note, the album concludes with “Devil in Your Heart”, an acoustically-performed duet with Mary Ann Casale.  I love the fact that this is stripped-down, where we can zero in on the vocal performance.  They sound great together. 

Whether live or on record, Tas is one of my favorites.  His songs are almost always originals, and his writing stands out from the herd,  Drive On is indeed another terrific album. 

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Mary Ann Casale , Tas Cru @ Prairie Dog Blues Festival

 Prairie du Chien, WI

 July 26, 2019

* Photo by Phillip Smith

#402 : Prairie Dog Blues Festival - 2019

Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin

July 26-27, 2019

By Phillip Smith; August 3, 2019

I had an absolutely amazing time during the two days I spent at the Prairie Dog Blues Festival this year.  Besides the spectacular music, there was an amazing comradery between the blues fans.  Upon first arrival on Friday evening, I staked out some prime territory within the beer tent to see one my favorite acts Ghost Town Blues Band.  They tore it up on four separate sets that evening, playing all the songs I wanted to hear.  Their covers of “Come Together”, “Whipping Post”, and “Statesboro Blues” were superb as always.  It was great to catch up with those guys again.  Between the GTBB sets, I made sure to shimmy over to the main stage to see more outstanding performances from Tas Cru, Reverend Payton’s Big Damn Band, Toronzo Cannon, and Nikki Hill. 

Tas Cru and Mary Ann Casale teamed up to dazzle me with delight on “Heal My Soul”.  Casale cowrote this one with Tas for his acclaimed Memphis Song album.  It was cool to hear “Dirty Swerve” from Reverend Peyton.  That one definitely put the fans in dance mode.  Toronzo Cannon brought some of the best blues Chicago has to offer, and Nikki Hill commanded full attention for her powerful for her set of rockin’ soul.  She even busted out a little AC/DC with a nod to Bon Scott on “If You Want Blood / I’m a Rocker”.  

On the second day of the festival, I headed directly to the main stage to hear Craig Erickson and the Roadhouse Rockers.  The man is a powerhouse when it comes to playing guitar, and it is always a pleasure to see his band play.  ZZ Top tribute band Eliminator from Chicago lit up the crowd with nearly ninety minutes of dazzling showmanship and spot-on covers.  They were so fun to watch and hear.  I was so glad to have finally caught Eliza Neals in concert.  She has been on my radar ever since reviewing her 10,000 Feet Below album.  This is another act which I highly recommend.  Neals definitely puts the ‘rock’ in blues-rock, with her amazing vocals.  Popping over to the beer tent to hear The Kris Lager Band was a lot of fun as well.  The tent was filled to capacity, as they played their unique style of funky blues.  The evening was capped off with a searing performance from Anthony Gomes.  The first time I saw Gomes, he was opening for the king of blues himself, B.B. King.  This my third time seeing him, and he keeps upping his game every time.

Prairie Dog Blues Festival, which is held annually on the historic St. Feriole Island in Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin, is very organized and cuts no corners when it comes to booking talent.  I will definitely make a point of returning.  

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* All Photos by Phillip Smith

Ghost Town Blues Band

Tas Cru

Rev Peyton's Big Damn Band

Toronzo Cannon

Nikki Hill

Craig Erickson and the Roadhouse Rockers

Eliminator

Eliza Neals

Kris Lager Band

Anthony Gomes

#323 : Mick Kolassa - Double Standards

2017 – Swing Suit Records

By Phillip Smith; March 10, 2018

One can feel the heart and soul poured into the latest release from “Michissippi” Mick Kolassa.  Double Standards, a wonderful thirteen track album, celebrates some of the greatest blues songs to have been recorded.  Backing Kolassa in the studio is guitarist Jeff Jensen, bassist Bill Ruffino, drummer James Cunningham, and organist Chris Stephenson.   For this venture, Kolassa also enlists the participation of several notable musicians, who today are busy carving their own unique path to present the Blues.  These artists are Tullie Brae, Erica Brown, Annika Chambers, Heather Crosse, Tas Cru, Gracie Curran, David Dunavent, Alice Hasan, Eric Hughes, Colin John, Jeremy Powell, Patti Parks, Sugaray Rayford, and Victor Wainwright.

A big gracious nod goes out to the legendary bluesman Willie Dixon.  Performing as a duet with Kolassa, Erica Brown holds back nothing as she pours her soulful vocals into the classic “Spoonful”.  I love Jenson’s guitar performance and Stephenson’s organ arrangement on this track.  The lovely Heather Crosse joins in on “I Just Want to Make Love To You”.  Memphis’ Eric Hughes lays a heaping helping of luscious harmonica on this track.  It sounds great.  The dynamic duo of Kolassa and Sugaray Rayford double the ante on “300 Pounds of Heavenly Joy”, originally recorded by Howlin Wolf, to bring a grand total of “600 Pounds of Heavenly Joy” to the table.  Fortified with the guitar prowess of both Colin John, and Mike Kolassa, this track is a big bowlful of fun.

Victor Wainwright splendidly takes the vocal reins on Tampa Red’s 1928 hokum “It’s Tight Like That”, with Hughes icing the song with harmonica and Alice Hasan accompanying on violin.  Tas Cru lends his definitive voice to the Jimmy Cox penned standard, “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out”.  This timeless classic is beautifully accompanied by Hason on violin and Jeremy Powell on piano.  Eric Hughes gives a smooth performance Big Bill Broonzy’s “Key to the Highway”.  It’s very nice indeed. 

Double Standards comes to a joyful conclusion in a full-fledged jamboree.  Each singer takes a turn on “Ain’t Nobody’s Business”, spinning their own off-the-cuff lyrics.  It’s a great track to close the album with, as the energy of the whole collective is funneled into this closing song. 

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All Proceeds from Mick Kolassa’s albums will go to support two of these important programs: The HART Fund and Generation Blues.

THE HART FUND (Handy Artists Relief Trust) is for Blues musicians and their families in financial need due to a broad range of health concerns. The Fund provides for acute, chronic and preventive medical and dental care as well as funeral and burial expenses. 

GENERATION BLUES provides scholarship to artists under the age of 21 to study at reputable camps, seminars and workshop programs such as Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival, Augusta Heritage Center and Fernando Jones’ Columbia College Blues Camp.

Also reviewed on Phillycheeze’s Rock & Blues Reviews

Victor Wainwright and the WildRoots – Boom Town

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2015/07/victor-wainwright-and-wildroots-boom.html

Tas Cru - Simmered & Stewed

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2017/01/tas-cru-simmered-stewed.html

Heather Crosse - Groovin’ at the Crosse Roads

https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2016/01/heather-crosse-groovin-at-crosse-roads.html

Tas Cru - Simmered & Stewed

2016 – Vizztone Records

By Phillip Smith; Jan. 21, 2017

As New York blues artist Tas Cru explains, he is returning to his ‘acoustic-ish’ blues roots on his latest album, Simmered  & Stewed.  He breathes a delightful new life into a handful of his older recorded material with the use of his acoustic, resonator and cigar box guitars. 

Cru gets a spirited and running start on the outstanding “Dat Maybe”, revving up his resonator through the driving beat supplied by Andy Hearn, a juicy wall of harmonica from Dick Earl Ericksen and a soulful organ accompaniment from Guy Nirelli.  It’s impossible to escape the gravitational pull of the trance groove Tas embeds in “Feel I’m Falling”.  Distant backing vocals and Ron Keck’s spacy ominous percussion add to the haunting vibe in this brilliantly psychedelic cry for help.  David Liddy’s rollicking barrelhouse piano playing shines bright through the saucy and manic blues of “Biscuit”.  Shout outs to the legendary Delta Blues great Robert Lockwood Jr. and the voice of KFFA’s King Biscuit Flour Hour ‘Sunshine’ Sonny Payne also bring a smile to my face.

Simmered & Stewed is chock full of all original tunes, with the exception of one song.  As the only cover on the album, the 1967 Jackie Wilson hit song “Higher and Higher” deliciously and slowly builds to a fast boil in the uplifting form of a southern gospel ten revival session. This is a nice treat indeed.  Thus the album comes to its finish, and I say, Amen brother!    

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