Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Tas Cru: You Keep the Money

4

Tas Cru: You Keep the Money

By

Sign in to view read count
Tas Cru: You Keep the Money
"This ain't your mama and daddy's blues, no. It ain't no Son House..."

For his fifth release of original material, guitarist Tas Cru explores every blues nook and cranny there is. An even dozen songs provides Cru with the creative fodder to display the contemporary funk of the title piece, to the minor-key blues of "A Month of Sundays" arriving at the church sounds of "A Little More Time" and the blues-balladry of "Holding on to You." Cru is a student of every blues style to emerge after the great Delta migration north. He is well studied and well taught.

Like the ubiquity of blues styles, Cru's guitar playing has the chameleon ability to morph from a sinewy Robert Cray tone to a fat and sassy Buddy Guy roar. His acoustic guitar soloing is muscular and full-bodied, as on "Bringing out the Beast." Cru intelligently blends his double-Keyboard attack, never overwhelming one keyboard with the other. It provides a solid ground sound to his band that can offer the variety foundations necessary to accommodate Cru's roaming styles.

"Take Me Back to Tulsa" recalls the muse that is the late JJ Cale. Cru captures the dry and windy terrain of the area in the song's introduction before launching into the brother of Don Williams-by- way-of-Eric-Clapton's "Living on Tulsa Time." The disc closes with a country rounder, "Thinking How to Tell Me Goodbye." Cru proves a very capable musician steeped in the vernacular of the blues.

Track Listing

You Keep the Money; A Month of Sundays; Half the Time; La Belle Poutine; Heart Trouble; A Little More Time; One Bad Habit; Take Me Back to Tulsa; Count on Me; Holding on to You; Bringing out the Beast; thinking How to Tell Me Goodbye.

Personnel

Tas Cru: vocals, guitars; Mary Ann Casale: vocals, dulcimer; Alice Ericksen: vocals; Dave Olson: drums (1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12); Bob Holz: drums (4, 6, 10); Dick Earl Ericksen: harmonica; Ron Keck: percussion; Chip Lamson: piano; Guy Nirelli: organ; Bob Purdy: bass.

Album information

Title: You Keep the Money | Year Released: 2015 | Record Label: Self Produced

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Fiesta at Caroga
Afro-Caribbean Jazz Collective
Fellowship
David Gibson
Immense Blue
Olie Brice / Rachel Musson / Mark Sanders

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.