NORWOOD -- North Country blues ambassadors Mary Ann Casale and Tas Cru will perform at the Norwood Village Green Concert Series Sunday, June 24 at 7 p.m.

Casale is an eclectic singer-songwriter who always delivers a true, honest, performance. Her voice is rich, pure and refreshingly melodic; her guitar playing, a deft finger picking style reminiscent of one of her early and most revered influences, the Reverend Gary Davis. Mary Ann’s music ranges from sultry jazz blues to country blues, with tinges of rootsy folk and Americana– but foremost always soulful.

Raucous, 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 has received wide praise for his songwriting, said a press release from the series.

As Downbeat magazine notes, "His songs are blues poetry - crafted with rare verbal flair and his ability to cast a memorable hook is magical!" Bruce Iglauer, founder and president of Alligator Records calls Cru “a rare, real writer.” Live, these songs are performed with power and passion as observed by Living Blues magazine, "The vivacity and sheer joy with which Cru plays is intoxicating!"

Honors and recognition include Cru being awarded the 2014 Blues Foundation's Keeping the Blues Alive Award (KBA) for Blues Education and in 2009 named by Blues Festival Guide Magazine as its 2009 Blues Artist on the Rise. In January 2015, the Rum Boogie Café awarded Cru a guitar to autograph and hangs among the gallery of artist signed guitars. His latest album, Simmered & Stewed was named 2016 Best Blues Album by the Syracuse Area Music Awards (SAMMYS).

Admission is free but there is a “pass the bucket”. Its primary support is from many organizations, foundations, businesses and individuals.

The series acoustic concerts are supported in part by The Sweetgrass Foundation.

The series continues to take donations by check. They can be mailed to: Norwood Village Green Concert Series, 3 Bicknell Street, Norwood 13668. All contributions are tax deductible. Donations are encouraged and needed.