Tarsame Singh aka Taz, the artist formerly known as Johnny Zee, a British born Asian raised in Coventry UK established himself as a recording artist in 1989. With the release of his debut album "Hit The Deck" he stormed the UK Asian pop charts for thirty six weeks. The album went on to become one of the biggest selling Bhangra fusion releases of all time.

Described as the prince of Bhangra pop fusion, a lyricist, composer and producer, he became the embodiment of the futuristic dimension of cross-cultural music. He heralded a new era in which cross-over music became the pursuit of many young British Asian artists.

His music is best described as a hybrid of Punjabi folk, Hindi and English fused with Western pop sensibility, infectious melodies and dynamic dance grooves.

His Asian roots combined with the British/American sound brought about subsequent album releases that took him from strength to strength and helped mushroom a global fan base. His popularity is still growing in the UK, Indian sub-continent, Arabia (UAE), Australia, Africa, South-East Asia, Europe, USA and Canada.

Having toured extensively in all these countries, the success story continues. As an artist his music has illustrated the advantages of a cross-cultural identity in an industry that can be narrow minded and fickle to say the least. The struggle to convince major record companies of the potential for huge sales internationally led him to try alternative routes to exposing his music to the masses.

To date his combined sales figures are in excess of three million copies ... Say no more!

 

Best Newcomer 1991 - UK Asian Pop Awards Best Popular Artist 1993 - UK Asian Pop Awards Best Fusion Artist 1994 - UK Asian Pop Awards Best Male Vocalist 1995 - UK Asian Pop Awards Best Mainstream Artist 1997 - UK Asian Pop Awards Best Mainstream Artist 1998 - UK Asian Pop Awards Best Mainstream Artist 1998- UK Student Pop Awards

TAZ: "My creative licence has given me strength and motivation through which I excel myself whilst experimenting vocally, melodically musically and spiritually, elevating oneself to unchartered territories……..Accused of bastardising Asian music did not in any way, shape or form deter me from my vision. My belief and conviction was such that I couldn't give a f**k about what people said. Breaking the rules, crossing the boundaries and improvising has in itself been the driving force behind my inspiration".

Some of Taz's influences are George Michael, Prince, Jam & Lewis, Baby face, Bob Marley, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, R D Burman, Gurdass Maan, Kuldip Manak and Zapp.

In June of 1996 Taz, founded the hugely popular cross cultural pop group Stereo Nation and the group (Taz and Kendell Smith) signed to EMI Records. They went on to have their first British chart hit, "I've Been Waiting" and have subsequently achieved world wide notoriety with the multi platinum albums "I've Been Waiting" and "Jambo".

TAZ: "Over the last seven years I've had the privilege of working and collaborating with two of the greatest Asian producers/songwriters, Simon & Diamond, who were responsible for the success of Apache Indian as well as having worked with the likes of Sly & Robbie, China Black, Erasure, Boyzone, Maxi Priest, Janet Kaye and Stereo Nation to name but a few. I've also had the pleasure of working with Kam Bura who in my opinion is one of the funkiest Indian percussionists I've met".

Realising the demand for Asian popular music globally led Simon & Diamond, Kam and Taz to join forces to create Sub Dub Records. A stable for nurturing Asian talent, as Motown did for Black artists in the sixties.

SIMON: "A true artist needs to have the ability to re-invent himself and to recognise the importance of a production team who can see things objectively. Taz has these qualities and this is evident in his new album "NASHA" (Intoxicated)."

TAZ: "As an artist, I feel this is one of my finest pieces of work to date and this is just the beginning. The progressiveness of this album provides me with a source of energy indescribable in words. I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to explore and hence break new ground and I thank god for blessing me with the talent that he has given me."

TAZ: "Just as importantly, I put my success down to my fans world wide. Their encouragement and support over the years makes it all worth while. For this I am grateful and I will endeavour to continue being an ambassador of cross cultural music".