Release Date: 1991.
Recording Time: 72 minutes.
Recording Date: July 14, 1930 - October 24, 1931.
Release Info: Compilation (DOCD-5076) Studio Recording.
Volume four in the Document series of Tampa Red's Complete Recorded Works reissues two dozen sides originally recorded during late 1930 and most of 1931. During this period, he introduced two career classics ("Boogie Woogie Dance," "Things 'Bout Coming My Way"), did several versions of "You Rascal You," and took on boogie-woogie with a pair of novelties. Still, only collectors and serious blues fans should feel the need to pursue this compilation, instead of the excellent It Hurts Me Too collection available on Indigo. ~ Thom Owens
Abridged from this album's original booklet notes.
Tampa Red had been a permanent resident of Chicago since 1925. The same is true for some of his colleagues, like Bumble Bee Slim or Big Bill Broonzy. Those were the people who created what I would like to call the First Chicago Blues. Common to them was an urban approach to the blues, a more sophisticated siyle. Their singing was less expressive, but full of subtleties. There was no "shouting" or "grumbling" in between the vocals. Their lyrics were less concerned with cows, mules, crops or other important things of country life, but rather dealt with attributes of the city. The use of the piano as an accompaniment to guitar playing is another characteristic trait. Thus Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell, though residents of Indianapolis, were able to appeal to the musical taste of urban blacks. And this also explains the success of the duo of Tampa Red and Georgia Tom in Chicago. Tampa Red also enlarged his repertoire with songs not strictly taken from the blues field. Songs like Mama Don't Allow or Corrine Corrina were taken from folk sources. Another typical feature of the early City Blues is the adaption of material originally taken from the pop or jazz sphere (in the 1920s this was just about the same thing). So we can hear on this album three versions of You Rascal You (also recorded by people like Louis Armstrong or Cab Calloway). The third version, where the duo is augmented by jug player Carl Reid (of Philipp's Louisville Jug Band) and, again, by Frankie Jaxon, is the best one, in a really exuberant mood, with new lyrics and a fine jug solo. This is jazz-influenced "hokum" at its best! They Call It Boogie Woogie has nothing to do with the musical form of that name, but it is another song in the "Tight Like That" vein, using the name, because it was fashionable at the time. Boogie Woogie Dance, on the other hand, must have been the first guitar boogie on record, performed with artistic fervor, a true masterpiece indeed. Finally, there is evidence that Tampa Red also wrote topical songs of the day. Sad News Blues and especially Depression Blues reflect political events that were going to affect the black community (and not only them). ~ Teddy Doering (1991 Document Records)
Credits:
Compilation Producer - Johnny Parth
Liner Notes - Teddy Doering
Remastered By (Uncredited) - Hans Klement
Personnel: Tampa Red, vocals / guitar; Georgia Tom, vocals / piano. Sweet Papa Tadpole (poss. Walter Coleman), vocals; acc. unknown, piano; Tampa Red, guitar. Tampa Red And His Hokum Jug Band: Tampa Red, guitar; Georgia Tom (Thomas A. Dorsey), piano; Carl Reid, jazzhorn on 8 / jug; Frankie Jaxon, vocals. Tampa Red, vocals / guitar; Georgia Tom, vocals / piano on 9. Tampa Red, vocals / guitar; Georgia Tom, piano; Georgia Tom, vocals added on 17 Tampa Red, vocals / guitar; Georgia Tom, vocals / piano on 12 / speech on 13. Tampa Red "The Guitar Wizard", guitar solo. Tampa Red, vocals / guitar; Georgia Tom, piano.
Tracklist:
01. You Rascal You No. 2 - Tampa Red
02. You Rascal You No. 1 - Tampa Red
03. Have You Ever Been Worried In Mind? (Part 1) - Sweet Papa Tadpole
04. Have You Ever Been Worried In Mind? (Part 2) - Sweet Papa Tadpole
05. You Baby Can't Get Enough - Sweet Papa Tadpole
06. Keep Your Yes Ma'am Clean - Sweet Papa Tadpole
07. You Rascal You - Tampa Red And His Hokum Jug Band
08. She Can Love So Good - Tampa Red And His Hokum Jug Band
09. Bear Cat's Kittens - Tampa Red
10. Unhappy Blues - Tampa Red
11. Jealous Hearted Mama Blues - Tampa Red
12. They Call It Boogie Woogie - Tampa Red
13. Toogaloo Blues - Tampa Red
14. Jinx Doctor Blues - Tampa Red
15. Boogie Woogie Dance - Tampa Red "The Guitar Wizard"
16. Bumble Bee Blues - Tampa Red "The Guitar Wizard"
17. New Strangers Blues - Tampa Red
18. Georgia Hound Blues - Tampa Red
19. Things 'Bout Coming My Way - Tampa Red
20. Cotton Seed Blues - Tampa Red
21. Stop And Listen Blues - Tampa Red
22. Down In Spirit Blues - Tampa Red
23. Sad News Blues - Tampa Red
24. Depression Blues - Tampa Red
Recorded in Chicago, c. 14 July 1930 (track 1), c. 20 July 1930 (track 2), c. 29 July 1930 (tracks 3 to 6), c. mid-August 1930 (track 7), c. 9 September 1930 (track 8), c. 17 December 1930 (tracks 9, 10), c. December 1930 (track 11), 7 January 1930 (track 12), 8 January 1930 (track 13), 28 January 1931 (tracks 14 to 16), 6 February 1931 (tracks 17, 18), 10 February 1931 (tracks 19, 20), 1 June 1931 (tracks 21, 22), and 25 October 1931 (tracks 23, 24).