Release Date: 1991.
Recording Time: 66 minutes.
Recording Date: October 11, 1937 - June 16, 1938.
Release Info: Compilation (DOCD-5209) Studio Recording.
Styles: Acoustic Blues, Acoustic Chicago Blues, Chicago Blues, Country Blues, Jazz Blues, Regional Blues.
One of the greatest slide guitarists of the early blues era, and a man with an odd fascination with the kazoo, Tampa Red also fancied himself a piano player and bandleader, tendencies that come to the fore on this ninth installment of Document's attempt to release all of his known recorded work in chronological order. Covering the years 1937 and 1938, this collection is hardly typical of Red's work, since it has relatively few tracks featuring his trademark National Steel slide sound. Half of the disc is given over to small combo jazz pieces featuring Tampa Red's pleasant but ordinary vocal skills, and while these tracks are certainly professional and competent, it is a bit like discovering a Jimi Hendrix record with no guitar on it. ~ Steve Leggett
Credits: Bill Austin - Sax (Tenor); Alan Balfour - Liner Notes; Blind John Davis - Piano; Black Bob Hudson - Piano; Willie B. James - Guitar; Johnny Parth - Compilation Producer; Tampa Red - Guitar, Piano, Primary Artist, Vocals; Gerhard Wessely - Remastering; Hudson Whittaker - Composer.
Tracklist:
01. Delta Woman Blues - Tampa Red
02. Deceitful Friend Blues - Tampa Red
03. Wrong Idea - Tampa Red
04. Whoopee Mama - Tampa Red
05. Travel On - Tampa Red
06. Seminole Blues - Tampa Red
07. The Most Of Us Do - Tampa Red And The Chicago Five
08. We Gonna Get High Together - Tampa Red And The Chicago Five
09. Happily Married - Tampa Red And The Chicago Five
10. A Lie In My Heart - Tampa Red And The Chicago Five
11. Heck Of A How-Do-You-Do - Tampa Red And The Chicago Five
12. That May Get It Now - Tampa Red And The Chicago Five
13. That Don't Matter Now - Tampa Red
14. Grouchy Hearted Woman - Tampa Red
15. Why Should I Care? - Tampa Red
16. Got To Leave My Woman - Tampa Red
17. Now That You've Gone - Tampa Red And The Chicago Five
18. Rock It In Rhythm - Tampa Red And The Chicago Five
19. I Do - Tampa Red And The Chicago Five
20. Sweetest Gal In Town - Tampa Red And The Chicago Five
21. Crazy With The Blues - Tampa Red
22. Love With A Feeling - Tampa Red
Personnel: Tampa Red - Vocals, Guitar (tracks: 5 to 12, 17 to 22), Piano (tracks: 1 to 4, 13 to 16); Willie B. James - Guitar (tracks: 1 to 6, 13 to 16); Black Bob - Piano (tracks: 21, 22); Blind John Davis - Piano (tracks: 7 to 12, 17 to 20); Bill Austin (Or Owsley) - Tenor Saxophone (tracks: 7 to 12, 17 to 20); Unknown Artist - Bass (tracks: 7 to 14, 17 to 22), Trumpet (tracks: 7 to 12, 17 to 20).
Recorded in Aurora, IL, 11 October 1937 (tracks 1 to 6), 14 March 1938 (tracks 7 to 16), and 16 June 1938 (tracks 17 to 22).