TAMPA RED — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order ★ Volume 14 • 1949-1951 | DOCD-5214 (1993) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Volume fourteen, of fifteen volumes charting Tampa Red’s recording career from 1929 to 1953, further galvanises the link between the blues styles of the rural south to the city sound of the north and in particular, Chicago. Here, his blues are solid, sometimes they are low down, sometimes they jump, often they are driven and occasionally they are even Boogied!!

The first three tracks feature Tampa on piano accompanying the vocal and guitar of Pete Frankiln. Frankiln’s guitar style is closely based on that of Scrapper Blackwell, his vocal, along with Tampa’s piano playing encompasses the sound of another major figure of the Chicago blues scene, Big Maeo Merriweather. For the rest of the album Tampa back to the guitar, including his trademark slide playing and is accompanied by Johnnie Jones, Ransom Knowling and Odie Payne; three men who were about to become part of one of the most dynamic and exciting blues bands  in Chicago during the 1950s; “The Broomduster’s”, led by the legendary Elmore James. Almost as a forerunner for things to come, we have, here, the first recording of When Things Go Wrong which James would record as “It Hurts Me Too”.

Pete Franklin an Indianapolis born guitarist/pianist who modelled himself on Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell. On arrival in Chicago Franklin made the acquaintance of Jazz Gillum and Tampa Red and through them was employed by Victor A&R / Producer, Lester Melrose, as supporting guitarist to Gillum on 25th January 1949. The following day Melrose recorded Franklin in his own right. The pianist for the four number session was Pete Franklin – Tampa Red who, not unnaturally, chose the Leroy Carr style as his accompaniment to Franklin.

That session was held at Melrose’s address at 8922 S. Hoyne Avenue, as were those by Tampa Red in March 1949 and March 1950. Johnny Jones, then aged twenty-four, shows his indebtedness to Maceo on the bouncing “It’s A Brand New Boogey” and “When Things Go Wrong With You”, a remake of Tampa’s 1940 “It Hurts Me Too”. Jones’s other talent was as a harmonica player and his eerily accurate evocation of John Lee “Sonny Boy” Williamson’s style can he heard on the infectious shuffle, “Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is”.

The start of a new decade was acknowledged by Tampa with the aptly titled “1950 Blues” which features Jones duetting on the chorus, there were also a further number of remakes including his 1928 hit, “It’s Tight Like That” (as “It’s Good Like That” with sonic spirited playing from Jones) and his 1938 offering, “Love Her With A Feelin’”. Perhaps getting Tampa to re-record some of his earlier successes fifties style was just another way of trying to reach the new audience. Later that year, in November, Tampa recorded a remake of his 1934 recording “Black Angel”, (as “Sweet Little Angel”) a number that Robert Nighthawk had enjoyed great success with for Chess the previous year and one that Tampa had long claimed authorship on even though it was first recorded as “Black Angel Blues” by Lucille Bogan in 1930. The song eventually became an R&B hit for B. B. King and unfortunately for Tampa, forever linked with that artist. DOCD-5214
Tracklist :
1    Pete Franklin–    Casey Brown Blues 3:08
Bass – Ransom Knowling
Piano – Tampa Red
Vocals, Guitar – Pete Franklin
2    Pete Franklin–    Mr. Charley 3:05
Bass – Ransom Knowling
Piano – Tampa Red
Vocals, Guitar – Pete Franklin
3    Pete Franklin–    Down Behind The Rise 3:07
Bass – Ransom Knowling
Piano – Tampa Red
Vocals, Guitar – Pete Franklin
4    Tampa Red–    It's A Brand New Boogey 2:56
Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Odie Payne
Vocals, Guitar, Kazoo – Tampa Red
Vocals, Piano – Johnnie Jones
5    Tampa Red–    Come On, If You're Coming 2:50
Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Odie Payne
Vocals, Guitar, Kazoo – Tampa Red
Vocals, Piano – Johnnie Jones
6    Tampa Red–    Please Try To See It My Way 3:03
Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Odie Payne
Vocals, Guitar, Kazoo – Tampa Red
Vocals, Piano – Johnnie Jones
7    Tampa Red–    When Things Go Wrong With You 2:55
Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Odie Payne
Vocals, Guitar, Kazoo – Tampa Red
Vocals, Piano – Johnnie Jones
8    Tampa Red–    Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is 2:49
Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Odie Payne
Harmonica [Uncredited] – Unknown Artist
Tenor Saxophone – Sugarman Penigar
Vocals, Guitar, Kazoo – Tampa Red
Vocals, Piano – Johnnie Jones
9    Tampa Red–    That's Her Own Business 2:52
Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Odie Payne
Tenor Saxophone – Sugarman Penigar
Vocals, Guitar, Kazoo – Tampa Red
Vocals, Piano – Johnnie Jones
10    Tampa Red–    It's Too Late Now 2:55
Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Odie Payne
Tenor Saxophone – Sugarman Penigar
Vocals, Guitar, Kazoo – Tampa Red
Vocals, Piano – Johnnie Jones
11    Tampa Red–    I'll Find My Way 2:35
Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Odie Payne
Tenor Saxophone – Sugarman Penigar
Vocals, Guitar, Kazoo – Tampa Red
Vocals, Piano – Johnnie Jones
12    Tampa Red–    1950 Blues 3:14
Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Odie Payne
Vocals, Guitar, Kazoo – Tampa Red
Vocals, Piano – Johnnie Jones
13    Tampa Red–    It's Good Like That 2:31
Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Odie Payne
Vocals, Guitar, Kazoo – Tampa Red
Vocals, Piano – Johnnie Jones
14    Tampa Red–    Love Her With A Feelin' 3:14
Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Odie Payne
Vocals, Guitar, Kazoo – Tampa Red
Vocals, Piano – Johnnie Jones
15    Tampa Red–    New Deal Blues 3:12
Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Odie Payne
Vocals, Guitar, Kazoo – Tampa Red
Vocals, Piano – Johnnie Jones
16    Tampa Red–    Midnight Boogie 2:44
Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Odie Payne
Vocals, Guitar, Kazoo – Tampa Red
Vocals, Piano – Johnnie Jones
17    Tampa Red–    Don't Blame Shorty For That 2:46
Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Odie Payne
Vocals, Guitar, Kazoo – Tampa Red
Vocals, Piano – Johnnie Jones
18    Tampa Red–    I Miss My Lovin' Blues 2:54
Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Odie Payne
Vocals, Guitar, Kazoo – Tampa Red
Vocals, Piano – Johnnie Jones
19    Tampa Red–    Sweet Little Angel 2:56
Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Odie Payne
Vocals, Guitar, Kazoo – Tampa Red
Vocals, Piano – Johnnie Jones
20    Tampa Red–    Since My Baby's Been Gone 2:46
Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Odie Payne
Vocals, Guitar, Kazoo – Tampa Red
Vocals, Piano – Johnnie Jones
21    Tampa Red–    She's Dynamite 2:17
Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Odie Payne
Vocals, Guitar, Kazoo – Tampa Red
Vocals, Piano – Johnnie Jones
22    Tampa Red–    Pretty Baby Blues 2:59
Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Odie Payne
Vocals, Guitar, Kazoo – Tampa Red
Vocals, Piano – Johnnie Jones
23    Tampa Red–    Early In The Morning 3:13
Bass – Ransom Knowling
Drums – Odie Payne
Vocals, Guitar, Kazoo – Tampa Red
Vocals, Piano – Johnnie Jones

TAMPA RED — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order ★ Volume 15 • 1951-1953 | DOCD-5215 (1993) RM | FLAC (tracks), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Tampa Red–    Boogie Woogie Woman    (A) 2:23
2    Tampa Red–    She's A Cool Operator    (A) 3:01
3    Tampa Red–    I Won't Let Her Do It    (A) 2:44
4    Tampa Red–    Green And Lucky Blues     (A) 2:46
5    Tampa Red–    I'm Gonna Put You Down (B) 2:49
6    Tampa Red–    Look a There, Look A There     (B) 2:41
7    Tampa Red–    True Love (B) 2:42
8    Tampa Red–    But I Forgive You     (B) 2:51
9    Tampa Red–    Too Late Too Long     (C) 3:00
 

10    Tampa Red–    I'll Never Let You Go (C) 2:20
11    Tampa Red–    Al Mixed Up Over You (C) 2:47
12    Tampa Red–    Got A Mind To Leave This Town    (C) 2:37
13    Jimmy Eager & His Trio–    Please Mr. Doctor     (D) 2:49
14    Jimmy Eager & His Trio–    I Should Have Loved Her More    (D) 2:58
15    Jimmy Eager & His Trio–    Baby Please Don't     (D) 2:57
16    Jimmy Eager & His Trio–    Beat That Bop (D) 3:07
17    Tampa Red–    So Crazy About You Baby (E) 3:00
18    Tampa Red–    So Much Trouble (E) 2:59
19    Tampa Red–    If She Don't Come Back  (E) 2:34
20    Tampa Red–    Big Stars Falling Blues (F) 3:08
21    Tampa Red–    Rambler's Blues (F) 2:42
22    Tampa Red–    Evalena (F) 2:27