TAMPA RED — Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order ★ Volume 4 • 1930-1931 | DOCD-5076 (1991) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

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). DOCD-5076
Tracklist :
1    Tampa Red–    You Rascal You No. 2 2:35
Vocals, Guitar – Tampa Red
Vocals, Piano – Georgia Tom
2    Tampa Red–    You Rascal You No. 1 3:10
Vocals, Guitar – Tampa Red
Vocals, Piano – Georgia Tom
3    Sweet Papa Tadpole–    Have You Ever Been Worried In Mind? - Part 1 3:08
Guitar – Tampa Red
Vocals – Sweet Papa Tadpole
4    Sweet Papa Tadpole–    Have You Ever Been Worried In Mind? - Part 2 3:04
Guitar – Tampa Red
Piano – Unknown Artist
Vocals – Sweet Papa Tadpole
5    Sweet Papa Tadpole–    You Baby Can't Get Enough 3:09
Guitar – Tampa Red
Vocals – Sweet Papa Tadpole, Unknown Artist
6    Sweet Papa Tadpole–    Keep Your Yes Ma'am Clean 2:38
Guitar – Tampa Red
Piano – Unknown Artist
Vocals – Sweet Papa Tadpole
7    Tampa Red And His Hokum Jug Band–    You Rascal You 2:53
Guitar – Tampa Red
Jug – Carl Reid
Piano – Georgia Tom (Thomas A. Dorsey)
Vocals – Frankie Jaxon
8    Tampa Red And His Hokum Jug Band–    She Can Love So Good 3:15
Guitar – Tampa Red
Horn [Jazzhorn], Jug – Carl Reid
Piano – Georgia Tom
Vocals – Frankie Jaxon
9    Tampa Red–    Bear Cat's Kittens 2:45
Vocals, Guitar – Tampa Red
Vocals, Piano – Georgia Tom
10    Tampa Red–    Unhappy Blues 2:54
Piano – Georgia Tom
Vocals, Guitar – Tampa Red
11    Tampa Red–    Jealous Hearted Mama Blues 2:55
Piano – Georgia Tom
Vocals, Guitar – Tampa Red
12    Tampa Red–    They Call It Boogie Woogie 2:26
Vocals, Guitar – Tampa Red
Vocals, Piano – Georgia Tom
13    Tampa Red–    Toogaloo Blues 2:54
Speech, Piano – Georgia Tom
Vocals, Guitar – Tampa Red
14    Tampa Red–    Jinx Doctor Blues 3:04
Piano – Georgia Tom
Vocals, Guitar – Tampa Red
15    Tampa Red "The Guitar Wizard"–    Boogie Woogie Dance 3:10
Guitar – Tampa Red
16    Tampa Red "The Guitar Wizard"–    Bumble Bee Blues 3:25
Guitar – Tampa Red
17    Tampa Red–    New Strangers Blues 3:03
Vocals, Guitar – Tampa Red
Vocals, Piano – Georgia Tom
18    Tampa Red–    Georgia Hound Blues 3:09
Piano – Georgia Tom
Vocals, Guitar – Tampa Red
19    Tampa Red–    Things 'Bout Coming My Way 3:26
Piano – Georgia Tom
Vocals, Guitar – Tampa Red
20    Tampa Red–    Cotton Seed Blues 2:53
Piano – Georgia Tom
Vocals, Guitar – Tampa Red
21    Tampa Red–    Stop And Listen Blues 2:54
Piano – Georgia Tom
Vocals, Guitar – Tampa Red
22    Tampa Red–    Down In Spirit Blues 2:56
Piano – Georgia Tom
Vocals, Guitar – Tampa Red
23    Tampa Red–    Sad News Blues 3:18
Piano – Georgia Tom
Vocals, Guitar – Tampa Red
24    Tampa Red–    Depression Blues 2:56
Piano – Georgia Tom
Vocals, Guitar – Tampa Red