ArtistInfo

Pete Gavin
100 Years Tampa Red -A Tribute

Album DE 2004 on Küss Mich Musik Studio, Berlin label
Blues (Chicago Blues)

There were some tribute samplers released in the last years, sometimes by labels with an audiophile direction. Here comes a charming little album by only one artist, the British Guitarist Pete Gavin who is living in Germany. It is dedicated to the world of Tampa Red (Hudson Whittaker or Woodbridge) who as commonly accepted was born on the 8th January 1904. The only accompaniment comes from the bass guitar of "Pick Stevens aus Shanghai". In the old times there would often be a line-up like this, the bass often being a single-stringed one. There are no thrills here. On tracks like New Stranger Blues and No Matter How She Done It, the two sing harmony like it was often on hokum recordings which gave Red his greatest successes. But Pete Gavin is mainly interested in Tampa Red as the wizard on the slide guitar and so we have the opportunity to enjoy an album full of the sound of his 1933 National Duolian (Tampa Red used a Tricone which was not made as a left hand model so the left handed British bluesman decided for the next best thing). Of course we hear classic tracks like The Sky Is Crying, Don´t You lie to me, Love Her With a Feeling, the groovy Anna Lou and the guitar solos Denver Blues and You´ve Got To Reap What You Sow. My Favorite here are New Stranger Blues complete with conversation with Pick - it sounds very authentic and lively -, the dramatic Stormy Sea Blues and the unusual instrumental Tampa Tingles. This album is a lovely little tribute album for fans of traditional blues.

Musicians

	Pete Gavin voc, h, dobro, harmonica, vocals, album by
	Pick Stevens bass guitar, backing vocals

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