Victoria Spivey

Victoria Regina Spivey

b. October 15th, 1906 in Houston (Texas)

d. October 3rd, 1976 in New York (New York)

COMPLETE RECORDED WORKS

Document

Volume 1 (May 1926 - October 1927)

Volume 2 (October 1927 - September 1929)

Volume 3 (October 1929 - July 1936)

Volume 4 (August 1936 - July 1937)

Fille d'Addie Smith et de Grant Spivey, Victoria se dirige vers le chant tout comme ses soeurs Addie et Elton. Elle débute dans le string-band de son père et se produit lors de fêtes locales. En 1926, elle s'installe à Saint Louis où elle est remarquée par Jesse Johnson, un talent-scout pour la firme Okeh. Pour ce label, elle enregistre ses premiers morceaux en particulier son superbe "Black snake blues". Puis, elle passe chez Victor en 1929 puis Vocalion et enfin Decca. Victoria bénéficie souvent de l'accompagnement de Porter Grainger, Lonnie Johnson, John Erby, Clarence Williams, King Oliver ou Luis Russell. Elle délivre quelques beaux blues comme "Hoodoo man blues", "TB blues", "Dope head blues", "Blood thirsty blues", "Nightmare blues", "Murder in first degree", "Haunted by the blues", "Low down man blues".

Daughter of Addie Smith and Grant Spivey, Victoria is headed for singing along with her sisters Addie and Elton. She begins in her father's string-band and performs at local festivals. In 1926, she moved to Saint Louis where she was noticed by Jesse Johnson, talent-scout for Okeh. For this label, she recorded her first tracks in particular her superb "Black snake blues". Then, she went to Victor in 1929, then Vocalion and finally Decca. Victoria is often accompanied by Porter Grainger, Lonnie Johnson, John Erby, Clarence Williams, King Oliver and Luis Russell. She has a couple of beautiful blues like "Hoodoo man blues", "TB blues", "Dope head blues", "Blood thirsty blues", "Nightmare blues", "Murder in first degree", "Haunted by the blues", "Low down man blues".

VICTORIA AND HER BLUES vol.2

Spivey

June 1961 / February 1962 / August 1963 / June 1972

IDLE HOURS

Prestige - Bluesville

July 1961

Après une éclipse dans les années 50, Victoria reprend sa carrière de chanteuse en 1961 grâce à Lonnie Johnson qui l'invite sur son album "Idle hours" (produit par Chris Albertson). Elle chante ici sur trois morceaux "Long time blues", "Idle hours" et "I got the blues so bad" (où elle joue aussi du piano).

After an eclipse in the 50's, Victoria resumed her career as a singer in 1961 thanks to Lonnie Johnson who invited her on his album "Idle hours" (produced by Chris Albertson). She sings here on three tracks "Long time blues", "Idle hours" and "I got the blues so bad" (where she also plays piano).

SONGS WE TAUGHT YOUR MOTHER

Prestige - Bluesville

August 1961

Réunion de chanteuses de blues organisée par le producteur Chris Albertson. Victoria partage cet album avec Lucille Hegamin et Alberta Hunter. Elle y chante notamment une superbe version de "Black snake blues". Pour l'occasion, Albertson entoure ces vénérables chanteuses d'une petite formation de jazz emmenée par le clarinettiste Buster Bailey.

Meeting of blues singers organized by producer Chris Albertson. Victoria shares this album with Lucille Hegamin and Alberta Hunter. She sings in particular a superb version of "Black snake blues". For the occasion, Albertson surrounded these venerable singers of a small jazz formation led by the clarinettist Buster Bailey.

WOMAN BLUES

Prestige - Bluesville

September 1961

Produit par Kenneth Goldstein et Len Kunstadt, cet album est véritablement son album de retour. Accompagnée seulement de Lonnie Johnson à la guitare, elle délivre au chant et au piano quelques beaux moments comme "Christmas without Santa Claus", "Let's ride tonight", "I'm a red hot mama", "I got men all over this town".

Produced by Kenneth Goldstein and Len Kunstadt, this album is truly his come-back album. Accompanied only by Lonnie Johnson on guitar, she delivers, singing and playing piano, some beautiful moments like "Christmas without Santa Claus", "Let's ride tonight", "I'm a red hot mama", "I got men all over this town".

IF YOU DON'T LIKE

Spivey

October 1961

BRENDA BELL SINGS THE BLUES OF VICTORIA SPIVEY

Spivey

1961 - 1962

Sur ce très joli titre ("N°12 let me roam"), Victoria chante et joue de l'ukulele.

On this very nice title ("N°12 let me roam"), Victoria sings and plays ukulele.

LET'S BOOGIE

Spivey

February 1962

KINGS AND THE QUEEN vol.2

Spivey

February - March 1962 / June 1966

Dans cette anthologie, Victoria chante sur trois morceaux en particulier "It's dangerous" avec derrière elle le jeune Bob Dylan à l'harmonica et "Big" Joe Williams à la guitare.

In this anthology, Victoria sings on three titles in particular "It's dangerous" with behind her the young Bob Dylan on harmonica and "Big" Joe Williams on guitar.

VICTORIA AND HER BLUES

Spivey

February 1962

PIANO SINGER'S BLUES

Pronit

Rosetta

March 1962

THREE KINGS AND THE QUEEN

Spivey

March 1962

Victoria prend quatre titres en leader sur cette nouvelle anthologie proposée par son label Spivey. On y trouve les atypiques "Turpentine" joué à l'orgue et "Brown skin" joué à l'ukulele.

Victoria takes four tracks as a leader on this new anthology proposed by her label Spivey. There are the atypical "Turpentine" played on organ and "Brown skin" played on ukulele.

A BASKET OF BLUES

Spivey

March - June 1962

VICTORIA SPIVEY

Xtra

THE BLUES IS LIFE

Folkways

October 1962

Séance produite par Len Kunstadt d'abord publiée par Xtra puis par Folkways. Victoria chante, joue du piano et de l'ukulele. Elle est simplement accompagnée par le batteur Pat Wilson et sur un morceau par Len Kunstadt au kazoo. Un disque assez dépouillé et un peu monotone mais qui, néanmoins, vaut l'écoute.

Session produced by Len Kunstadt first issued by Xtra then by Folkways. Victoria sings, plays piano and ukulele. She is simply accompanied by drummer Pat Wilson and on a song by Len Kunstadt on kazoo. A quite stripped and a bit monotonous disc but which, nevertheless, is worth listening.

SPIVEY'S BLUES PARADE

Spivey

June - September 1963

Elle interprète ici le dynamique "Jet" supportée par Lonnie Johnson, "Little Brother" Montgomery et Sonny Greer.

She interprets the dynamics "Jet" supported by Lonnie Johnson, "Little Brother" Montgomery and Sonny Greer.

AMERICAN FOLK BLUES FESTIVAL '63

Fontana

L+R

October 1963

Gravé lors de la célèbre tournée internationale supervisée par les producteurs allemands Horst Lippmann et Fritz Rau, ce disque contient un morceau de Victoria. Il s'agit de "Grant Spivey", un beau titre en hommage à son père.

Engraved during the famous international tour supervised by German producers Horst Lippmann and Fritz Rau, this record contains a track by Victoria. It is "Grant Spivey", a beautiful title in tribute to her father.

THE LOST BLUES TAPES vol.2

ACT

October 1963

Dans cette sélection consacrée à l'American Folk Blues Festival, on trouve l'excellent "TB blues" de Victoria Spivey (accompagnée par Willie Dixon et Billy Stepney).

In this selection dedicated to the American Folk Blues Festival, Victoria Spivey's excellent "TB blues" (accompanied by Willie Dixon and Billy Stepney) is on the program.

THE AMERICAN FOLK BLUES FESTIVAL 1962 - 1966

Hip-O

October 1963

Une belle version d'un de ses meilleurs titres, "Black snake blues".

A beautiful version of one of her best tracks, "Black snake blues".

ENCORE FOR THE CHICAGO BLUES

Spivey

March 1964

La qualité sonore n'est pas très bonne dans cette nouvelle version de "TB blues".

The sound quality is not very good in this new version of "TB blues".

VICTORIA SPIVEY AND THE EASY RIDERS JAZZ BAND

GHB

August 1964

Victoria est ici accompagnée par le Easy Riders Jazz Band mené par "Big" Bill Bissonette. L'album renoue avec le son jazz-blues des Classic Blues Singers d'antan, sympathique et un peu suranné. Elle chante sur six morceaux. Les autres pistes présentant le jazz-band seul.

Victoria is here accompanied by the Easy Riders Jazz Band led by "Big" Bill Bissonette. The album revives the jazz-blues sound of yesteryear Classic Blues Singers, nice and a little bit outdated. She sings on six tracks. The other tracks presenting the jazz-band alone.

THE QUEEN AND HER KNIGHTS

Spivey

April - June 1965

THE IMAGERY OF LOUISIANA RED AND BRENDA BELL

Spivey

April - June 1965

AT THE ALI BABA

Spivey

June 1966

THE BLUESMEN OF THE MUDDY WATERS BLUES BAND vol.1

Spivey

November 1966

Ce disque mettait en lumière les musiciens de Muddy Waters présentés en leader. Victoria chante trois bons morceaux dans cette anthologie : "Take Webster's word for it", "Trouble hurts" et "Gave it all to me".

This LP highlighted the musicians of Muddy Waters presented as leader. Victoria sings three good songs in this anthology : "Take Webster's word for it", "Trouble hurts" and "Gave it all to me".

NEW YORK HAS REALLY THE BLUES STARS

Spivey

November 1966

On trouve ici une prise alternative de "Take Webster's word for it" où Victoria est accompagnée des musiciens de Muddy Waters.

Here is an alternative take of "Take Webster's word for it" where Victoria is accompanied by the musicians of Muddy Waters.

NEW YORK REALLY HAS THE BLUES vol.4

Spivey

November 1966

THE EVERLASTING BLUES VS. OTIS SPANN

Spivey

April 1968

Un duo assez peu convaincant avec le pianiste Otis Spann ("Going back home").

A rather unconvincing duet with pianist Otis Spann ("Going back home").

UP IN THE QUEEN'S PAD

Spivey

October 1968 / April 1969

THE ALL STARS BLUES WORLD

Spivey

February 1970

CAUGHT IN THE ACT

Spivey

June 1972

Un morceau en duo avec le chanteur - harmoniciste Bill Dicey : une très jolie version de "Careless love".

A duet piece with the singer - harmonicist Bill Dicey : a very nice version of "Careless love".

GRIND IT

Total Energy

Schoolkids

Sequel

September 1973

Prestation de Victoria Spivey au célèbre Ann Arbor Jazz & Blues Festival. Accompagné par les Brooklyn Blues Busters, elle délivre une performance convaincante malgré une qualité sonore pas toujours parfaite. Le reste du programme est consacré à Roosevelt Sykes.

Victoria Spivey at the famous Ann Arbor Jazz & Blues Festival. Accompanied by The Brooklyn Blues Busters, she delivers a convincing performance despite a sound quality not always perfect. The rest of the program is devoted to Roosevelt Sykes.

SPIVEY'S BLUES CAVALCADE

Spivey

August 1974

Un morceau - "Closed doors" - avec l'harmoniciste Danny Russo.

One title - "Closed doors" - with harmonicist Danny Russo.

VICTORIA SPIVEY AND HER DANNY BOY

Spivey

August 1974 / 1975 / May 1976

SPIVEY'S BLUES SHOWCASE

Spivey

March 1975

Une version live de "TB blues" chantée sur la scène d'un club et capturée par William Gehman.

A live version of "TB blues" sung on a club stage and captured by William Gehman.

NEW YORK REALLY HAS THE BLUES vol.1

Spivey

1975

Victoria chante sur le medley "Nobody / Headless boogie" accompagnée de Piano Tuner Papa alias Benjamin Jackson (piano) et de Washboard Doc (washboard).

Victoria sings on the "Nobody / Headless boogie" medley accompanied by Piano Tuner Papa aka Benjamin Jackson (piano) and Washboard Doc (washboard).