Customer Reviews

Victoria Spivey 1 1926-1927

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Victoria Spivey doesn't sing, she moans, and not heavy like Ma Rainey but hauntingly, and passionately. However "haunting" is the perfect word to describe her unique vocalizing, and her piano playing echoes her voice, and she can play some mean barrelhouse piano. She sang some classic duets with Lonnie Johnson, and played with both blues and jazzmen. A great cd that is full of blues and early swing. Spivey sand rather dark original tunes about death and moaning, making her songs always original and somewhat gothic in many ways. A great cd, once you hear Soivey's voice it never really leaves one's mind, she lingers with you. Haunting and smokey blues singer!!! Great cd of her earliest hits.

I have to say,I LOVE early blues "Queens" specially Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith.They were the ones who inspired me to look further and find Mamie Smith,Ida Cox,Sippie Wallace,Alberta Hunter and Victoria Spivey.The reason why Bessie and Ma are still remembered and other women are in their shadow is that "Queen" and "Mother" had special talent which still comunicates with listeners (even through primitive recordings of 20-ies),while magic of other singers depends very much of individual taste and endurance of the listener.Specialised in collecting these ancient recordings in complete volumes,"Documents" have enourmous importance but these CD's are a bit too overwhelming for a casual listener.Victoria Spivey did not posses God's gift like Bessie Smith,Armstrong or Billie Holiday to turn stones into gold,so listening 23 songs through plink-plonking piano,sameness of tempo and ancient technology didnt made me fan for life.When she join forces with a guitar man Lonnie Johnson,things start happening but its already half way through CD and usualy I had enough.Spivey sound much more interesting later in life,on album recorded together with another 2 survivors of 20-ies,Alberta Hunter and Lucille Hegamin (excellent "Songs we tought your mother")around 1961.There is a very interesting chapter about Spivey in a book titled "Black pearls - blues Queens of 1920s" by Daphne Duval Harrison.

For my money, Victoria Spivey ranks up there with Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith. She had good material -- blues, but other stuff too -- and did a terrific job with it. On some of the tunes on this album she accompanies herself on the piano and does a good job. The liner notes include a very good biography.