Tuba Skinny in Philly ‘22 -How Do They Do It That Way, Victoria Spivey (1929)

PUP Jazz Fest at the Commodore Barry Club in NW Philadelphia 9/2/22

Shaye Cohn - Cornet
Erika Lewis - Drum/Vocals
Craig Florey- Clarinet
Barnabus Jones - Trombone
Greg Sherman - Guitar/Vocals
Todd Burdick- Tuba/Sousaphone
Robin Rapuzzi - Washboard
Max Bien Kahn - Banjo, guitar

To purchase CD's, Downloads and Vinyl visit http://tubaskinny.com/music/

Original Spivey recording-    • Victoria Spivey - How Do They Do It That Way?  

Victoria Spivey, Vocals - Victoria Spivey, Trumpet - Louis Armstrong, Trombone - Fred Robinson, Tenor Sax - Jimmy Strong, Piano - Gene Anderson, Banjo - Mancy Cara, Drums - Zutty Singleton. Recorded In New York July 10, 1929.

A belle of the blues with a head for business and a visceral gift as a songwriter, Victoria Spivey enjoyed a long career that took her from the role of ingenue to that of queen mother. Along the way she was a theater pianist, movie star, comedienne, bandleader, manager, church organist, record label owner, historian, and an inspiration to Bob Dylan and many others.

Spivey hit it big with her first record, the risqué “Black Snake Blues,” in 1926 and wrote many more songs for herself and other artists. “Blues Is My Business” would become her motto.

Spivey’s sessions included stellar accompanists Louis Armstrong, King Oliver, Tampa Red, and many others. She earned lasting fame playing “Missy” in the historic all-black 1929 film Hallelujah! She also led an orchestra and became wife and manager to famous tap dancer Billy Adams. Like her idol Ida Cox, she continued to work theaters and nightclubs during and after the Great Depression, which put many other blues women out of business.

Bob Dylan made no secret of his affection for Spivey, and a photo of the pair adorns the back cover of his New Morning album. Spivey remained a coy, charismatic performer, touring Europe with the 1963 American Folk Blues Festival, playing the Ann Arbor Blues & Jazz Festival, the Philadelphia Folk Festival and others, gracing various documentaries, and continuing to appear in New York until shortly before her death from a hemorrhage on October 3, 1976 at 69.