Maria Muldaur

One Hour Mama: The Blues Of Victoria Spivey

Nola Blue Records

Maria Muldaur is best known world-wide for her 1973 mega-hit “Midnight on the Oasis” which  received two Grammy nominations, and enshrined her forever in the hearts of Baby Boomers everywhere; but despite her considerable pop success, her music career could best be  described as a long and adventurous odyssey through the various forms of American Roots Music. In September 2019, The Americana Music Association awarded Maria “The Lifetime Achievement Trailblazer Award”, as one of the pioneers who laid the groundwork for what  we’ve come to call ‘Americana Music’. She has recorded 43 solo albums covering all kinds of American Roots Music including , Blues, Gospel, R&B, Jug Band, Jazz and Big Band. She has garnered mult-Grammy nominations and various Blues awards.

The burgeoning folk music scene in the early 1960’s was a time when American Roots Music,  most of which originated in the rural South, was being rediscovered by audiences in the urban North. The scene was jumpin’ with lots of little folk clubs, cafes, and ‘hootenannies’. Maria would play the ‘open mic’ every Monday night at Gerde’s Folk City. It was there that Maria first met Victoria Spivey, the Classic Blues Queen of the 20’s and 30’s. She even started her own label, Spivey Records. Spivey continued to work and perform until she died in 1976.

Spivey recommended that the vocalist and fiddle player Maria, join a local band. Spivey took Maria under her wing and soon under her tutelage Maria was singing the blues. Spivey helped Maria find good material to perform and record. Spivey also recorded Sippie Wallace, Koko Taylor, Willie Dixon, Memphis Slim, Big Joe Williams, and a young Bob Dylan. Maria,  then Maria d’Amato, recorded with Electra Records’ ‘Even Dozen Jug Band’, before joining the Jim Kweskin Jug Band, and marrying guitarist Geoff Muldaur.

Maria, was surprised when someone mailed her a review of her 1964 performance at The  Newport Folk Festival, written by Spivey. Spivey wrote, “I studied her voice, her looks, and her personality, when she got a spot with the Jim Kweskin Band I was just thrilled. Maria played kazoo, violin, guitar and sang. She now can really show off her talent, keep your eyes locked on Maria”. On this new album “One Hour Mama: The Blues Of Victoria Spivey” Maria sings with James Dapogny’s Chicago Jazz Band, recorded in Ann Arbor, Michigan; with ‘Tuba  Skinny’, recorded in New Orleans, Louisiana; and with special guests Elvin Bishop, Chris  Burns, and Taj Mahal, recorded in Berkley, Ca.

The lead-off track is “My Handy Man” written by Andy Razaf, and the first of nine songs from Victoria Spivey’s catalogue, it is beautifully sung by Maria “my man is such a handy man… I love the way he rescues me…my man is such a handy man” sung with James Dapogny’s Chicago Jazz Band featuring Kim Kusack on Clarinet. “What Makes You Act Like That” was written by Lonnie Johnson, Maria sings a duet with Elvin Bishop, “every time that I see you,  what makes you act like that, “I want some of the dough you got, that’s what makes me act  like that”, with Danny Caron on guitar.

“Don’t Love No Married Man” was written by Spivey, as she cries out “let me tell you don’t  love no married man, he’ll swear he loves you, more than he loves his wife, and then he’ll go and tell the same lie to his wife”, with Chris Burns on piano. “Dreaming Of You” is another  song penned by Spivey, as Maria chimes “Dreaming, dreaming, all I do is dream of you, all  day and night time too…all I do is dream of you, because I love you”, with Neil Fontano on piano.

“Organ Grinder Blues” was written by Clarence Williams, and is performed with the band “Tuba Skinny”, as Maria belts “organ grinder, organ grinder, you’re the grinder I’ve been  waiting for, your sweet grinding seems to ease my mind”. “No, Papa, No!” is another written by Spivey, as Maria chants “talk about my money, no papa, no! if you want my money don’t you ever slow”, with Danny Caron, guitar; Neil Fontano, piano; and Johnny Bones, sax.

The title track was written by Porter Grainger as Maria shouts “I wanna’ slow and easy man… cause I’m a one hour woman, don’t want no one-minute papa, that ain’t no man for me”, with Dapogny on piano. “Funny Feathers, was co-written by Reuben Floyd and Spivey, and sung with ‘Tuba Skinny’ as Maria Sings “they call him a funny feathers man, he’s a funny feathers man”.

“Gotta Have What It Takes” written by Spivey, and Harold Grey is a duet sung with Taj Mahal, as Maria howls, “mama, sweet mama, tell me what you trying to do to me, as much lovin’ as I give you baby, I want it all, it makes me so hot to think about you, but you got to have what  it takes”. “Any-KInd-A-Man” written by Hattie McDaniel, is sung by Maria as she growls “but daddy you know I changed my ways, any-kind-a-man, will do everything you do, any-kind-a man will do better than you”, with more piano from Fontano.

“Down Hill Pull” was written by Spivey, as she groans, “there’s a change in the ocean, baby there is a change in me, I’m gonna find solid ground, I got a downhill pull and I don’t need you no more”, again with piano from Fontano. “T-B Blues” also written by Spivey, as Maria croons, “too late, too late, too late, too late, well I’m on my way to Denver, if you go to heaven, don’t  you ask me to stop comin’ ’round…ok T-B, T-B is killing me”, with Russ Whitman on Clarinet.

Maria states “This project is both professionally and personally very significant to me”, I’m sure  you will hear it in Maria’s fabulous vocals. This highly recommended recording should put Maria back on top of the Blues world.

Richard Ludmerer

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