SPIVEY RECORDS is the brainchild of noted author, historian, discographer, producer and publisher Len Kunstadt (left) and the great Victoria Spivey (right), Queen of the Blues. The relaunch of this label is dedicated to the memory of Len Kunstadt in an effort to carry on his life's work.

The SPIVEY RECORDS catalogue features rare, high quality recordings of America's most important blues artists including:

Bob Dylan * Muddy Waters * Victoria Spivey * Otis Spann * Big Joe Williams * Koko Taylor * Lonnie Johnson * Lucille Hegamin * Willie Dixon * Smokey Hogg * Roosevelt Sykes * Sunnyland Slim * Memphis Slim * Homesick James * Sippie Wallace * John Hammond * Louis Metcalf * Sonny Boy Williamson * Buddy Tate * Viola Wells * Big Joe Turner * Luther Johnson * Hanna Sylvester * Bukka White * Washboard Sam * St. Louis Jimmy * Henry "Red" Allen * King Oliver * Babe Stovall * Zutty Singleton * Luther Johnson * Samuel Lawhorn * Evans Spencer * John Henry Barbee * J.B. Lenior * Louis Armstrong *

Victoria Spivey cut her first song, Black Snake Blues for the Okeh label in 1926. In 1929, she starred in the first all black film, Hallelujah. In the 1930’s Spivey recorded for Victor, Vocalion, Decca and Okeh, and recorded and toured with Louis Armstrong’s various bands. She was not afraid of sexually suggestive or penetratingly direct lyrics as evidenced in her hits TB Blues, Dope Head Blues, Dirty Woman Blues, and Organ Grinder Blues. As a woman and an African American, Victoria overcame discrimination to become a respected performer and businessperson. She was a fearless individual whose courage and intellect were admired by all.

Len Kunstadt was born and raised in Brownsville, Brooklyn. He was the son of Morris Kunstadt, a violinist and chess master, and Sophie Sherry Kunstadt, a writer and assistant to band leader Edwin Franko Goldman. After serving as a bombediere in World War II, Lenny graduated from New York University and began his prolific study of jazz and blues music. Also known as “Kazoo Papa," Mr. Kunstadt was the editor and publisher of Record Research magazine, a scholarly journal, author of Jazz - A History of the New York Scene, and an ARSC lifetime achievement award winning discographer.

In the mid 1950’s, Len Kunstadt and Victoria Spivey became companions—an unorthodox liason which would change the face of blues for decades. Together they created SPIVEY RECORDS in 1961. After Spivey’s death in 1976, Kunstadt carried on the label, mixing newly discovered artists with classic bluesmen until his death in 1996.

The SPIVEY RECORDS catalogue features the most important blues artists of all time and includes four rare recordings of Bob Dylan from 1961-1962. Most sessions took place at New York’s famous Cue Studios, while some happened late at night at Victoria and Lenny's home studio. This apartment on Albany Avenue in Brooklyn was the meeting place for artists such as Bob Dylan, Muddy Waters and Otis Spann in the 60’s and 70’s. It was the inspiration for the Otis Spann LP Up in Queenie’s Pad and a place where extraordinary music was made.

Extensive biographical information can be found at Emory University, which purchased items from Len Kunstadt’s estate for a collection documenting the history of the SPIVEY RECORDS label. Rosalie Kunstadt Weiner, Len's sister, chose the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers University, run by renowned jazz scholar Dan Morgenstern, as the recipient of a large donation of Kunstadt's private and business papers. This fascinating body of research documents the history of blues in America.

The SPIVEY RECORDS archives have been digitally remastered by acclaimed audio engineer Doug Pomeroy. In addition to digital releases of the original catalogue, single artist CDs and never released out-takes will be issued. This rare, important catalogue is authentic American music at its best--and now, for the first time, it will be heard on CD across the world.

BOB DYLAN AND SPIVEY RECORDS:

Victoria Spivey (a.k.a "The Queen") discovered Bob Dylan in the cafes of Greenwich Village. SPIVEY LP 1004, Three Kings and the Queen, recorded in 1961, features Dylan’s distinctive blues harmonica and backup vocals on Big Joe Williams’ renditions of Sittin’ on Top of the World and Wichita. Although Len Kunstadt was reluctant to include the unknown Dylan in one of his first SPIVEY RECORDS, Victoria convinced him to allow it, giving the now legendary Bob Dylan the opportunity to realize his dreams.

In 2008 the SPIVEY RECORDS label will make Dylan's first known commercial recording available on CD.

HELP NEEDED!

We continue to build a complete picture of the historically significant formation of the SPIVEY RECORDS label. If you have any information, anecdotes, photographs or memories pertaining to Victoria Spivey or Len Kunstadt, we'd be grateful for your input. Please contact Lisa Weiner at lisa@spiveyrecords.com. Thank you!

Victoria took Bob Dylan under her wing. Spivey convinced a protesting Len Kunstadt to record the unknown Dylan for the SPIVEY RECORDS label.  Dylan was so impacted (as noted in his best selling 2004 autobiography, Chronicles) that he used a photograph of the pair (above) on the back cover of his LP New Morning, released in October, 1970.

“I think one of the best records that I’ve ever been a part of was the record made with Big Joe Williams and Victoria Spivey.  Now that’s a record that I hear from time to time and I don’t mind listening to it.  It amazes me that I was there and had done that.”

Bob Dylan , Rolling Stone Magazine, November 22, 2001