SR5001: I'm Not Hungry But I Like to Eat - Blues! - Erwin Helfer
"The esteemed boogie woogie and blues veteran, who hasn't been captured
on record nearly enough, delivers a glowing collection of solo performances
and duets with saxophonist John Brumbach. Ranging far and wide - the classics
include Percy Mayfield's 'Please Send Me Someone To Love' and Duke Ellington's
'In A Sentimental Mood', the Helfer originals 'Homage to Pete Johnson' and the
memorably titled 'Pooch Piddle' the album luxuriates in tradition without giving
an inch to it." More Music CD Reviews»
Lloyd Sachs, Entertainment Critic, Chicago Sun-Times
January 6, 2002
Other related recordings by The Sirens Records include:
Music CD Reviews
“… Helfer adds new lyrical dimension to Duke Ellington’s “In
a Sentimental Mood,” while his “Swanee River Boogie” made
me feel I was having my own rent party. … Helfer, already much appreciated
in Chicago, should gain a wider and lasting audience. (He did play the Berlin
Jazz Festival this year.)”
Nat Hentoff, The Wall Street Journal, January
8, 2003
Back to Top“… what a stunning collection it is. Right from the opening of “Swanee
River Boogie” the piano playing comes out and grabs you by the lapels,
or perhaps I should say it immediately catches your ear. This man is just a
great performer and the music is mind-blowing; whether he is playing old favorites
like the traditional blues pieces, ‘Nobody Knows You’ and ‘See
See Rider’ or his own compositions, ‘Homage to Pete Johnson’ or ‘Pooch
Piddle’, to name but two of the five self-composed numbers included in
this set. …”
Pat Harrison, Blues and Rhythm September 2002
Back to Top“Helfer is a versatile pianist who is able to adapt to Gospel, New Orleans,
and other outgrowths of the music. He is most at home, however, running the
keys in Boogie-woogie fashion with a lively beat and a solid improvisational
hand. He gets into the groove with authoritative statements that make the decades
old genre come alive. … Together, they form a team that conjures up images
of 1920s barrooms and five-cent beers. … The tunes are all memorable
gems from the past, but they come alive through the emphatic approach of Helfer.”
“Why this 65-year-old Chicagoan gets passed over for wide acclaim while
far less gifted blues and boogie woogie pianists bask in the spotlight is a
mystery. Tenor saxophonist John Brumbach, another undervalued musician, joins
the piano expert on four of 15 tracks, including the Mama Yancey salute ‘Stella.’”
“Chicago’s Erwin Helfer demonstrates so much variety on his ‘I’m
Not Hungry But I Like To Eat – Blues! that one might be forgiven for
wondering if several players weren’t involved. Improbably high levels
of proficiency and innovation are revealed as Helfer deconstructs ‘Please
Send Me Someone To Love,’ barrelhouses through ‘The Sheik of Araby,’ caresses ‘Do
You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans,’ and boogies ‘Swanee
River’ to death. Along the way he breathes new life into ‘After
Hours’ and plays a stunning ‘Homage to Pete Johnson.’ ”
“… Helfer imprints each track with his warm personality and thoughtful
approach to the music. … This is a lovingly and intelligently produced
recording the likes of which are rarely seen anymore and a potential back-door
contender for some well deserved awards this year.”
“This CD is a testimonial to a distinctive, one of a kind of piano adeptness
and to one of the remaining masters of the genre. Highly recommended.”
“I would highly recommend this CD to anyone who enjoys blues and/or
traditional jazz piano, or anyone who doesn’t know they do.”
Ann
Rabson, blues pianist and recording artist
Back to Top
4. Sweet Substitute
