SR5032: Two Piano Too Cool   -- Lluís Coloma AND Erwin Helfer

I wanted to create an environment in which two friends chat, sometimes quietly and sometimes boisterously. The generosity, wisdom, and love that Erwin extends made everything easy. Each song has a dialogue with contrasts, silences full of expression, and history.

"Making this recording was a true honor for a self-taught boy who was born in the Hostafranchs neighborhood in Barcelona. It was a unique experience that fills me with feelings of joy to continue keeping the tradition of this music alive." — Lluís Coloma (excerpt from liner notes)

Erwin Helfer was introduced to Spanish pianist Lluís Coloma by Barrelhouse Chuck. Erwin and Lluís have maintained their close relationship through the years. Lluís visits with Erwin whenever he tours the states, e.g., when he performs at the San Francisco Boogie Woogie Festival. On November 17, 2022, during one of these visits, they recorded duets on two Fazioli pianos. Lluís also recorded interpretations of two of Erwin's compositions. Listen and enjoy the private concert.

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Press / Music CD Reviews

Decades of popular piano history ripple through the music found on Two Pianos Too Cool. Self-taught Spanish firebrand Lluís Coloma crosses keyboards with Chicago native Erwin Helfer, the wellspring himself of a commendable chunk of that history, for a duo album full of fire, flair, and all the genius these two artists can coax from the ivories.

The 14 tracks on the immaculately recorded Two Pianos Too Cool are a grand tour of 20th century American piano style. The immensely appealing Cuttin' the Boogie chortles along with an agreeable barrelhouse rhythm, and Swanee River Boogie segues from one of the evergreen minstrel-show melodies into flavorful foot-on-the-gas stride. Helfer braces the bottom like an unstoppable freight train on the swaggering Sixth Avenue Express, and he and Coloma bring an openhearted glow to a gospel-tinged take on Percy Mayfield's Please Send Me Someone to Love.

The pianists' cheeky, steady-rollin' rendition of Hank Williams' Jambalaya tips the cap to the classic blues that influenced the Hillbilly Shakespeare's own songwriting, and there's a perfectly languid Southern-skies vibe to their intriguingly impressionistic interpretation of Hoagy Carmichael's Georgia. Coloma and Helfers's phrases tussle like rival beaus on the torchy Gee Baby Ain't I Good to You, and they infuse Jimmy Smith's Back at the Chicken Shack with a roughneck juke-joint grit. Coloma hitting his trademark fleet-fingered flutters with particularly emphatic force. But both pianists know when to throttle back and let a timeless melody do the talking, as on a suitably solemn and respectful reading of the traditional lament St. James Infirmary.

Two Pianos Too Cool also takes time to showcase Helfer's own estimable gifts as a composer. Stella is a sultry duet that elegantly wends its way to a gorgeous tandem valedictory statement punctuated by more Coloma cascading flutters. Coloma also honors his collaborator with a pair of powerful solo performances of Helfer favorites, to go along with the Spanish musician's mid-album one-man virtuoso romp through Ray Charles' Rock House. Album opener Sneaky Pete dazzles with Coloma's combination of speed and melodic precision, not to mention a left hand of titanic, indomitable presence. And to wrap up the recording, Coloma gives Helfer's Paris a bold dark-blues presentation, its anxiously angular melodic line building to a climax of unexpected heart-tugging grace. This album is a love letter to the piano, and a justly deserved mutual salute from two masters of the instrument.

Lluís Coloma and Erwin Helfer team up for some great boogie woogie blues piano on their latest release Two Pianos Too Cool. The album includes fourteen instrumental songs with a variety of boogie woogie, blues, gospel and standards such as, St. James Infirmary, Leroy Carr's How Long Blues, Ray Charles' Rock House," Hoagy Carmichael's Georgia, Swanee River Boogie, a Hank Williams country boogie Jambalaya and three of Erwin's originals ‐ Sneaky Pete, Stella and Paris just to name a few.

Two Pianos Too Cool was dedicated to the memory of Barrelhouse Chuck, a dear friend of both Erwin and Lluís. It was Chuck who introduced the Barcelona-born virtuoso to the Chicago blues master in 2010. Steven Dolins was the idea man for recording the two as a duet on his label, The Sirens Records ‐ which is Erwin's 11th on the label (7th as a leader) and Lluís' 2nd (1st as a leader). On November 17, 2022, Steve Yates recorded Lluís and Erwin playing on two Fazioli Grand Pianos at Piano Forte in Chicago for this album.

I had the pleasure of talking to Erwin about working with Lluís on their album and he said that the experience was "very enjoyable. Lluís exudes great energy and presence." He also went on to say that Lluís adapted well to his playing style as they played an "older style of music that has a common vocabulary." "He's a great guy and I really like him. I've always loved hanging around him. As a person, he's a pleasure and he's quite the showman. He could be a teacher of mine just as well as I can be a teacher of his. We're just really good friends."

On May 4, 2024, I attended "Celebrating Erwin Helfer" ‐ a sold-out album release party for Two Pianos Too Cool at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. Although the 88-year-old Erwin did not perform that night as he has recently retired from public performance, he was honored in front of a happy and packed audience with words of praise from Steven Dolins and tributes from three musical acts.

The show began with the amazing gospel vocalist Reverend Scottie Williams, Sr. with Elsa Harris on church infused piano and back-up vocals, and their fantastic band that included Kenard Pulliam on drums, Richard Gibbs Jr. on bass, and Felicia Coleman-Evans and Armirris Collins on back-up vocals. The Reverend recently released a terrific album, Beams of Heaven: Gospel Hymns & Songs, also on The Sirens Records, which deserves its own glowing review. Next up was a solo set by the award-winning Lluís Coloma who showcased his strong and fast fingers and fun boogie grooves. The show ended with a great set from Erwin's full band ‐ John Brumbach on tenor saxophone, Jeff Parker on bass, Dave Ilardi on drums, Lluís on piano ‐ and special guest singer and long-time musical partner of Erwin, Katherine Davis …

Steven Dolins gave a fitting tribute to the Chicago Blues and Boogie Legend that night starting with a joke, "I always tell Erwin that he's a genius, but he doesn't believe me." "He's a brilliant performer. We've seen him through the years at Elsewhere's and Lilly's and Andy's and Katerina's and the Hungry Brain. Erwin provided so much fun for many of you who are here today."

Steven went on, "He's also a brilliant composer ‐ my two favorites are Daydreaming and Paris ‐ and he's written quite a few other notable songs. He's also a brilliant producer ‐ in 1956 he was ahead of his time and recorded Primitive Piano with five under-recorded and underappreciated pianists and it's really one of the best blues piano collections ever."

Having been a piano student of Erwin myself, I particularly enjoyed what Steven said about Erwin as a piano teacher, "I started piano lessons with Erwin when I was 15 years old," Steven said. "He has brought so much happiness to his students." "Erwin is a brilliant piano teacher. He can listen to you and know exactly what to do to make corrections to your playing ‐ kind of a therapist. He's an all-around good guy."

…

I really enjoyed the album's opening song Sneaky Pete ‐ a blazing boogie that makes you want to get up and dance. This fun and lively song, also performed by Lluís live at the CD release party, was penned by Erwin and has a classic toe-tapping walking bass.

Stella ‐ another one of Erwin's originals ‐ has sweet ascending melodies that Lluís and Erwin beautifully intertwine on the album adding blue notes that you can imagine a gospel singer singing. It makes you want to close your eyes and smile.

Other fun songs on Two Pianos Too Cool include Jambalaya, St. James Infirmary, How Long Blues, Erwin's favorite Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You, two Albert Ammons/Pete Johnson songs Cuttin' the Boogie and Sixth Avenue Express, and Back at the Chicken Shack (title track of Jimmy Smith's album originally on organ that was listed as the 1001 albums you should hear before you die).

Erwin Helfer is a well-loved and internationally esteemed boogie blues and jazz pianist and composer from Chicago that has dedicated his life to teaching, touring and spreading boogie blues and standards for over 60 years. He's received a lifetime achievement award from the Jazz Institute and even had a Chicago street named after him (Erwin Helfer Way). Thank goodness that Barrelhouse Chuck introduced Lluís to Erwin ‐ two masters of the boogie piano ‐ so that this beautifully played album could be made. By his self-report, Two Pianos Too Cool is Erwin's last album, and it is a must have addition for blues and boogie piano lovers everywhere.

Lluís Coloma is from Barcelona and Erwin Helfer has long been a fixture in Chicago. When they recorded this duet album, Coloma was 50 and Helfer (who is also well documented on other recordings from The Sirens label) was 87. Despite their geographical distance and age differences, the two pianists have similar styles, sharing a musical vocabulary rich with boogie-woogie, blues, and swing.

Their joint music is often reminiscent of Albert Ammons and Pete Johnson. Coloma and Helfer actually perform two Ammons-Johnson numbers and Pete Johnson's Swanee River Boogie in addition to such classics as Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You, St. James Infirmary, How Long Blues, and Please Send Me Someone To Love . As a soloist, Coloma is featured on three numbers including two of Helfer's pieces.

There are times when the 11 duets get a bit overcrowded since Coloma and Helfer are two very self-sufficient pianists, but those moments pass and are well compensated for by the excitement of the players' constant interplay and interaction.

Suffice it to say, fans of boogie-woogie piano should consider the acquisition of Two Pianos Too Cool (available from www.thesirensrecords.com) to be a must.

Like the pairing of a Macanudo cigar and a snifter of Courvoisier, this is one smooth experience. The teaming of the 51-year-old Spanish blues and boogie piano master Coloma with Erwin Helfer, the ageless Chicago blues, boogie, and jazz piano titan, resulted in this glorious this 14-song outing recorded in November, 2022, one that exclusively contains high points abounding; there are zero missteps here. Sounding every bit as if they were laid-down on a pair of Fazioli grand pianos (which they were), Coloma and Helfer, who were originally introduced by departed Chicago piano giant Barrelhouse Chuck, display an obvious reciprocal respect for each other's broad proficiencies which is felt, truly felt, in every stanza presented. Helfer's musical bounty is provided to the younger disciple, as is his discerning knowledge, and complete devotion to the music created. Coloma answers Helfer's gifts with reverence and his sincere distinguished best, rendering each and every selection one to savor. The pair joyously slide three Helfer originals into the mix, with choice nuggets by the likes Albert Ammons, Leroy Carr, Percy Mayfield, Ray Charles, and Hank Williams, among others, making this astounding jaunt an ever-inspiring musical voyage. You know that experience when all of a sudden you realize that a CD has played all the way through, and it seems like it went by too quickly due to its ability to stir excitement with its grandeur? This is it. Sincere thanks to The Sirens Records and label visionary Steve Dolins for his dedication to the piano artists like Coloma and Helfer who continue to make, well, simply tremendous music. And please, revel in Helfer still walking among us; he's the true last of the great Chicago piano masters. Bravo to all involved!

Chicago record label The Sirens, led by Steven B. Dolins, specializes in only releasing albums by blues, boogie woogie, jazz and gospel piano players, with the only exception of some great jazz, blues and gospel singers. Its catalogue includes a good number of the most genuine blues piano players like Blind John Davis, Erwin Helfer, Detroit Junior, Willie Mabon, Pinetop Perkins, Speckled Red, Sunnyland Slim or the late and always remembered Barrelhouse Chuck.

Barrelhouse Chuck travelled to Barcelona for the first time thanks to Vicente Zúmel, where he met Lluís Coloma. During that visit a good friendship arose between them. Lluís traveled to Chicago and, at Chuck's home, he met Erwin Helfer. The three musicians shared their passion for blues and piano, spending a good time talking and explaining many anecdotes memories and experiences. Zúmel also introduced Coloma to Steven B. Dolins, and afterwards Lluís collaborated on a Barrelhouse Chuck album for the label.

Now Lluís and Erwin have released this instrumental album for The Sirens Records, with fourteen songs where Lluís is on piano in all songs and Erwin joins him in ten cuts. Besides some blues and boogie-woogie standards together with his own compositions, Lluís also plays three Helfer's own songs, Paris, Sneaky Pete and Stella and he does it with a total respect for this great piano player who, aged now 88, is fully active and has even travelled several times to Spain to perform with Lluís.

This is an album by two great piano masters, both gifted with an unquestionable technique and love for blues and boogie-woogie, where they also pay homage to the great piano player and really nice person called Barrelhouse Chuck.