History
He was mentored by William Russell, who was a jazz historian and founder of American Music Records. In Chicago, Russell introduced Erwin to Warren “Baby” Dodds, Mahalia Jackson, “Cripple” Clarence Lofton, and Estelle “Mama” Yancey. [3]
Helfer studied briefly at Tulane University. While living in New Orleans, he studied piano with Professor Manuel Manetta and became close friends with Billie and DeDe Pierce. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the American Conservatory of Music, and received a master’s in music from Northeastern Illinois University. [3]
In 1955, Helfer recorded Billie Pierce, Rufus Perryman (Speckled Red), Doug Suggs, and James “The Bat” Robinson for “Primitive Piano” on his own Tone Records. Helfer sold recordings of Speckled Red to Bob Koester, and Red’s record became Koester’s first release for Delmar Records (later named Delmark). [3]
He was colleagues and friends with Sunnyland Slim, Blind John Davis, and Little Brother Montgomery. He produced albums by Sunnyland, Davis, and others for Red Beans Records, which he co-founded with Peter Crawford. [3]
Helfer made his first recording accompanying blues guitarist Big Joe Williams for Cobra in 1960. In 1964, he recorded an album of blues and boogie woogie duets with pianist Jimmy Walker, called “Rough and Ready,” for Pete Welding’s Testament Records. [3]
He played harpsichord on Nick Gravenites’ “Drunken Boat” and “Whole Lotta Soul” 45rpm in 1965 and participated on the album “Moogie Woogie” on Chess Records in 1970. [3]
He recorded his second album with Jimmy Walker on Flying Fish’s inaugural LP in 1974. In 1975, he recorded “Boogie Piano Chicago Style” for Big Bear Records in the UK. Four years later he made another recording on Flying Fish with a number of Chicago jazz and blues artists. He made three recordings on his own label Red Beans, including accompanying Estelle “Mama” Yancey in 1983. [3]
After making several recordings in Germany, he made ten recordings for The Sirens Records. His recording, “I’m Not Hungry But I Like To Eat – Blues!” was featured on NPR’s All Things Considered. [4] This recording was also nominated for the Blues Foundation’s Comeback Artist of the Year award. He played on two piano compilations “Heavy Timbre – Chicago Boogie Piano” and “8 Hands on 88 Keys – Chicago Blues Piano Masters”. “Careless Love” and “Celebrate the Journey” were featured on NPR’s Fresh Air in January 2006 and March 2021 respectively. [5] [3]
In Kevin Whitehead’s NPR review of “Celebrate the Journey” he said, “For Erwin Helfer, vintage piano dialects are living traditions, not museum exhibits.” Whitehead said, “There aren’t many left who do what Helfer does with such unshowy authority… Erwin Helfer doesn’t carry his knowledge like a burden. He has fun with it … .” [6]
Erwin taught amateurs and professional musicians how to play blues piano from his home, at various institutions like Columbia College, and at summer camp at the Augusta Heritage Center.
He is the author of Blues Piano and How To Play It, a book for intermediate and advanced pianists. [3]
