Erwin Helfer facts for kids

Erwin Helfer, born on January 21, 1936, is an American pianist. He is known for playing boogie-woogie, blues, and jazz music. Erwin Helfer is a special musician from Chicago. He is known for creating new sounds, performing, and teaching these types of music.

Erwin Helfer's Life Story

Erwin Helfer was born in 1936 and grew up in his hometown of Chicago. He went to New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois.

Early Musical Journey

When Erwin was a teenager in the early 1950s, he had a special guide named William Russell. William Russell introduced Erwin to many famous musicians. These included Glover Compton, Baby Dodds, Mahalia Jackson, Cripple Clarence Lofton, and Estelle Yancey. This helped Erwin learn a lot about music from the best.

Later, William Russell moved to New Orleans. Erwin followed him there and studied at Tulane University. He studied psychology, but his passion for music grew stronger. In New Orleans, he became good friends with musicians Billie Pierce and De De Pierce.

Making Music and Recordings

In 1956, Erwin Helfer made important recordings. He recorded Doug Suggs, a pianist known for playing at "house rent parties." These were parties where musicians played to help people pay their rent. Erwin also recorded Speckled Red, Billie Pierce, and James Robinson. These recordings were part of an album called Primitive Piano.

During the 1960s and early 1970s, Erwin recorded for several record companies. These included Chess Records, Testament Records, and Flying Fish Records. He also recorded for Big Bear Records and other labels in Europe. A famous blues historian, Peter J. Welding, said that Erwin had truly mastered the blues piano style. This means he was very good at playing the rhythms and tunes of the blues.

In 1976, Erwin Helfer recorded Heavy Timbre - Chicago Boogie Piano. This recording sounded like a real house rent party. It featured other great blues pianists like Blind John Davis, Sunnyland Slim, Willie Mabon, and Jimmy Walker.

Starting a Record Label

In 1982, Erwin Helfer teamed up with Pete Crawford. They started their own record company called Red Beans Records. This company helped share more blues and boogie-woogie music with the world.

Recent Work and Awards

In 2001, Erwin Helfer began working with The Sirens Records again. In 2003, he was nominated for a Blues Music Award. This was for his album I'm Not Hungry But I Like to Eat - Blues. He has also recorded other albums for The Sirens Records, including St. James Infirmary, Careless Love, and Erwin Helfer Way.

Erwin Helfer has played at many big music events. He performed at the Chicago Jazz Festival from 2005 to 2007. He also played at the Debrecen Jazz Festival in Hungary in 2005. From 1986 to 2010, he was a regular at the Chicago Blues Festival. He continues to play in blues clubs all over Chicago.

Erwin Helfer's Albums

Here are some of the albums Erwin Helfer has released: