| Home | Product Catalog | How To Order | Artist Biographies | Press/Reviews | Upcoming Events |
Product Catalog
|
SR-5001-- Erwin Helfer –
"I’m Not Hungry But I Like To Eat – Blues"
“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.” Lloyd Sachs,
Entertainment Critic, Chicago Sun-Times January 6, 2002
|
|
SR-5002
"Heavy Timbre - Chicago Boogie Piano"
“In 1976, Chicago piano blues aficionados Steven Dolins, Barry Dolins, and
David Goldberg produced this session on three acknowledged keyboard masters
(Mabon, Sunnyland, and Davis), a veteran who deserved to be better known (Walker),
and an already-seasoned but still-youthful prodigy (Helfer). Its reissue is
both an important historical document and a listeners’ delight … Rollicking
fun, soulful intimacy, celebration of life – it doesn’t get any more real
than this.” David Whiteis, Living Blues May/June 2002
|
|
|
SR-5003
"8 Hands on 88 Keys – Chicago Blues Piano Masters"
“It isn’t often that four Chicago piano virtuosos convene for
a marathon recording session, but this one must have been a riot,
judging by the sheer fervor of the performances. Each artist sounds
utterly unlike
the rest, with Barrelhouse Chuck laying down relentless boogie rhythms,
Detroit Junior accompanying his fat chords with moans and cries,
Pinetop Perkins luxuriating
in unbelievably slow and sultry tempos and Erwin Helfer ripping through
blues, boogie, and jazz numbers at a breakneck pace. Together, these
great Chicago
originals play down-home music that’s about as unvarnished as it gets.” Howard
Reich, Chicago Tribune March 3, 2002
|
|
SR-5004 – Barrelhouse Chuck
"Prescription for the Blues"
"Classic jazz, blues and boogie from the South Side of Chicago will flourish
so long as Barrelhouse Chuck is at work. In his newest release, a welcome
solo outing, the singer-pianist asserts himself as a veritable one-man-band.
Listen to his exquisitely ornamented piano lines on Leroy Carr's "My Own Lonesome
Blues", rolling boogie rhythms on Carr's "Mean Mistreater Mama" and all-over-the-keys
virtuosity on Sunnyland Slim's "Johnson Machine Gun", and it's clear that
Barrelhouse Chuck has become an important advocate for historic repertoire.
At the same time, he builds on the achievements of the giants with the beauty
of his keyboard touch
and the melancholy tone of his vocals." Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune August
4, 2002
|
|
|
SR-5005 - Speckled Red, Billie Pierce, and more
"Primitive Piano"
“… one of the most exhililarating discs of 50s blues piano you’ll ever hear.” Kenneth
Bays Blues Revue November 2003 “First released in 1957 on Tone Records, this
small trove of St. Louis and Chicago boogie-woogie and blues piano stomped
by house rent party favorites Speckled Red, James “The Bat” Robinson and Doug
Suggs is now supplemented with rescued-from-cold storage performances highlighting
the gifted 10 fingers of New Orleans eclectic Billie Pierce and Suggs again.
Suggs also talks about comrades Jimmy Yancey and Albert Ammons on the interview
track.” Frank-John Hadley DownBeat January 2004
|
|
SR-5006 – Skinny Williams and Erwin Helfer
"St. James Infirmary"
“Williams gets a gorgeous tone, and his superb control lends tremendous expressiveness
to his lines. Helfer never comps the same way twice; his rhythmic daring alone
is worth the price of admission, as are his melodic and harmonic ideas. … Obviously
a set of duets like this has an after-hours feel. … St. James Infirmary will
find a welcome place in the hearts of grown-up jazz and blues lovers.” Tom
Hyslop, Blues Revue, November 2003
|
|
|
SR-5007 -- Reverend Dwayne R. Mason
"Glory! Glory!"
“This 42-year-old pastor of Body Soul and Spirit Ministries, on the South
Side of Chicago, has a great piano sound: heavy, even and exact, everything
grounded in blues and boogie-woogie. "Glory! Glory!," an album just released
on The Sirens, a small Chicago label, presents gospel standards in a low-pressure
atmosphere, most of them with only the drummer Kendrick Jackson and, here
and there, the singer Sydne Evans. You don't find many gospel albums like
this; it's like a contemplative recital, with funk rhythm.” Ben Ratliff, Jazz
Critic, The New York Times, November 23, 2003
|
|
SR-5008 – Earma Thompson
"Just In Time"
“Pianist Earma Thompson has chops to spare throughout this rewarding CD, mostly
duets with bassist John Whitfield. Her playfulness comes through in the swinging
take of "Just in Time," while Thompson's spunky side comes through in the
bop favorite "Billie's Bounce." She adds a bossa nova beat to her hip interpretation
of “You Stepped Out of a Dream” then adds a dark undercurrent to a swinging
take of “Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise.” It is also hard to ignore the gutsy,
blues-drenched interpretation of "After Hours" and a driving, soulful take
of "Back at the Chicken Shack." Tenor saxophonist John Brumbach is added for
Miles Davis’ "Vierd Blues" and Gene Ammons’ "Ge-ru." Hopefully a follow-up
CD is already in the works. Highly recommended.” ~ Ken Dryden, All Music Guide
|
|
|
SR-5009 -- Kimberly Gordon Trio
"Melancholy Serenade"
Chicago native Kimberly Gordon makes a huge impression with her debut recording
as a leader. It's not just the singer's rich alto voice that wins over the
listener, but her ability to communicate. Joined by pianist Chris Foreman
and bassist Joe Policastro, Gordon's selection of songs is adventurous, mixing
standards, classic jazz compositions, and even pop of the 1950s and '60s. … She
makes her voice sound like it has the wear and tear of a jazz veteran in her
swinging treatment of "As Long as I Live," while playfully switching to a
childlike chant for effect, then scatting to Foreman's Erroll Garner-like
piano. … Rarely does an artist sound so seasoned on a debut recording, this
is yet another laudable CD issued by the tiny Chicago-based label The Sirens.” Ken
Dryden, All Music Guide
|
|
SR-5010
"In The Right Hands – Chicago Gospel Keyboard Pioneers"
“… a lovingly assembled disc that comes from The Sirens Records, a small,
Chicago-based label renowned for issuing gems of jazz and blues. On this release,
the label brings together some of the finest Gospel piano players that the
Windy City has to offer, throws in some legendary vocalists, and comes out
with gold. Fronting the project is the legendary Jessy Dixon, who brings his
decades of prominence to the fore with his strident, victory-filled solo piano
on "The Wicked Shall Cease From Their Troubling". … Geraldine Gay tears the
album apart with her fantastically jazzed piano styling on "God Shall Wipe
All Tears Away” … this cut is worth the price of admission. … Both ["I've
Done My Work" and "I Have A Friend"] continue the Geraldine Gay and Pastor
Donald Gay showcase, providing further evidence of the value of the hidden
treasure that Chicago holds.” Stan North, gospelflava
|
|
|
SR-5011 - Erwin Helfer Trio
"Careless Love"
“The Crescent City may have Dr. John, but for a considerably longer
time, the Windy City has had Erwin Helfer, a blues and boogie master whose
obscurity masks the great esteem which he is held by his fans and fellow musicians.
With a series of fine albums for suburban Chicago label The Sirens, Helfer
is chipping away at his cult status as he approaches his 70th birthday. Careless
Love is the best of them in terms of its stylistic breadth and the easy elegance
with which he connects those dots; among “two-fisted” pianists,
he is the most genial as well as the most crafty. The music is lifted by a
large-spirited sense of now, ranging from a reading of Hank Williams’ “Jambalaya” on
which second-line rhythm meets Caribbean tinge, to a jaunty, staggering “Just
A Closer Walk With Thee”, to a languorous, time-lagging treatment of
Thelonious Monk’s “Blue Monk”…” Lloyd Sachs, No Depression March-April 2006
|
|
SR-5012
"Heavenly Keys –Gospel Keyboard Trio"
“The kickoff tune, written by Leonard Maddox, grabs you from the very
start and won’t let go. With it’s one-two punch of sanctified
piano and churchy organ, ‘Church House Rock’ will have true believers
saying “Yes indeed!” The following track, ‘Pray for Me’ pulls
one deeper with the feeling that Brother ray and others brought from the pews,
remembering that the church gives but also takes from Blues & Jazz. It
has always been a two way street. Selections on this ever engaging program
are self-penned by the artists, traditional Gospel material, or writings from
greats of the genre like Cleophus Robinson, Brother Joe may, the Clark Sisters
and Edwin Hawkins. Not being a regular churchgoer won’t diminish the
enjoyment of this “churchifyin” music to any listener with blood
in their veins. … An authentic slice of music ministry.” Larry Hollis, Cadence, June 2006
|
|
|
SR-5013
"Rock This House Live - Katherine Davis and the Chicago
Boogie Ensemble"
"Sometimes all a person really wants is some good old-fashioned Chicago-style
blues, with just a bit of boogie-woogie and a whole lot off gospel
seasoning. If that's what you favor, Katherine Davis' extremely
tasty Rock This House - Live! should be on your menu. … Appearing
with her core ensemble and a fine selection of guests (Lurrie Bell,
Willie Henderson,
and Kenny Smith feature prominently), she leads the way through a
smoking-hot set recorded in Jan 2006 at Chicago’s Old Town School of
Folk Music. … her
rich, full voice, fine delivery, and killer band make Rock This House
an unmitigated pleasure. Turn it up loud and imagine being there."
Genevieve Williams, Blues Revue, Feb/Mar 2007
|
|
SR-5014
Got My Eyes On You - Barrelhouse Chuck
"Opening with Barrelhouse Chuck's thundering piano chords and
Kim Wilson's thrilling panther squall harmonica, this terrific set
rocks like the best Chicago recordings of the 50's. ...Got My
Eyes on You is the rare Barrelhouse recording to have one tight
unit and a uniform sound. The crackerjack ensemble includes Kim Wilson
on harp, Eddie Taylor
Jr. and Joel Foy on guitars, and Muddy Waters’ former rhythm mates Calvin
Jones and Willie Smith. … it could be argued that much of this set is
an homage to the great Sunnyland, who played on the originals of
many of these selections. There may still be a few piano players
playing blues like this,
but none with the heart and stamina and the breadth of styles – learned
directly from the masters – of Barrelhouse Chuck. No one’s done
his homework quite like Chuck, and unfortunately, no one ever can
again." Justin O'Brien, Living Blues, Sep/Oct 2006
|
|
 Mastered by Urban Guerilla Engineers
|
SR-5015
Brown, Thompson, Brumbach – "Madam Queen"
Two of Chicago’s best tenor saxophonists, Ari Brown and John
Brumbach, team
up to honor piano great, Earma Thompson, on this swinging recording. Brown
and Brumbach, blow hard, straight-ahead bebop with strong doses of blues.
Thompson follows up her solo disc "Just in Time" (featured on Marian McPartland’s
Piano Jazz program) with sensitive and intelligent ensemble playing. They
are accompanied by all-star jazz players Yosef Ben Israel (bass) and William “Bugs” Cochran (drums). All of the musicians play with soulful eloquence and swing from start
to finish.
|
|
SR-5016
Geraldine and Donald Gay – "Soulful Sounds"
Soulful Sounds presents traditional gospel music by legends Geraldine
and Donald Gay. Geraldine, often called the Errol Garner of gospel piano, is a virtuoso who has her own original style. Donald’s vocals are rich, powerful,
and bluesy.
They recorded for Savoy in the 1950’s, Chess in the 1960’s, and now for The Sirens Records in 2007. Their gospel music will move you to new levels of spirituality!
|
 Mastered by Urban Guerilla Engineers
|