In his solo acoustic shows, Minneapolis singer-songwriter Tim Helmen invites his audiences into an intriguing world of sound and story. His expressive, understated vocals and versatile guitar work create the ideal setting for presenting what Wendy Vickers of Local Blend calls his original, thoughtful songwriting.
In May of 2004, Helmen released his first CD, entitled Another Season, on his own Fall Into Miracle label. Featuring ten songs, the CD captures an immediacy typically found in an intimate live performance. Warmly recorded in his home studio, the songs cover a wide range of creative musical territory on the strength of Helmen's dynamic, resourceful guitar playing. The project is given unity by the stripped-down voice and guitar instrumentation, and by Helmen's consistently literate, compelling lyrics, which Wendy Vickers notes offer insightful looks at the people and world around him, with a touch of inspiration.
After piano lessons as a child, Tim Helmen taught himself to play guitar, moving through folk, pop, and rock to devote himself primarily to jazz by his high school and college years. He played with such Twin Cities jazz institutions as Gene Adams and James Cornbread Harris. He was also a founding member, bassist, and composer in the instrumental quartet Awake My Heart. Beginning in the 1990's, Helmen began to focus more of his attention on his singer-songwriter efforts, building an extensive repertoire of original work. In 2000, 2001 and 2004, Helmen's songs earned him spots as a performing finalist in the Minnesota Folk Festival New Folk Songwriting Contest. Five of his songwriting collaborations with Jason Gay have been recorded on Gay's CDs Live Vol. One: Hoping and the nationally-distributed A Place Called Hope (True Tunes Records). Helmen is also active in writing and arranging music for worship at his home congregation.
A restlessly eclectic artist, Helmen's musical goals in the near future include continued writing, more frequent solo performances, additional recording projects, and a renewed pursuit of opportunities to express his improvisational side as a jazz guitarist.