AMG Review of Dick & Derek at the Movies

Scott Yanow
All Music Guide

For this project, Dick Hyman and Derek Smith play twin piano versions of 15 songs that became standards due partly to their use in movies. Hyman and Smith are both major players and they avoid getting in each other's way with some of the ensembles being worked out a bit in advance. The interplay between the pianists is delightful but somehow their encounter is not quite as exciting or as lively as one might hope. Maybe the inclusion of a few more burners, plus less cooperation and more competition might have helped. The performances are enjoyable, with the highlights including "What Is This Thing Called Love," "The Way You Look Tonight," "Singin' in the Rain" and a boogie-woogie version of "The Entertainer." But it falls short overall of being the expected classic.