Two Men from Earth: Walkin' to New Orleans

The Two Men are John Dickie and Steve Hunter. John, of course, is the singer for the Mississippi Hippies & the Cameo Blues Band among his more recent credits but Steve's is a less familiar name. To our musical theatre community, however, he is very well known, being Colm Wilkinson's music director and playing piano & conducting almost every major production coming through town. He also plays in a jazz trio and has a disc of Scott Joplin songs called Muskoka Solace. Perhaps because of this background, his piano playing is positively orchestral & beautifully (and forwardly) recorded. John responds with some of his finest singing on disc. Indeed, it's difficult to think of another singer who could hold his own with this keyboard onslaught. Just listen to Jerry Lee Lewis' "It'll Be Me" to hear a battle royal. The winner is all of us. We are winners in other respects as well. The reduction to voice & piano has resulted in some startling arrangements for some well-known songs: Robbie Robertson's "Rag Mama Rag" gets some boogie woogie & ragtime accompaniment, Fats Domino's "I'm Ready" gets a Professor Longhair treatment and there's "Goodnight Irene"a la James Booker. Sleepy John Estes' "Leavin' Trunk Blues" has John on mandolin & harp and a unique piano part -- no bass. The poignant, and updated, version of "Louisiana 1927" & "Corinna Corinna" slow the pace down wonderfully. From the opening "Roll 'Em Pete" on, this is a boogie woogie & barrelhouse lovers treat. John has lived with many of these songs for most of his career and he is Hunter's match in every song. It's clear that these two masters have spent a great deal of time with these performances. They've also been doing this in public and in private for a number of years. You'll hear that every time you go back to this wonderful disc.
--John Valenteyn, Toronto Blues Society, December 2009

Tracks

1. Roll 'Em Pete
2. It'll Be Me
3. Careless Love
4. Rag Mama Rag
5. Louisiana 1927
6. Corinna Corinna
7. Trouble In Mind
8. Walkin' To New Orleans
9. I'm Ready
10. Grand Coulee Dam
11. Leavin' Trunk Blues
12. Goodnight Irene
13. Lost Highway

Two Men from Earth - Walkin' to New Orleans - 2009 - Two Men from Earth 844667017151