Walt Dickerson
Encyclopedia
Walter Roland Dickerson was an American
jazz
vibraphone
player, most associated with post-bop
.
He graduated from Morgan State University
in 1953 and after two years in the Army he settled in California. There he started to gain attention leading a band with Andrew Hill
and Andrew Cyrille
, but it was his later time in New York City
that earned him full notice. For the Prestige
label he recorded four albums. In 1962 Down Beat
named him the best new artist.
From 1965 to 1975 he took a break from jazz, but later he worked again with Andrew Hill and Sun Ra. After 1975 he recorded several albums for the Danish Steeplechase
label.
He died in May 2008 from a cardiac arrest.
With Elmo Hope
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
vibraphone
Vibraphone
The vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family....
player, most associated with post-bop
Post-bop
Post-bop is a term for a form of small-combo jazz music that evolved in the early-to-mid sixties. The genre's origins lie in seminal work by John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Charles Mingus, Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock...
.
He graduated from Morgan State University
Morgan State University
Morgan State University, formerly Centenary Biblical Institute , Morgan College and Morgan State College , is a historically black college in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Morgan is Maryland's designated public urban university and the largest HBCU in the state of Maryland...
in 1953 and after two years in the Army he settled in California. There he started to gain attention leading a band with Andrew Hill
Andrew Hill
Andrew Hill was an American jazz pianist and composer.Hill is recognized as one of the most important innovators of jazz piano in the 1960s...
and Andrew Cyrille
Andrew Cyrille
Andrew Charles Cyrille is an avant-garde jazz drummer.Cyrille was born in Brooklyn, New York into a family with a mother from Haiti. He began studying science at St...
, but it was his later time in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
that earned him full notice. For the Prestige
Prestige Records
Prestige Records was a jazz record label founded in 1949 by Bob Weinstock. The company was located at 203 South Washington Avenue in Bergenfield, New Jersey, and recorded hundreds of albums by many of the leading jazz musicians of the day, sometimes issuing them under the names of several...
label he recorded four albums. In 1962 Down Beat
Down Beat
Down Beat is an American magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond" to indicate its expansion beyond the jazz realm which it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1934 in Chicago, Illinois...
named him the best new artist.
From 1965 to 1975 he took a break from jazz, but later he worked again with Andrew Hill and Sun Ra. After 1975 he recorded several albums for the Danish Steeplechase
SteepleChase Records
SteepleChase Records is a jazz record label based in Copenhagen, Denmark. SteepleChase was founded in 1972 by Nils Winther, who was a student at Copenhagen University at the time...
label.
He died in May 2008 from a cardiac arrest.
As leader
- 1962: To My Queen (PrestigePrestige RecordsPrestige Records was a jazz record label founded in 1949 by Bob Weinstock. The company was located at 203 South Washington Avenue in Bergenfield, New Jersey, and recorded hundreds of albums by many of the leading jazz musicians of the day, sometimes issuing them under the names of several...
) - 1976: Tell Us only the Beautiful Things (WhynotWhynot Records-Discography:...
)
As sideman
With Sun RaSun Ra
Sun Ra was a prolific jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, poet and philosopher known for his "cosmic philosophy," musical compositions and performances. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama...
- VisionsVisions (Sun Ra album)Visions is a duet album issued on LP format credited to Walt Dickerson and later reissued on CD credited to Sun Ra and Walt Dickerson.- Track listing :#Astro#Utopia#Visions#Constructive Neutrons#Space Dance...
(1978) - Impressions of a Patch of BlueImpressions of a Patch of BlueImpressions of a Patch of Blue is a 1966 album by vibraphonist Walt Dickerson with keyboardist Sun Ra in a rare appearance as a sideman. It is the last album Dickerson recorded before his decade long sabbatical from jazz before his comeback in the mid-1970s. The album is relatively mainstream...
(1978)
With Elmo Hope
Elmo Hope
St. Elmo Sylvester Hope was an American jazz pianist, performing chiefly in the bop and hard bop genres. His highly individual piano-playing and, especially, his compositions have led a few enthusiasts and critics such as David Rosenthal to place him alongside his contemporaries Bud Powell and...
- Sounds from Rikers Island (1963)
External links
- BBC Radio 2
- Walt Dickerson discography at JazzDiscography.com