Walt Dickerson

Walt Dickerson made an impact when he first emerged in the early '60s -- he won the Down Beat Critic's Poll as New Star in 1962 -- but as the years passed he became much less visible. Dickerson graduated from Morgan State College in 1953. After serving in the Army from 1953-1955, he settled in California, where he led a band that included <a href="spotify:artist:47hexMV8ZbDWZ9MSwSWD50">Andrew Cyrille</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:4ORSNkNYSzva169PBZCzvy">Andrew Hill</a>. In his early-'60s heyday, Dickerson played the clubs on the New York scene. He worked with <a href="spotify:artist:0tIODqvzGUoEaK26rK4pvX">Sun Ra</a>, recording Impressions of a Patch of Blue in 1965. Shortly thereafter, Dickerson retired from performing for nearly a decade and returning in 1975. In the years 1977-1978, he made the bulk of his recordings for the Steeplechase label, which included duos with <a href="spotify:artist:0tIODqvzGUoEaK26rK4pvX">Sun Ra</a>, guitarist <a href="spotify:artist:3gBynn8PnjaFH5QZIs3XZI">Pierre Dørge</a>, and bassist <a href="spotify:artist:6Xktfsmu8Tlg3071prbJej">Richard Davis</a>. Also in 1978, Dickerson recorded in a quartet with pianist <a href="spotify:artist:0dGJiNBqbbMGWUsiwpbUQz">Albert Dailey</a>. Dickerson was one of the few vibists to exhibit an awareness of free jazz techniques, though he was manifestly conversant in the language of post-bop. Although not heard as a leader on disc after 1982, Dickerson subsequently performed around his native Philadelphia; he died in Willow Grove, PA, of cardiac arrest in May 2008. ~ Chris Kelsey, Rovi

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