Walter Roland Dickerson (April 16, 1928 – May 15, 2008) was an American jazz vibraphone player, most associated with the post-bop idiom.
Biography Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, Walt Dickerson graduated from Morgan State University in 1953 and after two years in the Army he settled in California. There he started to gain attention by leading a group with Andrew Hill and Andrew Cyrille, but it was Dickerson's later period in New York City when he gained some further 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 Dickerson recorded several albums for the Danish Steeplechase label.
He died in May 2008 from a cardiac arrest.
Discography As leader/co-leader Recording dateAlbumPersonnelLabel Year released 1961–03 This Is Walt Dickerson! Austin Crowe (piano), Bob Lewis (bass), Andrew Cyrille (drums)New Jazz 1961 1961–05 A Sense of Direction Austin Crowe (piano), Eustis Guillemet, Jr. (bass), Edgar Bateman (drums) New Jazz 1961 1962–01 Relativity Austin Crowe (piano), Ahmed Abdul-Malik (bass), Andrew Cyrille (drums) New Jazz 1962 1962–09 To My Queen Andrew Hill (piano), George Tucker (bass), Andrew Cyrille (drums) New Jazz 1963 1963–03Jazz Impressions of Lawrence of Arabiaalso released as Vibes in Motion Austin Crowe (piano), Henry Grimes / Ahmed Abdul-Malik (bass), Andrew Cyrille (drums) Dauntless 1963 1964–03Walt Dickerson Plays Unity Walter Davis, Jr. (piano), George Tucker (bass), Edgar Bateman, Andrew Cyrille (drums) Audio Fidelity 1964 1965Impressions of a Patch of Blue Sun Ra (piano, harpsichord, celeste), Bob Cunningham (bass), Roger Blank (drums) MGM 1966 1975–07Tell Us Only the Beautiful Things Wilbur Ware (bass), Andrew Cyrille (drums) Whynot 1975 1975–11 Peace Lisle Atkinson (bass), Andrew Cyrille (drums) SteepleChase 1976 1976Walt Dickerson 1976 Wilbur Ware (bass), Jamaaladeen Tacuma (electric bass), Edgar Bateman (drums) Whynot 1976 1976–08 Serendipity Jamaaladeen Tacuma (electric bass), Edgar Bateman (drums) SteepleChase 1977 1977–02 Divine Gemini Co-led duo with Richard Davis (bass) SteepleChase 1978 1977–02 Tenderness Co-led duo with Richard Davis (bass) SteepleChase 1985 1977–11 Shades of Love Solo SteepleChase 1978 1978–07 To My Queen Revisited Albert Dailey (piano), Andy McKee (bass), Jimmy Johnson (drums) SteepleChase 1979 1978–07 Visions Co-led duo with Sun Ra (piano)SteepleChase 1978 1978–09 Landscape with Open Door Co-led duo with Pierre Dørge (g, per) SteepleChase 1979 1978–10 I Hear You John Andy McKee (bass), Jimmy Johnson (drums) SteepleChase 1980 1978–11 To My Son Andy McKee (bass), Jimmy Johnson (drums) SteepleChase 1980 1982–02 Life Rays Sirone (bass), Andrew Cyrille (drums) Soul Note 1982 Sources:
As arranger Elmo Hope, Sounds from Rikers Island (Audio Fidelity, 1963)
References
Further reading