Walt Dickerson R.I.P.

[JSngry]

Jsngry, I hear that PEACE is another very good Dickerson trio Steeplechase album. The only later album I have is TO MY QUEEN REVISITED (with Albert Dailey on piano).

The Soul Note trio album w/Sirone & Andrew Cyrille is one that I would recommend unhesitatingly. Although I would do that for basically ever Dickerson album, this one gets it even more so.

[Chalupa]

Dark Forces Swing Blind Punches eulogy (some very good links here to a Dickerson interview and article that the blogger/author wrote)

Night Lights post

WBGO blog writeup

Jsngry, I hear that PEACE is another very good Dickerson trio Steeplechase album. The only later album I have is TO MY QUEEN REVISITED (with Albert Dailey on piano).

NOTE: some sources give Dickerson’s birth year as 1931, but Andrew Cyrille’s message would seem to indicate that he was born three to four years earlier. Joshua Jackson’s WBGO blog tribute gives a birth date of April 16, 1928, which would have made Dickerson 81 when he passed away.

No, it would have made him 80.

Edited May 19, 2008 by J.H. Deeley

[Kalo]

Francis Davis wrote a memorable piece on the Patch of Blue album which was reprinted in one of his collections, though I'm uncertain, offhand, which one -

It's in his book Like Young, a reprint of his liner notes for the 1999 Verve Elite CD reissue of Impressions of a Patch of Blue.

[king ubu]

Sad news

[andybleaden]

A real shame as he made some cracking recordings. My favourites were the Prestige numbers

Shame

[randyhersom]

Wow. I own everything released on CD by Walt Dickerson. Peace still touches me deepest, as much for the deep bass playing that Walt drew out of Lisle Atkinson as for Walt or Andrew. Every note of every album is a worthwhile listen. Personally Walt represents a pinnacle of deep soulful (not soul-jazz) vibes playing that has not been approached since. I love Hutch and Hoggard as well as Milt, but they just didn't go THERE. I hope that appreciation for his playing blossoms in the coming months but would much rather he have stayed around for another gig or few. And if a few post-'82 tapes can be shared by the family, those of us who have heard every note and hungered for more would be most grateful. Thanks for a life well lived, Walt Dickerson.

[randyhersom]

A couple of pages into the interview linked above, and I realized how to put one aspect of Walt into words. Sun Ra and Anthony Braxton conjure ornate and beautifully constructed complexities which draw interest to both artist and art. Walt's using his notes and techniques to communicate simple truth and beauty of life, and feels no need to call attention to himself at all. I hope I'm not being presumptuous here, but that's how it seems to me.

[ghost of miles]

Dark Forces Swing Blind Punches eulogy (some very good links here to a Dickerson interview and article that the blogger/author wrote)

Night Lights post

WBGO blog writeup

Jsngry, I hear that PEACE is another very good Dickerson trio Steeplechase album. The only later album I have is TO MY QUEEN REVISITED (with Albert Dailey on piano).

NOTE: some sources give Dickerson’s birth year as 1931, but Andrew Cyrille’s message would seem to indicate that he was born three to four years earlier. Joshua Jackson’s WBGO blog tribute gives a birth date of April 16, 1928, which would have made Dickerson 81 when he passed away.

No, it would have made him 80.

Thanks for the catch of my "do the bad math" note--fixed.

[gslade]

[.:.impossible]

To My Son is my personal favorite of the trio albums. Absolute.

Randy, I think your idea is complimentary of Walt's playing.

[Guest Bill Barton]

A couple of pages into the interview linked above, and I realized how to put one aspect of Walt into words. Sun Ra and Anthony Braxton conjure ornate and beautifully constructed complexities which draw interest to both artist and art. Walt's using his notes and techniques to communicate simple truth and beauty of life, and feels no need to call attention to himself at all. I hope I'm not being presumptuous here, but that's how it seems to me.

Very eloquently stated, Randy. That's how his music affects me too. I hear him rather than the instrument, the technique or the form.

[Chuck Nessa]

Lovely man. Lovely music. Talking to him you'd say "spaceball". No "dis" intended.

[tkeith]

In the late 70's my father wrote Walt a letter explaining what his (Walt's) music had meant to him (my father).

My Dad went to a friend's house for a listening party, something he rarely ever did. While he was gone, the phone rang and I answered it:

"Hi. Is Jo there?"

"No, he's at his friend's house."

My mother, "Is that Dad?"

"No, it's Walt Dickerson."

My mother figured we were being played by the folks at the party. She rolled her eyes and said, "Give me the phone. [taking the phone] Is this Bob?"

"Uh, no ma'am, this is Walt Dickerson. I'm calling for Jo."

"Knock it off, you guys, this isn't funny."

"Uhm... ma'am? My name is Walt Dickerson, I'm a musician; Jo wrote me a letter and I just wanted to call and say thanks."

He finally convinced her and she gave him the number of the friend's house. My father had offered to take Walt out to dinner if he were ever in our area and he was going to be playing in the basement of a church in Worcester, MA. Walt was calling to accept the offer and express his thanks for the letter.

At the listening party -- where, in a blindfold test, my Dad identified Arne Domnérus -- the phone rang. The owner picked up the phone:

"Hello?"

"Hi. This is Walt Dickerson, can I speak to Jo?"

"Uh... yeah, hang on. [phone covered] Jo, it's Walt Dickerson for you."

"What?"

"Yeah. [holding out the phone]"

Made quite an impression on the attendees. They went to see Walt and took he and his wife out to dinner afterward. I've never had the conversation with him about what they talked about... perhaps I should soon.

That's my long-winded way of saying, this one hurts.

[Ron S]

Just saw this.

Willow Grove, where Walt lived, is just a few miles from my house--I drive through it all the time, probably not far from his house (it's not that big of a town). I had always hoped that he might consent to perform somewhere in the area and I'd get to see him.

[jostber]

Many fine stories here. R.I.P.

I was not acquainted with his music, but pre-ordered this new reissue today. Andrew Hill's here too:

[paul secor]

In the late 70's my father wrote Walt a letter explaining what his (Walt's) music had meant to him (my father).

My Dad went to a friend's house for a listening party, something he rarely ever did. While he was gone, the phone rang and I answered it:

"Hi. Is Jo there?"

"No, he's at his friend's house."

My mother, "Is that Dad?"

"No, it's Walt Dickerson."

My mother figured we were being played by the folks at the party. She rolled her eyes and said, "Give me the phone. [taking the phone] Is this Bob?"

"Uh, no ma'am, this is Walt Dickerson. I'm calling for Jo."

"Knock it off, you guys, this isn't funny."

"Uhm... ma'am? My name is Walt Dickerson, I'm a musician; Jo wrote me a letter and I just wanted to call and say thanks."

He finally convinced her and she gave him the number of the friend's house. My father had offered to take Walt out to dinner if he were ever in our area and he was going to be playing in the basement of a church in Worcester, MA. Walt was calling to accept the offer and express his thanks for the letter.

At the listening party -- where, in a blindfold test, my Dad identified Arne Domnérus -- the phone rang. The owner picked up the phone:

"Hello?"

"Hi. This is Walt Dickerson, can I speak to Jo?"

"Uh... yeah, hang on. [phone covered] Jo, it's Walt Dickerson for you."

"What?"

"Yeah. [holding out the phone]"

Made quite an impression on the attendees. They went to see Walt and took he and his wife out to dinner afterward. I've never had the conversation with him about what they talked about... perhaps I should soon.

That's my long-winded way of saying, this one hurts.

Great story! Thanks for sharing it with us.

[randyhersom]

In a sense the title of his 1974 album, Tell Us Only The Beautiful Things is a statement of his Golden Rule. I think that's exactly where the "spaceball" impression that Chuck speaks of comes from. Perhaps we are so used to interacting with the "anti-civilization" that it can be quite disconcerting to encounter someone who wishes to communicate and respond to only the beautiful things. The fact that a conversation happens at all has to do with Walt finding beauty in many unusual places, and his skill at directing our attention to those places. I met Walt briefly at WRTI just before Serendipity came out, allowing my program director Russ Musto to do all the talking, and my personal impressions certainly fit with the aspects revealed in the interview link Ghost of Miles shared with us.

Edited May 20, 2008 by randyhersom

[BruceH]

*sigh*...RIP

[randyhersom]

Here are the LPs released in Walt's lifetime. The Andooran CD Vibes in Motion is a twofer of Unity and Lawrence of Arabia.

01. This is Walt Dickerson

02. A Sense of Direction

03. Relativity

04. To My Queen

05. Impressions of a Lawrence of Arabia

06. Unity

07. Impressions of a Patch of Blue

08. Tell us only the beautiful things

09. Peace

10. Walt Dickerson 1976

11. Serendipity

12. Divine Gemini

13. Tenderness

14. Shades of Love

15. To My Queen Revisited

16. Visions

17. Landscape with Open Door

18. I Hear You John

19. To My Son

20. Life Rays

Michael Fitzgerald has an excellent discography here.

Walt did hum/sing along with his vibes on many recordings, and it's most noticeable on the later Steeplechases.

Edited May 21, 2008 by randyhersom

[sidewinder]

Walt did hum/sing along with his vibes on many recordings, and it's most noticeable on the later Steeplechases.

Certainly noticeable on 'Relativity' and 'Impressions Of A Patch Of Blue' but unlike the case of Mr Jarrett, I don't find it in the least bit annoying.

[six string]

Great story Thom Keith. Thanks for sharing.

Another thanks to Randy for a couple of wonderful posts.

If anyone knows where I can find a copy of Impressions of a Lawrence of Arabia I'd love to hear from you. I've got five or six of his albums but this one has been impossible to find.

[.:.impossible]

This is also readily available on vinyl.

[randyhersom]

Vibes in Motion includes Unity and Jazz Impressions of Lawrence of Arabia. Edited May 22, 2008 by randyhersom

[six string]

Thanks Dumpy Mama and Randy. I've seen that cd at Amazon before but I didn't know it was a twofer. I just ordered it.

Some people think the Impr. of L of A is his best album. Thoughts?

[ghost of miles]

Vibes in Motion includes Unity and Jazz Impressions of Lawrence of Arabia.

Thanks for the tip, Randy--just ordered a copy myself.