Walt Dickerson’s Seventies output for Steeplechase gets surprisingly sparse consideration these days. Cruise the net and there’s precious little commentary on the vibraphonist, let alone that segment of his career where he let his coiffure grow, and his chest hair show through the low-cut collars of garishly patterned leisure shirts. This concert set, taped in his hometown of Philadelphia in the bicentennial summer of ’76, delivers instructive goods on his working trio of the era with electric bassist Rudy McDaniels, recently rechristened with the far more funky nom de fretless Jamaladeen Tacuma, and drummer Edgar Bateman in tow. Dickerson’s more discursive improvisatory tendencies are in full evidence, his mallets birthing luminous chains of notes that defy easy enumeration and traverse multifarious trajectories. All but one of the five pieces blossom to labyrinthine lengths. Tacuma’s melodically sensitive bass lines work as reliable contrapuntal shadow to the leader’s less-gravity reliant structures and his tonally-rich solos evince a facility on par with his far better established contemporary Stanley Clarke. Liberal doses of pedal sustain further enhance an ethereal feel, particularly on the solo opener “My Prayer.” Various junctures arise where the three sound in danger of dispersing in completely different directions. Bateman’s ambitions behind a kit sometimes outpace his abilities. But his decision for subtlety and delicacy over brashness and momentum works as additional agent in the music’s consistently contemplative cast, especially during several tandem detours with his employer. At a solid hour, it’s the sort of disc appropriate for solitary dimmed lights listening, ripe with quiet, but continuous interplay indicative of Dickerson in the midst of his second artistic wind.
Posted by derek on June 18, 2006 2:47 PMBelieve it or not, Derek - one of my very favourite Sun Ra records is his duo with Walt Dickerson "Visions" [from what I recall, recorded sometime during late 70's].
Just curious, how does this record stack up to that one?
Don't know Visions but I saw an original vinyl copy of "Impressions of a Patch of Blue" going for $200 round these parts recently..
Posted by: Dan Warburton at June 18, 2006 9:55 PMTom, it’s a little hard to compare as I think Visions is a different kind of album: two strong improvisatory voices blending in an often (surprisingly) conventional manner, whereas this one is very much Dickerson’s show & feels more open-ended in design. Peace (w/ Lisle Atkinson & Andrew Cyrille) is even better and has much more of a cohesive ‘album’ feel, but I still have a soft spot for this one & spin it most often. I’d place To My Son (another trio, this time w/ bassist Andy McKee & Johnsun) slightly behind it. I Hear You John is good too, dispensing w/ bass altogether & stretching out even further, sometimes to a fault since the drummer, Johnsun again, isn’t always up to the task. It’s got an ambitious, if sometimes meandering, performance dedicated to Wilbur Ware. And the solo Shades of Love offers an intimate & extensive opportunity to hear Dickerson working out freely associative ideas without a sounding board. I haven’t spent as much time with the two duets with Richard Davis, but recommend them too. Haven’t heard Landscape with Open Door, the duet with Pierre Dørge.
It’s probably not discernable from the miniaturized cover image above, but that’s an original vinyl copy of “Impressions…” mounted on the wall behind Dickerson’s right shoulder. Great album, mellow & moody with some colorful Ra harpsichord & nice percussion by Roger Blank.
Posted by: derek at June 19, 2006 3:29 AMIt really is a funny unique kinda record
i especially always enjoyed Tacuma s playing on it but i also remember this was the cut price-second Lp you bumped in all the time for years
if you liked this one there s a ( DIW ?) strange album of David Murray with Sunny Murray and Blood Ulmer also floating ... not to mention the semi-bootleg double LP in Black sleeve of Ornette Acoustic with early Blood Ulmer
Any new reports of Bern Nix ?
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Thats a good record.Any current Information on the Drummer Jimmy Johnsun? I really enjoyed his playing on Dickerson's "To my Son" I think he played with Sun Ra a little bit.
Is there actual CD's floating around of Ornette With Blood Ulmer other then "Tales of Captain Black? i.e. The group with Sirone and Billy Higgins?
The Last I heard of Bern Nix was that he was running a Music school in NY...
Nix's solo on Nightwhistlers from the Decoding Society's first album EYE ON YOU is incredible. Egghead rock & roll. Go Egghead!
Posted by: Jeffrey Little at June 20, 2006 8:30 AMBERN NIX
a good one probably hard to find :
NOSTALGIA IN TIMES SQUARE (Soul Note SN1141 [CD 121141-2]) Jemeel Moondoc, Bern Nix, William Parker, Rahn Burton, Denis Charles. Recorded November, 1985.
Also with James Chance
Love Bern Nix
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Posted by: Akchote Noel at June 20, 2006 9:45 AMAm just relistening to "To my son", and is it just that my copy is moth-eaten (worn-out) or do these long notes flicker and waver and eat into themselves. Love that record.
Posted by: Lutz at June 24, 2006 2:09 PMI listen to Walt's music on a weekly basis. I purchase a new album every year, To My Son being the most recent. To My Son is a pinnacle in vibraphone trio music.
Posted by: cary ralston at July 14, 2006 10:16 PMMy favorite Walt Dickerson's album is by far "To My Son" that I purchase as a LP.
I think than the first side of the album is the best thing Walt has ever recorded.
"You Can" & "You Will" are the pinacle of vibraphone music (or vibraharp as written on "Shades Of Love").
The record was supposed to be everything I hate:
I hate vibraphone, I hate when people sung when playing along side their instrument (except for Monk and Paul Bley).
One listen to the first side of "To My son" makes me a believer (in Dickerson more than vibraphone, at least).
I bought during the following weeks or months every LP (that I've double in CD, since) from Dickerson that he has recorded for Steeple Chase that I could find. And I love them all, except "To my Queen Revisited" that I find completely dull at my big disappointement and his duet with Sun Ra ("Visions") who is totally academic.
I think, if I should rank his work on SC, that "Peace" would follow "To My son". "I Hear You John" (where I don't find AT ALL that Mr Jimmy Johnson or Jimmi Johnsun -the name change according to records- is not "up to the task") will come on third with "Shades of Love" and the two duets with Richard Davis just a little bit behind. But the quality of all of these records is astonishing.
Difference between them are VERY subjectif, I think (except for "To My Son", who's really the best of the bunch, an exceptionnal album, a true masterpiece). For the rest of them it's a question of taste. Or mood.
From the earlier stuff I like "To My queen" and "Relativity" who demonstrate that Dickerson was as an unknow innovator.
But aniway, his best work is the bunch of LP that he has done on Steeple Chase between 76 & 78 with a late addition from 1982 with his Soul Note's album "Life Rays" (who feature Sirone and Cyrille).
Bern Nix is in New York and sounding great. I played bass in a duo with him last October at the Stone during the Don Cherry tribute month curated by Adam Rudolph. It was a ball!
Thanks for mentioning him.
Derek sez: I think Visions is a different kind of album: two strong improvisatory voices blending in an often (surprisingly) conventional manner.
I thought that one was pretty out there. The conventional (& I think disappointing) collaboration is "Patch of Blue," isn't it? (Certainly wouldn't pay two bills for it, anyhow.)
Posted by: walto at July 15, 2006 7:52 AMhi, if anyone is interested, i wrote a large profile piece on Walt Dickerson for Jazz Times a few years ago. it's reproduced here (http://freejazz.org/stories.php?story=04/06/15/2960654).
just scroll down about a third of the way and you'll see it (posted by Margaret Davis). i went to Mr. Dickerson's home--near Philly, that's all i can say--and had a great interview with him. it's frustrating, though, b/c i haven't been able to get in touch w/ him since. anyone know his whereabouts?
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