Biography
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 have passed, he's become 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 Andrew Cyrille and Andrew Hill. In his early-'60s heyday, Dickerson played the clubs on the New York scene. He worked with Sun Ra, 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 Sun Ra, guitarist Pierre Dorge, and bassist Richard Davis. Also in 1978, Dickerson recorded in a quartet with pianist Albert Dailey. Dickerson has been one of the few vibists to exhibit an awareness of free jazz techniques, though he's manifestly conversant in the language of post-bop. Dickerson has performed around his native Philadelphia.
