Walt Dickerson

One of the illustrious graduates of the Philadelphia jazz scene, vibraphonist Walt Dickerson (1931-2008) emerged to great critical acclaim in the early 1960s. Predating Bobby Hutcherson, Dickerson was likely the first vibes player to go beyond the instrument’s cool jazz and bluesy bebop horizons, embracing fully the embryonic free jazz movement. Recording regularly throgh the mid-‘60s, he retired from live performance for nearly a decade, reemerging in 1975. In the ‘70s, Dickerson recorded frequently for the European SteepleChase label, then tapered off again until 1982, keeping a relatively low profile (playing mostly around his hometown) until his death.