Sun Ra and Walt Dickerson - Visions (1979)

A largely overlooked duo improv date recorded on July 11, 1978, by the Danish jazz impresario Nils Winther, Visions matches Walt Dickerson's cool vibes with Sun Ra's idiosyncratic piano in a way that shows both men's contrasting styles to surprisingly cohesive effect. This was not the first time Dickerson and Ra had recorded together; producer Tom Wilson had used the duo on the soundtrack of the 1966 film Impressions on a Patch of Blue. This was their first extended series of duo improvs, however, and each seems to know exactly when to let the other hog the spotlight for a while, as during the moment toward the end of the opening "Astro," when Dickerson lays out and lets Ra launch into a two-fisted free solo. Similarly, Ra leaves the extended opening of "Utopia" almost entirely to Dickerson, adding only a few explosive thumps and some Paul Bley-style picking and strumming of the piano's strings to Dickerson's graceful and melodic playing. Fans of Sun Ra's outer space mythology and chanting lyrics will have to look elsewhere for their fun, but fans of Ra's exceptionally gifted and distinctive free jazz piano playing should be fascinated. Dickerson, one of the few jazz vibraphonists to have little audible debt to Lionel Hampton, also plays with his characteristic exploratory but controlled style. The 1988 CD adds two bonus tracks from the LP sessions, "Light Years" and "Prophesy."

AMG Review by Stewart Mason

276. [222]  Walt Dickerson and Sun Ra
Visions

Sun Ra (p.); Walt Dickerson (vib).

Studio Recording, NYC, July 11, 1978

Steeplechase SCS 1126, Visions, was released in 1978.  All tracks were reissued around 1989 on Steeplechase SCCD 31126, with the addition of "Light Years" and "Prophecy."  Information from album jacket; as is typical on Steeplechase releases, the location is not given, but Copenhagen (mentioned in some discographies) can be safely ruled out!
from Campbell / Trent  The Earthly Recordings 2nd ed.

Walt Dickerson & Sun Ra - Visions (1979)

[CD Reissue - 1988]

1. Astro   7:52

2. Utopia   8:16

3. Visions   2:55

4. Constructive Neutrons   10:15

5. Space Dance   8:21

6. Light Years (bonus track)   15:20

7. Prophesy (bonus track)   9:05

FLAC

RS

MF1 + MF2

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320

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MF

Thanks again to Sherlock I-) for tracking down some LP scans!