2nd Chance: Sun Ra - Walt Dickerson Quartet - Impressions of A Patch of Blue (1966)

I remember the date was quite a challenge.  I don't think there was any music there to refer to.  Or if there was, we didn't necessarily follow it.  There was an understanding who would begin each piece and who would solo on it, and so forth.  But that was it.  The album was called Impressions of "A Patch of Blue", and that's what they were -- improvisational impressions.

-Bob Cunningham (CD Liner Notes)

A Patch of Blue (Part 2)

Impressions of a Patch of Blue was the second time Walt Dickerson recorded an album of rearranged movie soundtrack pieces, following his interpretations of material from Lawrence of Arabia. Starring Sidney Poitier, A Patch of Blue was about a star-crossed pair of interracial lovers, with the twist that Elizabeth Hartman's character also happened to be blind. More important to jazz fans, though, is that the album marked one of Sun Ra's extremely rare appearances as a sideman, playing both piano and harpsichord. And he turns in a masterful supporting performance behind Dickerson, putting his own indelible stamp on the proceedings without ever overwhelming them. Witness "Bacon and Eggs," where Dickerson repeats a melodic theme for most of the piece while Ra's unorthodox reharmonizations dance about in the background. Ra's harpsichord also provides some otherworldly cascades that seem to spark Dickerson's sense of freedom, particularly on part two of "A Patch of Blue" and "High Hopes." Dickerson's own playing is most evocative on the two parts of "Alone in the Dark"; during the first, he plays frantic, jittery phrases that mimic the speech patterns of panic, and in the second he favors quick, repetitive figures that fade away like echoes or unanswered calls for help. All of that is indicative of the level of imagination with which the project is carried out, which makes it a shame that Dickerson retired from performing for a full decade following its release, leaving Bobby Hutcherson to become the most important modernist vibes player of the latter half of the '60s. Verve's 1999 CD reissue of Impressions of a Patch of Blue was a very limited edition, so don't dawdle in picking this one up.

AMG Review by Steve Huey

120. [104]  Walt Dickerson Quartet

Impressions of A Patch of Blue

Walt Dickerson (vib); Sun Ra (haprsichord -1; p except -3); Bob Cunningham (b); Roger Blank (tymp -2; d).

Studio recording, NYC,
late 1965 or early 1966

A Patch of Blue -- Part 1 (Goldsmith)
A Patch of Blue -- Part 2 (Goldsmith) -1
Bacon and Eggs (Goldsmith)
High Hopes (Goldsmith -2
Alone in the Park -- Part 1 (Goldsmith) -3
Alone in the Park -- Part 2 (Goldsmith) -1
Selina's Fantasy (Goldsmith) -1
Thataway (Goldsmith) -1

Impressions of A Patch of Blue was issued in 1966 on MGM E 4358 (mono, the stereo version is MGM SE 4358).  It was an interpretation of Jerry Goldsmith's soundtrack for the film A Patch of Blue, not the actual film soundtrack.  Allan Chase points out that the session was produced by Tom Wilson, who arrived at MGM/Verve toward the end of 1965 or the beginning of 1966.  Moreover, the movie was not released till well into December 1965.  Impressions was reissued in August 1999 on CD as Verve 314 599 929 [CD].  Sunny plays harpsichord on four of the eight cuts, not celeste as stated on the original release.
from Campbell / Trent  The Earthly Recordings 2nd ed.

Impressions of A Patch of Blue (CD)
The Walt Dickerson Quartet

1. A Patch of Blue - part 1   1:30
2. A Patch of Blue - part 2   4:38
3. Bacon and Eggs   5:35
4. High Hopes   5:15
5. Alone in the Park - part 1   3:01
6. Alone in the Park - part 2   7:11
7. Selina's Fantasy   4:05
8. Thataway   4:34

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Sun Ra and Walt Dickerson also made an album of duets called Visions.  You can find that Here.

Read a 2007 interview with Walt Dickerson Here.

Below is a rip of my mono LP.  I hadn't thought it worthy of sharing... but if you're curious, I hope you enjoy.

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Again, Many Thanks to I-) for finding some LP scans on the web to share!