Whit Dickey
Whit Dickey (born May 28, 1954) is a free jazz drummer. He has recorded albums with David S. Ware and Matthew Shipp.[1][2]
Whit Dickey | |
|---|---|
 Dickey performs at the world premiere of the David S. Ware Unit, which took place at International House in Philadelphia on January 12, 2007. | |
| Background information | |
| Born | May 28, 1954 New York City |
| Genres | Jazz, avant-garde jazz, free improvisation |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Drums |
Biography
Free jazz drummer Whit Dickey first stepped into the spotlight as a leader with the release of his Transonic album from Aum Fidelity in 1998. Two years later, Wobbly Rail issued his Big Top release. Previously, he was best known for his solid work with Matthew Shipp and David S. Ware, with whom Dickey split in 1996. Early the following year, the drummer began composing the works that would be included on Transonic. Dickey penned all but two songs, "Kinesis" and "Second Skin," on the collection, and he even had a hand in those with the help of his fellow musicians on the album. The original compositions give a nod to the influence of "Criss Cross" and "Off Minor" from the legendary Thelonious Monk. Dickey recorded the album with the aid of Rob Brown on flute and alto saxophone, and Chris Lightcap on bass. In 2001, Dickey recorded half a dozen of his compositions with Mat Maneri, Shipp, and Brown under the name Nommonsemble, and put out Life Cycle through Aum Fidelity.
Contributions
Whit Dickey made a name for himself as the former drummer of David S. Ware’s famous quartet. Since then Dickey’s musical contributions have gone well beyond his work as Ware’s drummer. He is capable of tremendous power and yet has the ability for subtle gesture. Dickey is a composer as well as a drummer and his music has reached new heights in his recent small group work, with a coterie of great musicians including alto saxophonist Rob Brown. He has been performing with Matthew Shipp since 1991 and continues to play and record with Roy Campbell Jr., Mat Maneri, Chris Lightcap and many others. Since 2007 Dickey has been focussing on developing an integrative improvisational style while working with Shipp's Trio.
Daniel Carter and Dickey recorded an album pianist Eri Yamamoto in 2008.
The album Art of the Improvisor from The Matthew Shipp Trio received much critical acclaim and was listed as one of the year's best of 2011. Dickey has started a cooperative unit with Sabir Mateen & Michael Bisio, which is another example of post- Coltrane integral unity, and is call Blood Trio.
Shipp, Bisio and Dickey have also been working with Ivo Perelman in various configurations.
Discography
As leader
| Release year | Title | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Transonic | AUM Fidelity | Trio, with Rob Brown (alto sax, flute), Chris Lightcap (bass) |
| 2000 | Big Top | Wobbly Rail | Quartet, with Joe Morris (guitar), Chris Lightcap (bass), Rob Brown (alto sax, tenor sax, flute) |
| 2001 | Life Cycle | AUM Fidelity | As the band The Nommonsemble; quartet with Rob Brown (alto sax, flute), Mat Maneri (viola), Matthew Shipp (piano) |
| 2002 | Prophet Moon | Riti | As the band Trio Ahxoloxha; with Joe Morris (guitar), Rob Brown (alto sax) |
| 2004 | Coalescence | Clean Feed | Quartet, with Roy Campbell (trumpet), Rob Brown (alto sax, flute), Joe Morris (bass) |
| 2005 | In a Heartbeat | Clean Feed | Quintet, with Roy Campbell (trumpet, flugelhorn), Rob Brown (alto sax), Joe Morris (guitar), Chris Lightcap (bass) |
| 2006 | Sacred Ground | Clean Feed | Quartet, with Roy Campbell (trumpet), Rob Brown (alto sax), Joe Morris (bass) |
| 2009 | Emergence | Not Two | Trio, with Daniel Carter (reeds, trumpet, flute), Eri Yamamoto (piano) |
| 2016 | Fierce Silence | Clean Feed | Duo, with Kirk Knuffke (cornet) |
| 2017 | Vessel in Orbit | AUM Fidelity | Trio, with Mat Maneri (viola), Matthew Shipp (piano) |
| 2019 | Peace Planet / Box of Light | AUM Fidelity | Peace Planet (Quartet): with Rob Brown (alto sax), Matthew Shipp (piano), William Parker (bass) / Box of Light (Quartet): with Rob Brown (alto sax), Steve Swell (trombone), Michael Bisio (bass) |
| 2020 | Morph | ESP-Disk | CD 1: Reckoning: with Matthew Shipp (piano); CD 2: Pacific Noir with Nate Wooley (trumpet), Matthew Shipp (piano) |
| 2020 | Expanding Light | Tao Forms | Trio: Brandon Lopez (bass), Rob Brown (alto sax) |
As sideman
| Release year | Leader | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | David S. Ware | Third Ear Recitation | DIW |
| 1994 | David S. Ware | Earthquation | DIW |
| 1995 | David S. Ware | Cryptology | Homestead |
| 1996 | David S. Ware | Oblations and Blessings | Silkheart |
| 1996 | David S. Ware | DAO | Homestead |
| 1992 | Matthew Shipp | Points | Silkheart |
| 1992 | Matthew Shipp | Circular Temple | Quinton |
| 1995 | Matthew Shipp | Critical Mass | 2.13.61 |
| 1996 | Matthew Shipp | Prism | Brinkman |
| 1997 | Matthew Shipp | The Flow of X | 2.13.61 |
| 2007 | Matthew Shipp | Piano Vortex | Thirsty Ear |
| 2008 | Matthew Shipp | Right Hemisphere | RogueArt |
| 2008 | Matthew Shipp | Cosmic Suite | Not Two |
| 2009 | Matthew Shipp | Harmonic Disorder | Thirsty Ear |
| 2011 | Matthew Shipp | Art of the Improviser | Thirsty Ear |
| 2012 | Matthew Shipp | Elastic Aspects | Thirsty Ear |
| 2014 | Matthew Shipp | Root of Things | Relative Pitch |
| 2015 | Matthew Shipp | To Duke | RogueArt |
| 2017 | Matthew Shipp | Not Bound | Fortune |
| 2018 | Matthew Shipp | Sonic Fiction | ESP-Disk' |
| 1992 | Rob Brown | Youniverse | Riti |
| 1996 | Joe Morris | Elsewhere | Homestead |
| 2012 | Ivo Perelman | The Clairvoyant | Leo Records |
| 2013 | Ivo Perelman | Enigma | Leo Records |
| 2013 | Ivo Perelman | The Edge | Leo Records |
| 2014 | Ivo Perelman | The Other Edge | Leo Records |
| 2015 | Ivo Perelman | Tenorhood | Leo Records |
| 2015 | Ivo Perelman | Butterfly Whispers | Leo Records |
| 2016 | Ivo Perelman | Soul | Leo Records |
| 2016 | Ivo Perelman | The Art Of The Improv Trio Volume 2 | Leo Records |
| 2017 | Ivo Perelman | The Art Of Perelman-Shipp Volume 3: Pandora | Leo Records |
| 2017 | Ivo Perelman | The Art Of Perelman-Shipp Volume 5: Rhea | Leo Records |
References
- Seida, Linda. "Whit Dickey > Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 March 2010.
- "Whit Dickey at All About Jazz". Retrieved 20 March 2010.
