Life Rays is the final album by vibraphonist Walt Dickerson which was recorded in Italy in 1982 for the Soul Note label.[1][2][3]

Life Rays
Studio album by Walt Dickerson, Sirone, Andrew Cyrille
Released	1982
Recorded	February 4–5, 1982
Studio	Barigozzi Studios, Milan, Italy
Genre	Jazz
Length	45:45
Label	Soul Note SN 121 028
Producer	Giovanni Bonandrini
Walt Dickerson chronology
To My Son (1978) Life Rays (1982)

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[4]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings	[5]

AllMusic gave the album 3 stars.[4]

The authors of the Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings wrote: "In the dynamic company of Sirone and Cyrille, Walt emerges as a particular kind of modernist, a radical-conservative... Dickerson seems to be striking harder than usual, Cyrille is faultless and the music has a strongly percussive quality. Sirone is magnificent whenever soloing..."[5]

Writing for Jazz Times, Duck Baker commented that Dickerson's "conception of melodic/percussive development is really his own. He may at times sound impressionistic, as when he creates such long shimmering lines that they cease to be heard as lines and become a sonic waterfall, but it’s not just a pretty thing." Regarding Sirone and Cyrille, he stated: "The context calls for the utmost in understatement and controlled passion, and even staunch fans of these two may be surprised at how well they answer the call."[6]

Track listing

All compositions by Walt Dickerson except where noted.

1. "No Ordinary Man" – 9:02
2. "Good Relationship" – 13:37
3. "Life Rays" – 4:42
4. "It Ain't Necessarily So" (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin) – 18:06

Personnel

• Walt Dickerson – vibraphone
• Sirone – bass
• Andrew Cyrille – drums

References