A Sense of Direction

A Sense of Direction is an album led by vibraphonist and composer Walt Dickerson recorded in 1961 and released on the New Jazz label.[1][2]

A Sense of Direction
Studio album by Walt Dickerson
Released	1961
Recorded	May 5, 1961
Studio	Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
Genre	Jazz
Length	40:54
Label	New Jazz NJLP 8268
Producer	Esmond Edwards
Walt Dickerson chronology
This Is Walt Dickerson! (1961) A Sense of Direction (1961) Relativity (1962)

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[3]
Down Beat	[4]

AllMusic awarded the album 4½ stars with its review by Steve Huey stating, "If it's a shade less challenging and inventive than This Is Walt Dickerson!, A Sense of Direction compensates by making Dickerson's innovations more accessible and inviting".[3] Down Beat reviewer Pete Welding wrote "if it is only slightly less adventurous than his initial recording, it is still an ardent collection -- primarily of ballads -- treated with unflagging invention and restrain ...Were it not for the slight conventionality of some of the numbers, the rating would have been five stars."[5]

Track listing

All compositions by Walt Dickerson except as indicated

1. "Sense of Direction" - 6:00
2. "Ode to Boy" - 5:30
3. "Togetherness" - 3:00
4. "What's New?" (Johnny Burke, Bob Haggart) - 4:44
5. "Good Earth" - 3:33
6. "Why" - 4:48
7. "You Go to My Head" (J. Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie) - 8:19
8. "If I Should Lose You" (Ralph Rainger, Leo Robin) - 5:00

Personnel

• Walt Dickerson - vibraphone
• Austin Crowe – piano
• Eustis Guillemet Jr. – bass
• Edgar Bateman – drums

References

1. Prestige Records New Jazz catalogue discography accessed March 27, 2015
2. Fitzgerald, M., Walt Dickerson discography accessed March 27, 2015
3. Huey, S., Allmusic Review, accessed March 27, 2015
4. Down Beat: Vol. 29, No. 23, September 28, 1961
5. Weilding, P., Walt Dickerson Reviews Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine, accessed March 27, 2015