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Deric Dickens

Deric Dickens is a Brooklyn-based percussionist and composer. After growing up in Southern Georgia, Deric worked as a band director, taught drum and bugle corps, and played as a principal timpanist with local orchestras and symphonies. But it was the ride cymbal, a friend had asked him to play at a session, that changed everything. Since, Dickens has toured and recorded with Robinella (Columbia Records) and JaLaLa (Janis Siegel Manhattan Transfer). Deric has performed numerous times with Donald Brown, Jerry Coker, Kirk Knuffke, and Jeff Lederer at various clubs and festivals including Birdland, 55 Bar, Bonnaroo, Bristol Rhythm and Roots, Knoxville Jazz Festival, Litchfield Jazz Festival, and The Muroran Jazz Festival Japan. He currently leads his groups Speed Date, Rocket #9, The Dickens Campaign, and Left Bomb Bay.

Zero Point: Thoughts Become Matter

Read "Thoughts Become Matter" reviewed by Vincenzo Roggero

by Vincenzo Roggero
May 16, 2018

Thoughts Become Matter è un album di debutto che presenta più di un motivo d'interesse. Innanzitutto la qualità della registrazione che permette di cogliere al meglio la specificità di ogni strumento. Non per un appagamento di ordine tecnico da cultore HiFi ma perché proprio sulle qualità dinamiche e timbriche risiede gran parte del fascino di questo album. Poi, naturalmente la caratura dei musicisti, tre protagonisti dell'attuale scena di Brooklyn cui si aggiunge il veterano Daniel Carter, ossia il quartetto Zero ...

Album Review

The Dickens Campaign: Oh Lovely Appearance

Read "Oh Lovely Appearance" reviewed by Vincenzo Roggero

by Vincenzo Roggero
May 26, 2014

Le note di copertina ci informano che Oh Lovely Appearance è un omaggio allo studioso, etnomusicologo, produttore discografico Alan Lomax i cui viaggi attraverso gli Stati Uniti negli anni Trenta hanno documentato l'American life con oltre cinquemila ore di registrazioni, i celeberrimi field recordings. Nel disco compaiono alcuni brani tratti dal libro Our Singing Country: Folk Songs and Ballads (arrangiati dal batterista e leader del gruppo Deric Dickens) oltre ad una manciata di composizioni firmate dai componenti del trio.

Album Review

The Dickens Campaign: Oh Lovely Appearance

Read "Oh Lovely Appearance" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
November 26, 2013

New York-based drummer Deric Dickens' southern roots and inspirations derived from legendary music archivist Alan Lomax morph into an Americana-dappled spectrum of modern jazz on this delightful trio date. The bass-less program summons a capacious platform, as the artists' rural and bluesy twists underscore the modern jazz vernacular. Lomax zigzagged across America in the 1930s with his Model T Ford to document America's unsung folk and blues delegation. But the group effectively projects a contemporary vibe, teeming with insightful storylines ...

“…This is an album without any other ambition than to bring fun stuff, enjoying the interplay of rhythm and lyricism in its simplest format…” “...an incredibly fun album...” “Therapeutic music? Possibly among the best, without pretense.” (Stef Gijssels- Free Jazz Blog)

"Speed Date" should please listeners who believe that 21st Century jazz is too conservative…” (Richard Kamins- Step Tempest)

“Each participant brings his special flavor to the program, whether it's Lederer somewhat madcap style, Knuffke's exploratory side, Crowley's low-key playfulness (a la Lester Bowie), Udden's sweetly melodic side, Cohen's mellow edge (a Ben Webster quality is evident in his smoky tones) and Wilson's...well, Matt Wilson is always irrepressible.” (Richard Kamins- Step Tempest)