Born: July 5, 1951 Primary Instrument: Clarinet
Now, for the rest of the story... The continuing musical adventures of Dexter Payne and Thiago de Mello! Thiago's music is exquisite - not easily stereotyped.
Thiago de Mello first recorded under his own name in 1973 with Dom Salvador, Airto Moreira, Paulo Moura and Claudio Roditi, is a Brazilian composer, as well as “organic percussionist”. He makes most of his instruments from natural materials from his native state of Amazonas. That's where we met in 1997 in a boat on the Amazon River! He graciously accepted my invitation to invent and play percussion on INSPIRATION, the CD I recorded in Brazil with guitarist and composer, Antonio Mello, and our musical friendship has grown steadily since...
Arnaldo DeSouteiro, legendary producer of Jazz Station Records (JSR), had the original idea for ANOTHER FEELING, framing Thiago's compositions in a very simple setting: clarinet, piano and percussion. It was a winning idea, a great sound, and the new CD DISK TUM DERREI is the further exploration of that format. Enjoy! -DP 12/07
PS- Many thanks to the listeners who honored me by voting my clarinet to the top ten in the 69th & 71st Annual DownBeat Readers Poll!
PPS- Visit Thiago de Mello at www.thiago-amazon.com
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DEXTER PAYNE weaves together genuine American, Latin and Brazilian sounds on clarinet and alto sax. His professional experiences of 35+ years include sixteen years of partnership with the late Judy Roderick, a powerful vocalist and songwriter who is paid homage from time to time by Bonnie Raitt, among others including Mollie O'Brien, who has recorded a few of her songs. He made repeat performances at the KOOL Jazz Festival, Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home Companion, and on the NBC Today Show with the Judy Roderick and the Big Sky Mudflaps, a group he founded with David Horgan and other good friends. After her death in 1992, he toured with Bar BQ Bob, playing blues from Florida to Montana, then he spent two and a half years living and playing in Central and South America, where from 1995 to '98 he lived and performed in 11 countries. Since that time he has been playing with Africans from Senegal, Ghana and Nigeria, as well as forrays into Balkan dance music. The years 2004 and 2006 brought recognition as a finalist in the 69th and 71st Annual Downbeat Readers Polls, the result of his first two Brazilian recordings. Dexter's music tells a story, it celebrates love and life. Listen in and join the celebration.
DEXTER PAYNE QUARTET Choro is a unique Brazilian sound from the first half of the 20th century, somewhat parallel to our ragtime and traditional New Orleans jazz. Still popular in Brazil, choro paved the way for samba and bossa nova. Choro is classical, jazz and the vibrancy of Latin romantic song, all at once. Only lately heard in this country, it is a special love of these four accomplished musicians. Dexter Payne (clarinet) is joined by Bill Kopper (guitar) , Eduardo “Bijoux” Barbosa (bass), and Raoul Rossiter (percussion), all in the top of their field with impressive credits under their own names. These three also play in the band, Ginga with Greg LaLiberte and Francisco Marques, where Payne can often be found sitting in...
Awards:
#8 in Downbeat Readers Poll 2004 & 2006“Veteran Brazilian percussionist Thiago DeMello (then in his early 70s) long a neglected figure alongside younger more acclaimed players as Airto Moreira, Naná Vasconcelos, and Guillerme Franco, has finally hit resonant notes for the general public to hear on this beautiful recording, with clarinetist Dexter Payne as his main foil and accompanying pianists and occasional vocals. As you'd expect, there's a lot of authentic samba played, and it is done right. Basic sensual rhythms and melodies are the centerpiece for “Tal Como o Vinho,” “Too Good Notes” (a play on “One Note Samba” with DeMello on acoustic guitar), the heavy-handed “Mar Aberto,” and roomy “No Wolf at the Door.” The beautiful singing of Ithamara Koorax is heard on two ballads, but also on the night hymn “An Evening Prayer,” as well as the excellent African highlife-flavored title track, dedicated to Che Guevara, which is very close stylistically to what Abdullah Ibrahim and Carlos Ward would do. Payne's playful clarinet empowers the trio, swinging lightly in jazz fashion à la Eddie Daniels during the lyrical “Kimbolian Dawn,” he plays pretty during the neo-classical “Rede de Cabocolo,” and switches to alto sax for the dancing 6/8 framework of “What About That?” (for Sharon Isbin). The dance theme is further emphasized on “A Hug for Gil Evans,” starting with DeMello on the berimbau, and then going for samba rhythms with a Native American chant tacked on. Haroldo Mauro, Jr. is the pianist on six selections, and he's one to pay attention to, while another three feature Richard Kimball, a longtime associate of DeMello. Fans of Brazilian music will want this, but it should also appeal to a broader base of world music lovers, as the diversity, bright spirit, and clear camaraderie between the musicians is evident from start to finish.”
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”Have you ever walked alone through a quiet beautiful woodland and stepped into an open space full of nothing but warm and growing brightness, and felt like nature was a cathedral and you were seated in its front row? Another Feeling sounds just like that: completely, naturally, immaculate and beautiful.” �” Chris M. Slawecki, All About Jazz (www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=24317)
”... Payne makes the challenging appear effortless on “Inspiration” (Dexofon Records), a trio date with Brazilian guitarist Antonio Mello and percussionist G. Thiago De Mello. Relaxing and intellectual at the same time, “Inspiration” might remind American ears of the classic Stan Getz/Charlie Byrd collaboration, “Jazz Samba.” �” Bret Saunders/Sunday Denver Post, Feb 13, 2005
“... bossa nova with winning subtlety, fitting together like pieces of an intricate, intimate puzzle ... finally, a virtuoso musician who really hears the Brazilian whispers, and not just the carnival clamor.” �” Andy Smetanka / Missoula Independent /June 3, 2004 http://missoulanews.com/Archives/News.asp?no=4097
BIG SKY JOURNAL spring 1999
“.. if he shows up in your town, go see this master alto sax player. It's a cool, mellow sound, sometimes airily reminiscent of Desmond, or Shank, but it has more humanity, more earth, more fire... and well worth driving a hundred miles or more to hear.” �” Jon Jackson
DISK TUM DERREI
Thiago de Mello & Dexter Payne
Gau Records
2007
Tracks: 1. A Hug For Noel Rosa 2. Different Options 3. Fireplace 4. Chegada 5. Interlude (Disk-Tum-Derrei) 6. Everything Has It's Time 7. Desengano 8. Missing Home 9. Sei La 10. Waiting No More 11. Meu Bau Velho (O Gaio Carijo) 12. Chorando e Sambando 13. Lembrando Claudio Santoro 14. Canto do Alvorado
Personnel: Dexter Payne: clarinet Thiago de Mello: organic percussion, piano, vocal Haroldo Mauro Jr: piano Helio Alves: piano Cliff Korman: piano
ANOTHER FEELING
Thiago de Mello & Dexter Payne
Dexofon Records
2006
Tracks: 1. Rede de Caboclo 2. A Hug fro Gil Evans 3. An Evening Prayer 4. Tal Como o Vinho 5. What About That? 6. Another Feeling 7. Too Good Notes 8. Kimbolian Dawn 9. The Exile Song 10. No Wolf at the Door 11. The Lonely Piano 12. Mar Aberto 13. Urumutum/Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
Personnel: Dexter Payne: clarinet, alto sax Thiago de Mello: organic percussion, piano, guitar, vocal, composer Haroldo Mauro Jr: piano Cliff Korman: piano Richard Kimball: piano Helio Alves: piano Ithamara Koorax: vocals
INSPIRATION
Antonio Mello, Dexter Payne, Thiago de Mello
Ethos Brasil/Dexofon
2003/2005
Tracks: 1. Coração Latino (Latin Heart) 2. Nordestino No. 2 3. Mais Uma Vaz (Once Again) 4. Rapsodio in Choro 5. Marte (Mars) 6. Obrigado Paulinho da Viola 7. Infinitivamente 8. Radamés e Pelé 9. Canto dos Passaros (Song of the Birds) 10. Inspiration 11. Tema Para K-Ximbinho
Personnel: Dexter Payne: clarinet, alto sax Antonio Mello: guitar, composer Thiago de Mello: organic percussion
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Primary Instrument:
Clarinet
Location:
Boulder, CO
Willing to teach:
Beginners
Credentials/Background:
Limited schedule - contact for availability.
Currently adjunct faculty at Naropa University, Boulder, CO
