Dexter Payne

Clarinetist Dexter Payne's release, "Prá Você" (Dexofon Records) is still getting great airplay and good reviews: Huff Post, Downbeat Magazine, Offbeat Magazine, AllAboutJazz.com, and more!

Payne choses the scenic route through the world of music. The scenic route always takes longer, destination-wise. Worthwhile? Apparently he is convinced, "I moved to Montana for the winter and stayed 18 years." He based there with his wife, the late Judy Roderick, and toured from coast to coast with her and with swing band, Big Sky Mudflaps, including repeat performances on NBC Today Show and Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home Companion. Roderick, signed to Columbia records at the age of 22, also recorded for Vanguard and ATCO, back in the day. See Payne's release of her original music on Dexofon Records, with featured guest Dr John. (www.dexterpayne.com/judy-roderick-when-im-gone/)

His interests led him down the dirt road, from blues to swing, to African music (he toured in the US and performed with numerous African artists from 2000-2008, and became the Director of AfroPop Ensemble (Naropa University). Quite recently he recorded and continues to appear with Fara Tolno (Giunea).

Oh, and there was that little side trip to Brazil. In '95 he put his belongings in storage and headed for Mexico, saying, "I'll be back in a year or so…" Two and a half years later, his family begged him "Please come home for Christmas!" Payne flew home - from Buenos Aires.

Meanwhile, in a boat on the Amazon River, he had met late composer Gaudencio Thiago de Mello, with whom he later recorded three CDs in New York, but it all began with a CD recorded in Brazil with Antonio Mello & Thiago de Mello (released on EthosBrasil and licensed in the US on Dexofon) The Brazilian recordings earned him recognition as a finalist on clarinet in the 2004 and 2006 Downbeat Readers Polls.

All told, he lived and performed in 11 countries in Latin America, including meeting with Ruben Gonzales, performances with Orlando Cachaito Lopez, Elio Reve, Noca da Portela, Noite Illustrada and recording with Beth Carvalho on a CD by Paulinho Tapajos.

Dexter has performed throughout the U.S. He toured extensively for two years with the Lionel Young Band - winners of the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Feb, 2011, visiting much of the US, Canada & Paris. When the band finished in Paris, Payne booked a flight to Istanbul, where he studied with Turkish clarinet superstar, Serkan Cagri.

Continuing on the scenic route...

...a tribute to a special friend: Gaudencio Thiago de Mello exited the earthly plane Nov 2013 at the age of 80. Not bad for an Amazon indian who contracted malaria as a young child. His passing ended a prolific composing career. Most notable were compositions recorded by Sharon Isbin, Paul Winter, Claudio Roditi, Quintet of the Americas, among others. For the last 15 years, Thiago de Mello collaborated with Dexter Payne, on a total of 5 albums on the Ethos Brasil, Dexofon, Gau & JSR labels.

Thiago de Mello, first recorded under his own name in 1973 with Dom Salvador, Airto Moreira, Paulo Moura and Claudio Roditi, was a Brazilian composer, as well as "organic percussionist". He made 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 and collaboration grew from there over nearly 20 years...

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.

Visit Thiago de Mello (www.thiago-amazon.com)

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DEXTER PAYNE explores genuine American, Latin and Brazilian sounds on clarinet and alto sax, as well as rich ethnic timbres from Eastern Europe, Turkey and Morocco. His professional experiences of 40+ 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 Judy's 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.

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.

Ten years playing with Africans from Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda led to a position at Naropa University as Director of Afropop Ensemble beginning in 2008.

Forays into Balkan dance music led him to Istabul to study with clarinet pied piper Serkan Cagri. As a member of the 2011 International Blues Challenge Champion: Lionel Young Band, he toured the US and Canada for 2 years in the company of Young, Kim Stone, Andre Mali & Jay Forrest, with a 4 night stint (standing room only) at le Meridien Etoile in Paris.

Don't be surprised when you see him somewhere playing music of Morocco with El Yesfi Samir and their band, Marrakech Express!

CD: Dexter Payne Quartet Plus 1 PRA VOCE (Dexofon Records) Music from Brazil has been Payne's first love ever since he lwas introduced to choro by guitarist Mitchell Long (Melody Gardot, Maria de Barros, Waldemar Bastos) Historically, choro paved the way for samba and bossa nova. It is classical, jazz and the vibrancy of Latin romantic song, all at once. Only lately heard in North America, it is a special love of these accomplished musicians, along with the many shades of Forro, music of northeast Brasil. On this CD, partly recorded live, Dexter Payne (clarinet) is joined by Bill Kopper (guitar) , Dave Willey (accordion), Raoul Rossiter (percussion), and now Victor Mestas Pérez (piano), all in the top of their field with impressive credits to their own names. Watch for them...the group has a special chemistry. Released March 2014.

UPDATE: Pra Voce has won new attention resulting in partial funding for a new Quintet CD by Pathways to Jazz under the wing of Boulder County Arts Alliance. (www.pathwaystojazz.com)

Awards

#8 in Downbeat Readers Poll 2004 & 2006 2011 International Blues Challenge winner with Lionel Young Band 2011 Missoula Jazz Hall of Fame 2012&2013 Colorado Blues Society Best horn player 2016 Pathways to Jazz recording grant

Gear

selmer N, vandoren 66, lavoz mh. selmer Mark 6, ottolink hardrubber 7, lavoz med.