Tuesday, December 21, 2010

The Darkest Night (can't wait for Sat and Tues)

A magical time of year, when things change unexpectedly. No explanation... poof! Everything is different! A good time to pull in, renew - and even more important, to get out, connect, find our community, remember how to laugh. Friends and family are great for helping us to laugh at ourselves. Laughing together. Laughing so hard we can't remember - tears of grief? Tears of joy? Rage? What's so funny about that? About what? Laughter feels good.

What a treat to be able to share some exquisite music with you this season. Find your way over to the St Julien Hotel Saturday, Dec 25, 6-8pm (yes, Christmas Day!) and again Tuesday, Dec 28, 6:30-9:30pm to hear the Dexter Payne Quartet.

Musically, I am very excited about this group of musicians. Nothing new, you say? Something IS new - something happened in the group recently, a real spark. It's evolving from a foreign tradition into something with a life of it's own. Bill Kopper, Dave Willey and Raoul Rossiter have played Brazilian music long enough to have a really rooted and yet personal voice in it. Bill, Raoul and I all started playing the stuff in the mid 90s with Mitchell Long. And these are guys who do not sit still!

Further, things are shifting at the St. Julien. The new austerity has cut the budget for music, and there will be no music on Tuesday nights. In addition, there is a new weeknight policy emphasizing jazz, funk, blues, folk, Americana and soul.  Management responds to the clientele who are vocal about what they want to hear.   So......

 Want to hear Brazilian choro and baiao at the St Julien again? You have two more nights to get it! Please rally, bring your friends and families, let's have a great time - come enjoy the Christmas season with sounds from Brazil. It has been a real pleasure to play there for you over the last four years and we appreciate your support. Time to celebrate!

See you there...

SAT  Dec 25, 6-8pm  St Julien Hotel (9th&Walnut, Bldr)
Christmas Night with Dexter Payne Quartet
Bill Kopper, Dave Willey, Raoul Rossiter, Dexter Payne

TUE  Dec 28, 6:30-9:30pm  St Julien Hotel (9th&Walnut, Bldr)
Dexter Payne Quartet
Bill Kopper, Dave Willey, Raoul Rossiter, Dexter Payne 

Friday, December 3, 2010

December music is coming!

Yes, it has been a while - sorry! Some great things are happening, and exciting recordings are under way, so you will not be left out in the cold... but more on that later!

I have been busy, unfortunately not playing out in public so much.  Occasionally, yes, but often it seems to be a last minute call. That is changing and I will give you a heads up now - Dexter Payne Quartet will be at the St. Julien Hotel on Christmas Night, SAT, Dec 25th (NOT Eve!) Mark your calendar and join us for some Christmas cheer, Brazilian style to round out your holiday. Ill be playing with Dave Willey, Bill Kopper, Raoul Rossiter. All we need is you!

Right now I want to let you know that this week, SAT Dec 4, I will be playing with Playback Theater West at the Dairy Center for the Arts. This is something I get to do all too rarely, and I love it! Their shows often sell out, and that is because they are amazing, taking stories from the audience (that's YOU) and turning them into improvise skits before your eyes... and I get to do the sound track! We never know what is coming next, and I mean that literally. It takes a very talented, present, connected, honest, compassionate group of people to pull off playback time and again - and Playback Theater West is all of that and more.

Sunday, I leave for a few days in Austin, TX to record with the great singer/writer, Ray Bonneville. A few of you will remember the Bluebirds, Ray Bonneville Blues Band and other permutations from days of yore! I will be back Thurs, Dec 9th in Boulder at Tonic with the very new Alchemy Project, a multimedia art concept - come check out the maiden flight!

Please keep in mind that I am gearing up for my third year directing the Naropa Afropop Ensemble, this year with collaboration of percussionist Scott Parker Mast. I am excited about what we have to offer together, and I strongly encourage anyone in the community who wants to participate to check with Naropa University and see if it fits. Class will meet every Monday afternoon for about 3 hours, roughly 14 classes Jan-May.

See you soon,
Dexter
www.dexterpayne.com
www.dexofon.com
www.facebook.com/dexterpaynemusic
(schedule below)

SAT Dec 48pm, Dairy Center for the Arts
Playback Theater West


Thurs, Dec 9th, 9pm,  at Tonic (2011 10th St, Bldr)
Alchemy Project

FRI, Dec 24th, 6pm,  Divine Science Church (1400 Williams, Den)
Christmas Eve musical service, including Michael Stanwood & Dexter Payne


SAT, Dec 25th, 6pm,  St. Julien Hotel 
Christmas Night with
Dexter Payne Quartet