About Me
Reedman, Alex Dean, who has been described as "one of Canada's foremost Jazz Saxophonists", has been a mainstay of the Canadian music scene for many years.He has played and recorded with: Gil Evans, Kenny Wheeler, Mel Torme, Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, Harry Connick Jr., Ray Charles, Pat Labarbera, Phil Nimmons, and the Toronto Symphony. Alex is a member of Rob McConnell's "Tentet". He also holds the tenor saxophone chair with Rob McConnell's Grammy award winning BOSS Brass, and has recorded their last ten albums with Concord Records.
Most recent credits include the release of Rob McConnell's small band Boss Brass 10 first C.D. entitled Tentet. The 2001 Juno awarded C.D. on Canadian label, Justin Time will be followed up with a planned second recording late 2001."The Power Trio" D.E.W. East (Alex Dean/reeds, Barry Elmes/drums and Steve Wallace/bass) has just released their second recording to rave reviews, entitled D.E.W. East meets Nick Brignola. This is their second recording with Canadian record company, Cornerstone. The first was D.E.W. East recorded and promoted with a successful tour of the Western Jazz Festivals, Toronto, and Motreal Festivals in July 1999.
The Alex Dean Quartet/Quintet recordings include Dreamsville, Both Feet, and Kaitlyn's Waltz. The third recording Kaitlyn's Waltz was voted best Jazz C.D. of 1994 by Toronto's Jazz Report and one of the top ten jazz C.D. releases of 1994 by New York's Village Voice.
He has appeared on numerous Juno Award winning jazz albums in the 1990's and Grammy Award Winners with the BOSS Brass.Alex is the Canadian Artist Representative for Boosey & Hawkes, promoting Kielwerth Saxophones and Rico Reeds. He is also Artisitic Director of the highly regarded Kincardine Summer Jazz Festival/Camp on Lake Huron, Ontario.Alex is a widely respected clinician/adjudicator in Canada and the United States. He is a faculty member of the University of Toronto and Humber College Music Departments in Toronto, Canada, teaching saxophones and advanced jazz improvisation.
