delfeayo marsalis

Dexter Moses is a saxophonist, composer, and educator in Durham. 

In addition to his own group, the Dexter Moses Quartet/Quintet, the musician has performed and recorded with Branford Marsalis, Delfeayo Marsalis & the Uptown Jazz Orchestra, Joey Calderazzo, and Nneena Freelon, among others.

A double alumnus from North Carolina Central University (NCCU), Dexter holds a bachelor’s in jazz studies and master’s in jazz composition and arranging. On Wednesdays, he hosts Evening Jazz at WNCU 90.7 FM, the university’s jazz radio station, from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m.

On this episode, Dexter shares about: 

• the life and legacy of the legendary saxophonist Dexter Gordon (to whom he dedicated his August show at the Sharp 9 Gallery in Durham);
• how listening to a bootleg recording of saxophonist Don Byas and bassist Slam Stewart inspired his master’s thesis at NCCU, which argued that Byas should be named among the founding fathers of bebop alongside saxophonist Charlie Parker;
• and negotiating the complexities of performing historic swing music today as a Black musician within the context of race and racism in the United States.

Further reading: Dexter mentions the longest musicians’ strike and recording ban in entertainment history, which took place from 1942 to 1944. Learn more about “The Day the Music Stopped.”

Dexter joined Six Count the day after being a featured artist of the Wednesday jazz jam hosted by drummer Taha Arif at Hayti Collective Kitchen and Cocktails in Durham. You can find out more about the weekly event, which takes place from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m., by listening to Taha’s episode (published in April 2023). 

Dexter teaches private lessons in saxophone, flute, and clarinet at the Russell Lacy Music school in Durham (and he’s accepting new students!).

Episode art credit: Micah Haycraft

Music credits

This episode features a live recording of “The Change,” by the Dexter Moses Quartet.

This season features the songs “Forged in Rhythm” and “Callous & Kind” by Keenan McKenzie & The Riffers (2017), used by Six Count with permission from the artist. 

How to listen

You can find Six Count on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any other listening app! The series also airs on taintradio.org, an online jazz radio station based in North Carolina, on Sundays at 6:00 p.m. and Fridays at 8:00 p.m. EST. 

Support the show

If you’d like to support Six Count, you can make a gift on DonorBox or Venmo @thexarawilde. Follow Six Count on Instagram at @sixcountpodcast and Xara Wilde on Facebook and Instagram @thexarawilde.

Ernest Turner is a GRAMMY-nominated pianist, composer, and educator based in Durham. 

Ernest began learning the piano at the age of four from his mother. Since launching his professional career more than twenty years ago, the musician has performed with three of the Marsalis brothers (Delfeayo, Branford, and Jason), R&B artist John Legend, the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, saxophonist Stephen Riley and the late saxophonist Brian Horton, and many others in the Triangle.

The pianist shares about his conversational approach to performances to engage with and educate audiences, his philosophy on improvisation, incorporating spirituality into his music, reflections on fatherhood and his career, and more. 

He also offers his thoughts on the use of the word “jazz,” versus terms like “Black American Music” or “BAM,” as the jazz trumpeter Nicholas Payton has promoted since at least the early 2010s.

Ernest earned his bachelor’s degree in jazz studies from Loyola University and a master’s in jazz performance from the University of New Orleans. 

The pianist is an adjunct instructor at UNC Greensboro and a former faculty member in jazz piano at Eastern Carolina University (2006–2010). 

Follow Ernest:

• Facebook
• Spotify
• Apple Music
• Amazon
• YouTube
• Instagram

Ernest released the album Original Mind with saxophonist Stephen Riley in 2021 and My Americana in 2019.

Music credit

This episode features the songs “Return of Thanos,” from the album My Americana (2019), by Ernest Turner, and “Blessed Assurance” from the album Original Mind by Stephen Riley and Ernest Turner (2021).

This season features the songs “Forged in Rhythm” and “Callous & Kind” by Keenan McKenzie & The Riffers (2017), used by Six Count with permission from the artist. 

How to listen

You can find Six Count on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any other listening app! The series also airs on taintradio.org, an online jazz radio station based in North Carolina, on Sundays at 6:00 p.m. and Fridays at 8:00 p.m. EST. 

Support the show

If you’d like to support Six Count, you can make a gift on DonorBox or Venmo @thexarawilde. Follow Six Count on Instagram at @sixcountpodcast and Xara Wilde on Facebook and Instagram @thexarawilde.

In this third podcast on some of the best-reviewed jazz of the 2010's that we missed first time 'round, the boys look at four albums that 'borrow' something, whether inspiration from a sci-fi author, jazz protests of the sixties, or jazz greats of the past such as Charlie Parker or Duke Ellington.   It's a light pop matters segment this time but little known indie band The Bolshoi and Italian horror soundtrack maestros Goblin do get a mention.  Delfeayo Marsalis – SWEET THUNDER; Irreversible Entanglements – IRREVERSABLE ENTANGLEMENTS; Nichole Mitchell – MANDORLA AWAKENING II:  EMERGING WORLDS; Rudresh Mahanthappa – BIRD CALLS.