dean spears

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I was first exposed to jazz when my buddy in high school played Maynard Ferguson Conquistador on his phonograph. I was so hyped that I took up baritone and marched in drum corps. The sad thing was I was a woodwind player. Now that I am grown up, all I play is my saxophone. I met Dizzy Gillespie in Fontana CA months before he passed. He gave me his signature on my Jerry Coker Patterns for Jazz. He said, "good book!" then wrote on the back, "Practice!!!" I have that signature to this day. I met Grover Washington Jr. on the way to the Montrose Jazz festival in college. He was very gracious. Wrote on a napkin, "Peace" Grover Washington... Then a few months later he passed away. The best show I ever attended was the day I passed my driver's test. My buddies and I (one who played Maynard for me), jumped in my Dad's old Chevy truck (column shift) and went to USC to see Maynard Ferguson. I saw Rick Margitza that night too for the first time and the first time I saw someone play two saxes at once. I will never forget it. It was screaming, and we recorded it. Not for money but for the music, we lost that recording, I sure would like to hear it today. It was raw, but the band was awesome.

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