Over the last several years and in a constantly changing landscape of life amidst ever-persistant challenges due to the pandemic, Dean has still been able to maintain his recording, producing, performing, and teaching responsibilities. In 2020, he was invited to perform on and featured twice in the World Saxophone Collaboration put together by world-famous Sax.co.uk, including such talents as Mindi Abair, Jeff Kashiwa, Jeff Coffin, Gerald Albright, Derek Brown, Chad Lefkowitz-Brown, and more.

On the more traditional side of jazz, Dean has performed with legendary artists such as Rufus Reid, Marcus Printup, Sam Rivers, and Danny Gottlieb, as well as contemporary jazz artists such as Chieli Minucci, Marc Antoine, Ed Calle, Chris Standring, Mike Phillips, Craig Chaquico, Will Donato, and Blake Aaron. He’s also performed and/or recorded with a diverse array of mainstream artists including three-time Grammy Nominee Ryan Shaw, The Temptations, The O’Jays, Steve Cropper, The Drifters, Khristian Dentley (Take 6), and Tony Battaglia (Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, Mandy Moore, Shinedown). He has also been featured on recordings alongside Brandon Fields, Mike Miller, and David Sanborn.

He produced, arranged, and performed on the debut album In the House for Gospel Artist Manny Luster, which was nominated for the 2009 NIGMA Rhythm of Gospel award for “Traditional Album of the Year”, and won the award for “Traditional Male Vocalist of the Year”. In 2010, his contemporary jazz group The Groovemasters released their eponymous EP, and their original song “Brown Rice” – featuring Dean’s “fiercely funky saxophone playing” – won the Top Jazz Song of 2010 by Indie-Music.com.

In 2011 Dean moved to London and immediately got to work with his own groups, performing at several famous venues including Ronnie Scott’s, Pizza Express Jazz Club Soho, and Charlie Wright’s. In January of 2013 he joined the two-year European tour of the production New Jersey Nights, where he was the featured soloist. The show performed in A-list venues all over the UK and Europe – including the Edinburgh Playhouse and Liverpool’s Echo arena – with Dean garnering consistently rave reviews for his performance.

Late 2015 saw the release of Dean’s solo album debut Inter/change. This album includes 10 tracks of all original compositions in a wide range of styles, along with Dean’s unique and inventive approach to using effects pedals with the saxophone, and features the talents of guest stars Khristian Dentley (Take 6), Nate Williams (Jamiroquai), Luke Harris (Incognito), John Turville (Gilad Atzmon, Tim Garland), Anton “TC” Castillo (Akon, Jeff Kashiwa, Tiffany), and Kevin Glasgow (Tommy Smith, Randy Brecker).

Dean’s first single to national radio from the album was “In the Bag”, which landed in the top 25 on the Billboard Smooth Jazz chart, top 15 on Smoothjazz.com’s radio chart, and was one of the top 5 Most Played Songs on radio in 2015 as reported by AccuRadio. This was followed up by two more successful singles from the same album, “Get it Done”, and “Take Me Home”.

Since then. Dean has been based in Beijing, China, and has been touring and teaching masterclasses and performing. His efforts have garnered him with not only consistently rave reviews, but also with an an appointment as “Guest Professorship of the Weifang City Musician’s Association for his outstanding contribution to his art form”.

He has continued to perform, produce, compose, and educate consistently since his arrival to China with recordings, performances, and string and vocal production, including new instructional video courses on the way.