Two Decades of Consistency in Smooth Jazz
Building ODL Music and Taking the Music Directly to the People
Dee Lucas
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Key Takeaways
- Music is a journey, not a race. Dee continues looking for ways to learn and grow more than 20 years into his career.
- Independence matters. ODL Music gave Dee a way to take ownership of his music and approach his career as both an artist and entrepreneur.
- Authenticity is central to Dee’s music. From “No Strings Attached” to his approach to live performance, transparency and genuine connection remain important themes.
- Growth sometimes means leaving your comfort zone. Recording his first tenor saxophone track gave Dee a new creative challenge.
- The audience is part of the responsibility. Dee recognizes that people may come to his shows carrying difficult experiences and looking for inspiration or relief.
- Music can connect people. Dee sees jazz as a universal language capable of bringing people together across different backgrounds and cultures.
- The next chapter includes giving back. His plans to curate shows and highlight emerging contemporary jazz artists show a desire to help grow the genre beyond his own music.
- The groove can have many chapters. Dee’s live sets move through smooth jazz, funk, African and Latin influences while maintaining a common thread of connection and feeling.
Dee Lucas: Heart, Soul, Independence and the Journey of Music
More than 20 years into his music career, saxophonist Dee Lucas is still looking for ways to grow, experiment, and connect with listeners. In this conversation with DJ Dang Funky (Scott Silverstein), Dee talks about his Alabama roots, discovering contemporary jazz, choosing the soprano saxophone, building his own label, learning from legendary musicians, and why he considers music a journey rather than a race.
At the center of it all is something Dee returns to repeatedly: authenticity. Whether he’s talking about his new album Heart and Soul Volume 1, his first recording on tenor saxophone, performing for an audience, or creating opportunities for emerging artists, Dee approaches music as something meant to be felt, shared, and continually developed.
Dee Lucas’ Alabama Roots and Musical Beginnings
Dee grew up in Tanner, Alabama, a small town he describes as humble beginnings before eventually moving to Atlanta about 30 years ago. Although there weren’t instrumentalists in his immediate family, music was still present through his mother, who was a gospel singer.
Dee is self-taught and became the first person in his family to pursue music professionally. His early musical environment was wide-ranging, thanks in part to an era when radio played multiple formats. He absorbed everything from funk and R&B to blues and jazz, naming artists including Stevie Wonder, Steely Dan, Bootsy Collins, Miles Davis, Grover Washington Jr., David Sanborn, George Howard and Najee among his influences.
Why the Soprano Saxophone Became His Voice
Interestingly, the saxophone wasn’t Dee’s first musical love. Growing up, he was drawn to the bass guitar, inspired by Bootsy Collins and those unmistakable bass lines.
That changed when Dee discovered contemporary jazz and heard what George Howard was doing with the soprano saxophone. The instrument’s distinctive sound immediately grabbed his attention.
For Dee, the soprano also represented something personal. He describes himself as someone who doesn’t necessarily follow the mainstream and enjoys doing things differently. The soprano saxophone gave him an opportunity to develop a sound that felt uniquely connected to his personality.
Dee Lucas and the Decision to Own His Music
One of the most important parts of Dee’s story is his decision to create ODL Music in 2016.
Rather than simply viewing music as a creative pursuit, Dee saw an opportunity to become an entrepreneur and take ownership of the work he was creating. He wanted a place to control and house his music while building his own business around it.
His approach reflects a larger change in the music industry. Dee points out that today’s technology allows artists to communicate directly with listeners around the world through social media and the internet. Artists no longer have to depend entirely on traditional gatekeepers to reach audiences.
That independent spirit is something DJ Dang Funky clearly connects with, especially given the rBeatz focus on giving independent artists a platform and space to tell their stories.
Jazz as a Universal Language
Dee’s growing audience in the UK is another example of how music can travel far beyond its original home.
He describes the UK as a market that has been particularly good to him and says he wants to continue expanding his music internationally. For Dee, jazz isn’t simply a genre—it can be a way of connecting people.
The conversation turns toward the idea that music can cross differences in background, language and culture. Dee describes jazz and music more generally as a universal language capable of bringing people together.
Learning From Roy Ayers and Hugh Masekela
DJ Dang Funky also asks Dee about his experiences around legendary musicians.
Dee speaks about Roy Ayers with particular admiration, describing him as a true artist whose music was intentional and focused on reaching people rather than simply creating fanfare. What stood out to Dee was the substance and message behind Ayers’ music.
He also talks about Hugh Masekela, whom he opened for. Dee recalls being able to talk with him and seeing how strongly Masekela’s South African background and experiences came through his music.
Those experiences fit naturally into Dee’s own philosophy: music should communicate something beyond the notes themselves.
Why Dee Lucas Sees Music as a Journey
Despite more than two decades in the business, Dee doesn’t talk as though he’s reached some final destination.
When DJ Dang Funky asks whether he ever looks back and realizes how far he’s come, Dee explains that he’s still in the middle of the process. He recognizes the growth, but his focus remains on what he can do next.
For Dee, music isn’t a race. It’s a journey and a continuing process of learning. He sees other artists not simply as competition, but as people who can inspire creativity and push him to keep developing.
“I think music is not about a race. It’s a journey.”
That mindset becomes especially important when the conversation turns to his newest musical challenge.
Dee Lucas Steps Outside His Comfort Zone With Tenor Saxophone
On Heart and Soul Volume 1, Dee recorded his first song on tenor saxophone. The result is “Never Go Away,” which became the current single discussed during the interview.
For an artist strongly associated with soprano saxophone, making the move to tenor represented a deliberate challenge.
Dee talks openly about the respect he has for tenor players and the high standard associated with the instrument. But rather than allowing that challenge to hold him back, he sees it as part of his growth.
After 20 years in music, he wanted to find a way to reinvigorate his creative process. Tenor became another door to walk through.
Heart and Soul Volume 1 Puts the Feeling First
The title track, “Heart and Soul,” captures much of Dee’s philosophy.
Produced by Caleb Middleton, the song is about playing from within and communicating something to the listener without overdoing it. Dee’s goal is not simply for people to hear the music, but to feel it.
That idea carries through the entire conversation: technical ability matters, but the emotional connection between artist and audience matters just as much.
The Responsibility Dee Lucas Feels Toward His Audience
One of the most meaningful moments in the conversation comes when DJ Dang Funky asks Dee what it feels like to watch an audience respond to his music.
Dee’s answer goes beyond simply enjoying the reaction.
He recognizes that people arrive at his shows carrying whatever they’ve experienced during the week. They may be looking for relief, inspiration, a different perspective, or simply a chance to step away from everyday life.
Because of that, Dee says he feels a responsibility to perform at the highest level every time. He doesn’t know what someone in the audience may be going through or what his music might mean to that person.
“I have a responsibility, and that is to perform at the highest level at all times because you don’t know what you’re doing for someone out there in that audience.”
It’s a revealing look at Dee’s relationship with the people who come to hear him. The audience isn’t simply there to consume music; they’re part of the reason he takes the performance so seriously.
What’s Next for Dee Lucas?
Dee’s answer to what’s next is essentially: more.
More music. More touring. More markets. And more opportunities to help other artists be heard.
He’s looking toward markets where he hasn’t performed before while also beginning to curate shows, particularly around the Las Vegas area. One of his goals is to expose more emerging artists to the smooth and contemporary jazz audience.
That makes his next chapter about more than his own career. He’s also looking for ways to contribute to the larger contemporary jazz community.
Touring, Las Vegas and the Heart and Soul Celebration
Dee shared that his next tour stop was scheduled for Houston, Texas, on October 3, celebrating Heart and Soul. He also talked about his November 14 birthday event in Las Vegas.
But even that celebration isn’t really about Dee’s birthday alone.
He describes it as an annual event centered on celebrating music and showcasing the talent of musicians who deserve to be heard. The planned lineup includes Len Rountree, JJ Sansaverino, Adrian Crutchfield, BK Jackson, Elle Young and Gino Rosario.
“No Strings Attached” and the Importance of Authenticity
Another standout track discussed during the interview is “No Strings Attached,” the lead single from the new album.
Produced by Caleb Middleton with Jordan Love on guitar, the song carries a straightforward message: say what you mean, don’t hide an agenda, and be transparent.
Dee connects transparency with respect and describes the track through ideas of high energy, optimism and authenticity.
DJ Dang Funky immediately picks up on that energy, describing the music as something that gets the crowd moving.
For Dee, however, the live experience isn’t just about keeping the energy high. He deliberately creates an ebb and flow, moving between smooth, upbeat and funky material and incorporating African and Latin influences. The goal is to take the audience through different musical chapters while keeping the underlying intention connected.
Dee Lucas on Keeping the Music Moving Forward
The conversation between Dee Lucas and DJ Dang Funky ultimately comes back to the same principle that runs through Dee’s career: keep moving, keep learning, and keep the music connected to people.
From a small Alabama town to international audiences, from self-taught beginnings to more than 20 years as a recording artist, Dee has built his path by following his own musical instincts. He’s still challenging himself, still experimenting with different sounds, still thinking about what’s next—and increasingly looking for ways to bring other musicians along with him.
DJ Dang Funky’s enthusiasm throughout the conversation gives Dee plenty of room to talk about the music, the people who influenced him, and the philosophy behind the songs. The result is a conversation about much more than saxophones or a new album. It’s about ownership, evolution, authenticity, community and the responsibility that comes with making music people can feel.
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