Dexter Payne plays saxophone, clarinet and various hand percussion instruments for Señor Gato. Although he grew up in Denver, he has performed with Orkestra Elio Revé and with Bobby Carcacés in Havana, Cuba; and with vibraharpist Victor Mendoza while in Guatemala. In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Dexter recorded with Beth Carvalho and Paulinho Tapajós. In New York, he has performed with Grammy award winners Thiago de Mello and Sharon Isbin.

Dexter has studied with Aldo Lallo and Jack Frederickson, in addition to improvisation studies with John Handy Jr. and Homer Brown. Dexter performed at the Kool Jazz Festival in 1980 and 1981 with the Big Sky Mudflaps and Judy Roderick, as well as appearing on the NBC Today Show.