I think there's another way of looking at Dex. When you listen to his ballads, the guy is a singer!
One of the things Dex often did was recite a few of the words to the songs he played. Jazz isn't a bunch of notes strung along chords. In Dex's case, much of the meaning of his playing was embedded in the words of the songs he sung on tenor sax. So, I think, to really follow a Dex ballad, and feel what Dex was feeling and trying to convey, you need to sing the words in your mind. And that was why he started by saying the words to the song.
When he hesitates, yes, sure it swings, but I feel it's got something to do with reminding us what he's singing about.
And when he throws in a quote, that quote isn't just a bit of business to get him onto the next idea; I often feel that the quotes are something to do with the words, or the feelings they embrace for Dex.
Another thing I love about Dex is the way he felt about Jug. And where did he get that sound from? You've guessed.
So my favourite Dex albums are
"Live at Montreux" with Junior Mance - the "Maiden voyage" feel to "Body and soul" is just sublime
"Ca Purange" Dex's version of this tune is nearly as good as Jug's
"The Chase" with Jug.
"Go"
"Clubhouse"
"Getting around" I love the material on these two.
The material he recorded with Leo Parker for Savoy in the '40s.
MG