Dick Oatts

Biography

Oatts became interested in saxophone because of his father, Jack Oatts, a jazz educator and saxophonist. He attended Drake University before beginning his professional career in Minneapolis in 1972. In 1977, he joined the The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, which later became the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra

Oatts' work on woodwind instruments (saxophone, clarinet, flute) became more widely known when he led the crossover jazz group Flim & the BB's in the 1980s and '90s with bassist Jimmy "Flim" Johnson, drummer Bill Berg, and keyboardist Billy Barber.

Since the 1970s, Oatts has released more than a dozen albums as a leader and co-leader, and he has appeared on over 100 albums as a sideman with Joe Henderson, Jerry Bergonzi, Eddie Gómez, Bob Brookmeyer, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Joe Lovano and others, working extensively with Steeplechase Records. He has also accompanied Joe Williams, Sarah Vaughan, Mel Tormé, and Ella Fitzgerald.

Oatts has taught at the Manhattan School of Music and has been artist-in-residence at the Amsterdam Conservatory. In 2006, he became a professor and artistic director of the jazz studies department at Temple University in Philadelphia.

As a leader or co-leader

As a sideman

With Thad Jones/Mel Lewis

With Vanguard Jazz Orchestra

With Flim & the BB's

With Red Rodney

With Ray Mantilla

With Colors of Jazz

With Everything but the Girl

With Armen Donelian

With Susannah McCorkle

With Joe Lovano

With Nnenna Freelon

With Ted Rosenthal

With Eddie Gómez

With Gary Smulyan

With others