Dick Oatts

Richard Dennis Oatts (born April 2, 1953) is an American jazz saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and educator.

Biography While growing up in Des Moines, Iowa, Oatts gained an interest in music from his father, Jack Oatts, who was a saxophonist himself and a respected music educator in the Midwest. After graduating from Jefferson High School, which is now known as Greene County High School, in 1971 at Jefferson, Iowa, Oatts attended Drake University for one year before dropping out and moving to Minneapolis to begin a career in music in 1972. In 1977, he was called by Thad Jones to join The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, which later became the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. Oatts moved to New York City to join the band, and began playing Monday nights with Jones and Lewis at the Village Vanguard, as well as touring in Europe with them. Oatts played with Vanguard Jazz Orchestra for 48 years before retiring in November 2025.

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.

As a sideman With Thad Jones/Mel Lewis 1978: It Only Happens Every Time 1978: One More Time 1979: Naturally 1980: Bob Brookmeyer – Composer & Arranger 1981: Mellifluous (Gatemouth) - Mel Lewis Quintet 1981: Live in Montreux 1982: Make Me Smile & Other New Works by Bob Brookmeyer 1985: 20 Years at the Village Vanguard 1988: Live at the Village Vanguard 1988: Definitive Thad Jones, Vol. 2: Live from the Village Vanguard 1988: Soft Lights and Hot Music 1989: Lost Art 1991: To You: A Tribute to Mel Lewis 1993: Body and Soul 2008: Definitive Thad Jones: Live from the Village Vanguard

With Vanguard Jazz Orchestra 1997: Lickety Split: The Music of Jim McNeely 1999: Thad Jones Legacy 2002: Can I Persuade You 2004: The Way: Music of Slide Hampton 2007: Up From the Skies: Music of Jim McNeely 2008: Monday Night Live at the Village Vanguard 2011: Forever Lasting: Live in Tokyo

With Flim & the BBs 1978: Flim & the BBs 1982: Tricycle 1984: Tunnel 1985: Big Notes 1987: Neon 1988: The Further Adventures of Flim & the BBs 1990: New Pants 1991: Vintage BBs 1992: This is a Recording

With Red Rodney 1986: No Turn On Red 1988: Red Snapper

With Ray Mantilla 1984: Hands of Fire 1988: Dark Powers 1986: Synergy

With Colors of Jazz 1991: From Hollywood 1991: For Tropical Nights 1991: For Sunday Morning 1991: From Dusk Till Dawn

With Everything but the Girl 1991: Worldwide 1992: Acoustic 2013: The Language of Life

With Armen Donelian 1988: Secrets 1990: Wayfarer

With Susannah McCorkle 1993: From Bessie to Brazil 1994: From Broadway to Bebop 1999: From Broken Hearts to Blue Skies 2000: Hearts and Minds

With Joe Lovano 1995: Rush Hour 1996: Celebrating Sinatra 2002: Viva Caruso

With Nnenna Freelon 1998: Maiden Voyage 1994: Listen

With Ted Rosenthal 1992: Images of Monk 2003: Expressions

With Eddie Gómez 1988: Power Play 2008: Street Smart

With Gary Smulyan 1993: Saxophone Mosaic 2009: High Noon: The Jazz Soul of Frankie Laine

With others 1981: Through a Looking Glass – Bob Brookmeyer 1983: Impressions of Charles Mingus – Teo Macero 1987: Initial Thrill – Kenia 1989: Kaleidoscope – Bill Mays 1989: Code Red – Code Red 1989: Wilderness – Bob Thompson 1991: So Intense – Lisa Fischer 1991: The Road Not Taken – Stefan Karlsson 1991: Ricky Peterson – Smile Blue 1992: Still in Love With You – Meli'sa Morgan 1992: Awakening – Bud Shank 1992: The Moment – Yoshio Suzuki 1992: Uh–Oh – David Byrne 1992: Play–cation – Allen Farnham 1992: Dial & Oatts Play Cole Porter – Garry Dial 1993: View From Manhattan – Hendrik Meurkens 1994: Heatin' System – Jack McDuff 1994: Bite of the Apple – Peter Delano 1995: This is Christmas – Luther Vandross 1995: Manhattan Moods – Mary Stallings 1995: Annette Lowman – Annette Lowman 1995: I Was Born In Love With You – Denise Jannah 1996: Portraits of Cuba – Paquito D'Rivera 1996: Big Band – Joe Henderson 1997: Ruben Gomez – Rubén Gómez 1997: This Is Living! – Tom Talbert Orchestra 1998: Tropic Heat – Dave Valentin 1999: Souvenir – Ricky Peterson 2001: Group Therapy – Jim McNeely 2002: Leaving Home – David Berkman 2002: Pasajes – Jim Brock 2003: New Beginnings – Terell Stafford 2004: Start Here... Finish There – David Berkman 2004: Mean What You Say – Temple University Jazz Band 2005: Echoes in the Night – Earl MacDonald 2006: Oatts & Perry – Harold Danko 2004: Let Yourself Go – Judi Silvano 2006: Many Places – Gary Versace 2007: Truth Is – Steve Million 2007: Taking a Chance on Love – Simone Kopmaje 2008: Runnin' in the Meadow – Michael Deacon 2009: Walking on Air – Linda Baker 2010: Oatts and Perry, Vol. 2 – Harold Danko 2010: Homage – Stockholm Jazz Orchestra 2010: Canopus – JazzNord Ensemble 2011: At This Time – Norman David 2011: Don't Look Back – Jane Stuart 2011: Jazzing Vol. 3 – Sant Andreu Jazz Band 2011: Legacy – Gerald Wilson Orchestra 2014: We See Stars – Jim Olsen Ensemble 2014: Intersecting Lines – Jerry Bergonzi 2015: Jazzing Vol. 5 – Sant Andreu Jazz Band 2017: Life Changes -- Brian Eisenberg Jazz Orchestra