Dick Oatts

To this day, I don’t know why Thad took a chance on me. He didn’t know me from Adam!

Bone2pick goes outside our brass box for the month of March featuring a stimulating sit down with the incomparable saxophonist and lead alto virtuoso Dick Oatts. Dick graciously shares his thoughts about growing up in Iowa, the phenomenal story of how he ended up on the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, his contribution to the super group Flim & the BBs, what he looks for in a lead trumpet and lead trombone player, his professorship at Temple University and his thoughts on his buddies in the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. Enjoy!