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The Artistry of Dick Oatts
The Artistry of Dick Oatts & Young Groningen Musicians
Between 2005 and 2007 the research group Lifelong Learning in Music & the Arts organised two inspiring and artistically special projects for the professional integration of young musicians. The community of Groningen supported this initiative by means of a subsidy in the framework of a programme for young artists at the beginning of their career. The selected young musicians developed an artistic product on international level, coached by a number of internationally renowned guest teachers. Business and marketing coaching was offered as well. The activities took place in the city of Groningen and were public. Enrollment was open for musicians up to the age of 35.
‘The Artistry of Dick Oatts & Young Groningen Musicians’ took place between December 2006 and May 2007. The project concerned the professional integration of young and very talented jazz musicians. Involved as guest artists were world famous jazz musicians Dick Oatts (saxophone player, arranger and composer) and David Berkman (pianist, composer and arranger), well known from the New York comes to Groningen programme. The ensemble Re-Bop Unit was selected for this programme. The ensemble proved to be able to qualify itself for the goals of the project: composing, arranging and preparing a production of one or more concerts and a CD. The final artistic product was a CD on which the ensemble performed its own work together with the guest artist, also to be performed in one or more concerts. "A chance to search our own voice and make important steps in our development", was the motivation of members of the Groningen jazz-formation Re-Bop Unit. They were selected from 14 ensembles for the project.
Project description Artistry of Dick Oatts
CD presentation
The Re-Bop Unit CD, featuring Dick Oatts, was presented in the USVA Theater in Groningen on Saturday 8 December. The CD also contains a film of the recording process, made by students. The Re-Bop Unit was coached for four months by an artistic- and business coach. The artistic coach was trumpet player and arranger Kurt Weiss. Coaching did not only take place during lessons, but was also applied in the setting, for example by visits from the coach to performances of the ensemble. But there was also question directed coaching, mainly in groups. The business side of the coaching was especially directed towards finding an audience and making and selling a CD. During the project the members of the Re-Bop Unit produced their own website.
Film
Workshops, concerts and CD production
From 16 to 20 April 2007 guest teacher David Berkman worked intensively with the Re-Bop Unit, as well as with two other ensembles, that were selected for this purpose. With the Re-Bop Unit David Berkman worked on the compositions, arrangements and further preparation of the concerts and the CD production. The programme was fashioned so master classes and workshops would be accessible to the public. David Berkman also performed himself and gave a presentation (‘The Art of Composing and Arranging’) in which he played a number of historical and contemporary examples.
Reactions to the workshops
During the workshops Dick Oatts and David Berkman also worked with musicians from the runner up contestant the Klee Quartet and musicians from outside the conservatoire. The young musicians were very enthusiastic about the project and felt they learned a lot. "A wonderful experience, a very inspirational week, skilfull teachers"
Reactions to the workshops
 Dick Oatts
Born and raised in the state of Iowa, Dick Oatts was brought up in a musical family. He was introduced to the saxophone by his father Jack Oatts, a respected jazz educator and saxophonist. After high school, Dick attended Drake University and in 1972 he began his professional career in Minneapolis/St. Paul. It was 1977 when Oatts decided to move to New York City. He then became a member if the Thad Jones - Mel Lewis Orchestra. Since then he has recorded and toured with small groups such as Red Rodney, Eddie Gomez, Vic Juric, Bob Brookmeyer, Mel Lewis, Dom Salvador, Jerry Bergonzi, Flim & the BB's, Fred Hersch, Dave Berkman, Terell Stafford, Jon Faddis, Lalo Schiffrin, and Ray Mantilla. His big band and larger group experience include performances with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Mel Lewis, Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, Lester Bowie, Joe Lovano, Sam Jones-Tom Harrell, Paquito D'Rivera, Jim McNeely, Tito Puente, Kenny Wheeler, and Gunther Schuller. Oatts has also been featured with the Stockholm Jazz Orchestra, Danish Radio Big Band, Norboton Jazz Orchestra, and the UMO Big Band in Helsinki. He has accompanied such vocalists as Joe Williams, Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald, Neene Freelon, Mel Torme, and Milton Nascimento. He has recorded solos for pop artists Luther Vandross, James Taylor, and Everything But the Girl. Oatts is now a Steeplechase recording artist and has five Cd's released as a leader. (All of Three, Standard Issue, Simone's Dance, Standard Issue vol. 2, South Paw). He also has a new CD out on the RED label with bassist Dave Santoro entitled Meru. Dick has 3 Cd's as a leader on the DMP label with pianist and a co-leader Garry Dial. For 30 years, Mr. Oatts has appeared at college jazz festivals as a soloist and clinician throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, Canada, South America, and the Middle East. Oatts has been on the Manhattan School of Music Faculty since 1989 and an artist-in-residence at the Amsterdam Conservatory since 1997. www.dickoatts.com
 David Berkman
Since moving to New York in 1985, David Berkman has been an important part of the jazz community. He is an award-winning composer/bandleader (2000 Doris Duke/Chamber Music America New Works Creation and Presentation Grant), a recording artist whose 4 Palmetto recordings have appeared on numerous best records of the year critic's lists (the New York Times, the Village Voice, Downbeat, JazzIz, Jazz Times and others) and an award-winning jazz clinician who has performed and taught at numerous jazz camps, universities and conservatories around the United States, South America and Europe.
He has played in countless bands including those of Cecil McBee, Tom Harrell and the Vanguard Orchestra and has performed with and/or recorded and/or arranged for numerous jazz luminaries, including: Sonny Stitt,, Brian Blade, Joe Lovano, Dave Douglas, Ray Drummond, Billy Hart, Dick Oatts, Tony Malaby, Chris Potter, Scott Wendholt, Lenny White, Scott Colley, Craig Handy, Steven Bernstein, Bill Stewart, Dave Stryker, Fathead Newman, Hank Crawford and Jane Monheit. Now appearing more and more often as a bandleader, David Berkman has performed solo and with his quartet, quintet and sextet at festivals and clubs in the United States, Europe and Japan, most recently at the North Sea Festival, the Edinburgh festival, the Belfast festival and the Cork Festival. Recent tours include: clubs and concert performances in Switzerland, the Netherlands, Austria, Belgium, Sao Paulo, Japan and around the United States. Recent projects include piano/trumpet duo performances with Dave Douglas (2005 International Trumpet Guild Convention in Bangkok) and Tom Harrell (around Italy). www.davidberkman.com
Coaches Artistry of Dick Oatts 2007
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