Artist Info
Members
Garry Dial, Dick OattsBiography
Pianist, composer, producer and teacher Gary Dial and saxophonist Dick Oatts had built impressive resumes before joining together to form the post-bop duo, Dial & Oatts, in 1990.A native of Iowa, Oatts joined the Thad Jones - Mel Lewis Orchestra soon after moving to New York in 1972. Since then, he's gone on to work with a diverse range of jazz and Latin musicians including Eddie Gomez, Jerry Bergonzi, Lester Bowie, Joe Lovano, Tom Harrell, Paquito D'Rivera, Tito Puente and Gunther Schuller.
A member of the Red Rodney -- Ira Sullivan Quintet in the late 1970s and early- 80s, Dial appeared on the group's Grammy-nominated albums, Live At The Village Vanguard in 1980 and Ira Does It All in 1981. In addition to brief stints as pianist for James Moody and Gerry Mulligan, he played on three albums and a video by folk-pop trio, the Roches. A long-time student of Duke Ellington's piano playing, he was chosen, by Ellington's widow, Ruth, to perform and record Ellington's complete catalogue for the Ellington family library. Recording a solo album, Never Is Now, in 1987, Dial produced, composed and played piano for Australian duo, James Morrison and Ken Done's album, Post Cards From Down Under, two years later.
Playing together since 1990, Dial and Oatts have released three memorable albums. Accompanied by bassist Jay Anderson, drummer Joey Barone and a thirty piece string section on their debut self-titled album, they were backed by a ten-piece brass ensemble on their second outing, Brassworks. They returned to the jazz quartet format for ^Play Cole Porter, featuring the rhythm section of Anderson on bass and Jeff Hirschfield on drums.
Both Dial and Oatts remain active as teachers. Oatts has been teaching at the Manhattan School of Music since 1989 while Dial has been teaching piano, theory and improvisation at both the New School of Social Research and Manhattan School of Music since 1990.
Dial and Oatts collaborated to teach master classes, at the Dutch Conservatory in Amsterdam, Holland, in 2002. ~ Craig Harris, All Music Guide
