Nathan Ott is a drummer, composer and bandleader who is notable for his ability to create space, paint finely shaded soundscapes for his fellow musicians, and guide the music with elegant subtlety. Since the release of his debut album in 2018, Ott has impressively demonstrated the potential for fruitful cross-generational, intercontinental jazz encounters.
The focus of attention was the fact that Miles Davis veteran Dave Liebman, together with three European jazz musicians from two younger generations, developed an open format for improvisational dialogue on equal terms. When Liebman later had to retire from touring for health reasons, Christof Lauer, one of the most influential voices in European jazz, joined the ensemble. This resulted in a transformation of both the ensemble’s sound and its inner workings.
The interplay between Lauer and the saxophonist Camila Nebbia from Buenos Aires, who boasts a remarkable talent for musical communication, creates a distinctive texture. This is complemented by the elegant elasticity of Danish bassist Jonas Westergaard, one of the world’s most remarkable individualists on his instrument.
Ott’s work exhibits a cross-generational awareness of jazz, as a subtle architect of the musical landscape, shaping the ensemble’s sound with sensitivity and passion. ”Continuum” reveals the long-standing collaboration of the quartet, which is documented in this album that is the first release on Ott’s new Label “An:Bruch” and was voted into the Longlist for „Preis der Deutschen Plattenkritik“.
In addition to his work as a composer and bandleader, he has collaborated with the NDR Big Band, was invited to be composer in residence with the hr-Jazzensemble, and has worked with artists such as Richie Beirach, Doug Weiss, Ben van Gelder, Jim Black, Toby Delius, Niels Klein, Christopher Dell, and Hannah Schillinger.