Matt Otto is currently an Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies (KU), where he teaches Jazz Theory and Performance, Jazz Combo 1 as well as private lessons. Matt Otto is also an adjunct professor at Rutgers New Brunswick, teaching online courses on jazz improvisation theory and performance. Matt Otto studied composition and music performance at Indiana University’s Berklee School of Music and California Institute of the Arts. After living in Japan for 5+ years, New York City 7+ years and Los Angeles 6+ years, Otto has performed with many artists, including: Rashid Bakr; Ben Monder; Wadada Leo Smith; Willie Jones III; Al Ferber, Mark Ferber; Gregory Hutchinson; Jonathan Kreisberg; Charlie Haden. Joe La Barbera, Leroy Vinegar. Jimmy Smith. Bobby Watson, Bob Weir. Deborah Brown, Larry Goldings. Jerry Bergonzi. Eric McPherson. Kurt Rosenwinkel, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Kurt Rosenwinkel. While in Los Angeles, Matt co-founded of the Los Angeles Jazz Collective (lajazzcollective.org). The collective’s mission is to provide opportunities for jazz composers and performers to show their original work, and to establish a Jazz outreach program for young musicians in Los Angeles. Matt performs original compositions with his Kansas City-based septet, which includes Jeff Harshbarger and Gerald Dunn on alto Saxophones, Shay Estes (vocals), TJ Martinley on Piano/Keys and Brian Steever and/or Brian Warren on drums. Hermon Mehari is a trumpet player and travels to LA and NYC several times per annum to record and perform with different jazz artists. Matt has recorded and performed with Grammy Nominated Anthony Wilson Nonet (The Power of Nine), Groove Note 1035 and 2006), and performs frequently in Los Angeles with TJ Martley on Piano/Keys, Mike Warren and/or Brian Steever as drummers and sidemen. Below is a list of notable recordings. From www.mattotto.org
