Oliver Nelson

Oliver Nelson (US, died 1975) was an American jazz saxophonist, composer, arranger, and bandleader whose work bridged small-group post-bop and larger orchestral jazz settings. He was known for concise, harmonically rich arrangements that combined blues-inflected melodies with sophisticated voicings, and for composing and arranging for both jazz ensembles and film and television. Nelson's writing emphasized clear melodic development and tight ensemble interplay.