Oltremare is an Italian word meaning "oversea". The band plays on the differences of Andrea Di Biase's two musical worlds divided by the sea: one is rooted in his native Italy with the melodic and poetic approach of Italian masters such as Nino Rota and the band's first pianist Antonio Zambrini; the other is rooted in UK, his country of adoption, with the harmonic and rhythmic intuitions of British artists such as Kenny Wheeler, who invited Andrea to play with his Trio at Vortex in 2011.
Andrea's idea of building a bridge between two sides of the sea is reflected in the choice of surrounding himself with the most refined British improvisers: the inventiveness of star pianist Ivo Neame, the lush sound of virtuoso saxophonist James Allsopp and the blistering energy of Gogo Penguin's drummer Jon Scott.

Oltremare Quartet’s first album "Uncommon Nonsense" was released by Babel Label. The band will premiere at Vortex a new repertoire they are about to record for their second album.