He is noted for his work since the late 1950s with a wide variety of artists, including The Shirelles, Don Covay, Nina Simone, Houston Person, and the Village People.
He worked as a songwriter and arranger with musicians including Jackie Wilson, Don Covay, Hank Ballard, Dee Clark, Sam Cooke and Solomon Burke.
[6] In the 1970s, Ott continued as an arranger with jazz and R&B musicians including Houston Person, Bernard Purdie, Rusty Bryant, Gil Scott-Heron, Junior Parker, Lou Donaldson, Richard "Groove" Holmes and The Stylistics.
In the late 1970s, he met French writer-producers Henri Belolo and Jacques Morali, and as a result arranged all of Village People's early hits, including "Macho Man", "Y.M.C.A.
[1][7][2] With Rusty Bryant With Groove Holmes With Etta Jones With Jimmy McGriff With Houston Person With Bernard Purdie With Nina Simone With Dakota Staton With Joe Thomas With Bob Thiele and Glenn Osser