[1] He attended a Duke Ellington concert in Moscow in 1971 and his determination to become a jazz musician was reinforced a year later at a Thad Jones–Mel Lewis Orchestra performance.

[2] While waiting for a visa, Nabatov gained experience by becoming the house pianist at the Mississippi Jazz Club in Rome and was helped and encouraged by clarinettist Tony Scott.

[3] After graduating, "he played chamber music and accompanied choirs and former Soviet singing stars touring the growing circuit of Russian communities in the United States.

[2] Nabatov made his name with a series of inventive trio albums with Mark Helias and Tom Rainey; he also often works with the trombonist Nils Wogram in duet or in larger ensembles.

Nabatov has taught at several institutions, including the Folkwang Hochschule in Essen (1989–91), the International Jazz and Rock Academy in Remscheid (1991–93),[1] and the Musikhochschule Luzern.