Bob Bertles
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Bob Bertles | |
|---|---|
| Born | 6 March 1939 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Died | 30 December 2024 (aged 85) |
| Occupation(s) | Musician (as instrumentalist, bandleader) |
| Instruments | |
| Spouse | Nancye Hayes |
Bob Bertles (6 March 1939 – 30 December 2024) was an Australian jazz alto, tenor and baritone saxophonist and bandleader.
Bertles was born in Melbourne on 6 March 1939.[1] A self-taught musician, Bertles in the late 1950s and early 60s was a member of the developing modern jazz scene that grew out of venues like the Mocambo in Newtown and the El Rocco Jazz Cellar in Sydney's Kings Cross.[2]
Active in clubs, on TV, as a session musician and on the pop-rock scene, he toured with Johnny O'Keefe.[3]
In 1967 Bertles temporarily joined Sydney-based rock-soul band Max Merritt & The Meteors.[2] Only weeks after joining, Bertles, Merritt and drummer Stewie Speer narrowly escaped death after their van collided head-on with a truck on the way to a country dance; all three were seriously injured and Bertles was left with a permanent limp.[4] In 1974, after the group split, Bertles joined Ian Carr's Nucleus.[3]
In later years Bertles toured Europe extensively, joined the orchestra for the Australian production of the stage musical Chicago, where he met his future wife, theatre performer Nancye Hayes.[3]
In addition to regular concerts, festivals, session work, and touring, Bertles' later projects included recording and live performances with Sydney's renowned Ten Part Invention.[3]
Discography
Albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Rhythm of the Heart |
|
| Cool Beans |
|
