Bert Niosi

Bert (Bartolo) Niosi (born February 10, 1909 in London / Ontario , † August 3, 1987 in Mississauga ) was a Canadian bandleader, clarinetist, saxophonist and composer, who became known as Canada's King of Swing .

Niosi studied flute and clarinet with Pasquale Venuta in his hometown and played with Guy Lombardo and Hi Royal Canadians for some time in his youth . He later toured with his own band, the McPhillips Buescher Boys' Orchestra , who u. a. his brother Joe as bassist, Tony Briglia as drummer and Hugo D'Ippolito as pianist.

In 1931 he formed a nine-member band with whom he performed at the Embassy Club in Toronto. From 1932 to 1950 he was engaged at the Palais Royal Dance Hall with an extended band, which also included his brother Johnny . Here he earned the reputation of Canada's King of Swing . With his band he recorded in 1947 for the label Victor and Musicana; He also appeared on the CBC radio and toured Canada in 1945 and 1946.

From 1952 Niosi worked for the CBC. He was a member of the Happy Gang until 1959 and then worked as musical director of the television shows Four for the Show and Cross Canadian Hit Parade and from 1965 to 1976 of The Tommy Hunter Show . He then worked occasionally as a director of dance orchestras and from 1979 worked again at the Palais Royal .

Niosi recorded some tracks with a jazz sextet and with his own orchestra in the 1940s. As a band leader, he recorded an LP with the Jack Kane Band in 1963 . As a soloist, he recorded one album each with the Albert Pratz Orchestra and the Johhny Burt Strings . In 1950 he performed Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's clarinet concerto with the Solway String Quartet on the CBC radio . His own compositions have been recorded by Lucio Agostini and Alexander Read , among others .

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• Bert Niosi ( English, French ) In: Encyclopedia of Music in Canada . published by The Canadian Encyclopedia .
• Bert Niosi in the Internet Movie Database (English)