Australian jazz alto, tenor and baritone saxophonist and bandleader Bob Bertles has passed away at the age of 85.
Bertles was at the start of Australia’s modern jazz scene in the late 1950s. He was also a session musician who toured with Australian rock and roll icon Johnny O’Keefe and The Dee Jays.
In the 1960s Bertles became a member of Max Merritt & The Meteors. One week after joining the band Max, drummer Stewie Spears and Bob were involved in a head-on collision with a truck. They were all seriously injured. The accident left Bob with a permanent limp.
The Meteors’ self-titled album reached number 8 in Australia. Bertles wrote the track ‘Turkish Bath’ for the album. The hit song was ‘Western Union Man’.
The Meteors were based in London in 1969. There Bob worked on sessions for Cliff Richard and Cilla Black.
Back in Australia Bob was part of the orchestra for the Australian production of ‘Chicago’. Here he met his future wife, the now legendary actress, singer, dancer and choreographer Nancye Hayes.
The Bob Bertles Quartet released two albums ‘Rhythm of the Heart’ (1995) and ‘Cool Beans’ (1998).
In later years Bob recorded and performed a part of Ten Part Invention.
Bob Bertles passed away 30 December 2024.
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