Totti Bergh

Theodor Bergh
Birth name	Theodor Christian Frølich Bergh
Also known as	Totti
Born	23 April 1930 Oslo
Origin	Norway
Died	4 January 2012 (aged 76) Oslo
Genres	Jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer
Instruments	Tenor saxophone, clarinet
Associated acts	Kjell Karlsen's Orchestra Christiania Jazzband

Theodor Christian Frølich Bergh known as Totti Bergh (born 5 December 1935 in Oslo – deceased 4 January 2012 in Oslo)^[1] was a Norwegian jazz musician (saxophone), the younger brother of the jazz journalist Johannes (Johs.) Bergh (1932–2001), married to jazz singer Laila Dalseth, and known as the bandleader and publisher of several jazz records.^[2]

Career

Bergh started to play clarinet, and picked up the saxophone in 1952. In 1956 he entered the ranks of professional musicians. He was a regular member of Kjell Karlsen Sextet for three years, in addition to collaborating sporadically with Rowland Greenberg and other parts of the Norwegian jazz elite as it once provisioned live dance music of good brand. He also made trips on the Norwegian America Ships with the ships' house orchestra on the voyage to New York. Bergh had mustered the America boat in 1960 and succeeded Harald Bergersen as tenor saxophonist in the Kjell Karlsen new elite big band. In the summer of 1961 the big band's new singer was Laila Dalseth, his wife to be. He also was in the lineup for the bands of Einar Schanke (1955–56), Rowland Greenberg (1960–64, 1974–81), and Per Borthen (1966–). In addition, he played in his wife Laila Dalseth's orchestra. Later he played tenor saxophone and soprano saxophone with 'Christiania Jazzband' (from 1990) and with 'Christiania 12' (from 1992).^[3]

He has released several albums, and his music is reminiscent of the world-renowned tenorists Lester Young and Dexter Gordon.^[4]

Honors

• 1994: Gammleng-prisen
• 1995: The city of Oslo cultural scholarship
• 1997: The Ella-prisen at Kongsberg Jazzfestival
• 1999: Buddyprisen

Discography

• 1986: Tenor madness (Gemini Records), with Al Cohn
• 1988: I hear a rhapsody, with Per Husby/Egil Kapstad (piano), Ole Jacob Hansen /Egil Johansen (musician) (1934–1998) (drums) & Terje Venaas (bass)
• 1991: Major blues, within his own quintet recorded at Oslo Jazzfestival, including George Masso (trombone), Major Holley (bass), Egil Kapstad (piano) & Pelle Hultén (drums)
• 1993: On the trail, with Plas Johnson
• 1995: Remember
• 1996: Warm Valley
• 1998: Night Bird, with Harry Allen & George Masso
• 2012: Totti's Choice (Gemini Records), Compilations released posthumously

References

1. "Totti Bergh er død" (in Norwegian). NRK Jazz. 4 January 2012. Retrieved 2013-11-10.
2. "Totti Bergh Biography" (in Norwegian). Norsk jazzarkiv MIC.no. 10 December 2012. Retrieved 2013-11-10.
3. Stendahl, Bjørn (22 November 2010). "Laila & Totti 145 år" (in Norwegian). JazzINorge.no. Retrieved 2013-11-10.
4. Knut Borge, Verneverdig på tenorsax? i Dagens Næringsliv (15 February 1992)

External links

• Laila & Totti 145 år by Bjørn Stendahl at JazzNytt (in Norwegian)