Totti Bergh

b. 5 December 1935, Oslo, Norway. Before choosing the tenor saxophone he had played clarinet, having been attracted to jazz by hearing records. By the early 50s he was active in jazz groups in Norway and late in the decade played on cruise ships on the line plying between Norway and New York. In New York he was able to advance his awareness of jazz by hearing top-flight musicians at first hand. Nevertheless, by 1962, with jazz gigs few and far between, he went into industry, working as finance manager for a British company’s Norwegian office. He continued to play jazz whenever possible, accompanying visiting British and American musicians. He also regularly accompanied his wife, singer Laila Dalseth, leading a regular quintet. In 1990, Bergh again became a full-time professional musician. Alone and with Dalseth, he has toured Scandinavia, the USA and the Far East, playing clubs, concerts and festivals. Among artists with whom he has worked are George Masso, Al Cohn, Louis Stewart and Plas Johnson. A fine, sensitive interpreter of ballads, and a solid, straight-ahead swinger, Bergh’s playing deserves attention. His accompaniment to his wife’s singing is also exemplary. He plays with a full, breathy sound, phrasing elegantly and with understanding.