Edward Joseph Bertolatus (May 16, 1922 – September 27, 2012), also known as Eddie Bert, was an American jazz trombonist.
He was born in Yonkers, New York, United States. Bert received a degree and a teaching license from the Manhattan School of Music (1957). He taught at Essex College, University of Bridgeport, and Western Connecticut State University.
Bert performed and recorded with many bands and orchestras. He spent the most time with Benny Goodman's Orchestra (1958–86), Charles Mingus (1955–74), The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra (1968–72), New York Jazz Repertory Company (1973–78), The American Jazz Orchestra (1986–92), Loren Schoenberg Orchestra (1986–2001), and Walt Levinsky's Great American Swing Orchestra (1987–95).
Bert is featured on hundreds of recordings and recorded extensively as a leader on various labels including Savoy, Blue Note, Trans-World, Jazztone, and Discovery Records. Bert continued to play sold-out shows until his death, at the age of 90, on September 27, 2012, in Danbury, Connecticut.
His photography can be seen on Jazz Giants, To Bird with Love (Chan Parker and F. Paudras), and The Band that Never Was (Spotlight Records, album cover and liner notes).
Musician of the Year, Metronome magazine, 1955
Grammy for Musician of the Year, 1959
Honored at Town Hall, New York City, May 16, 2002
Honored at Jazz at the Kennedy Center with Billy Taylor, May 6, 2002
Rugers University Jazz Hall of Fame, 2009
Let's Dig Bert (Eddie That Is) (Trans-World, 1955)
Musician of the Year (Savoy, 1955)
East Coast Sounds with Billy Byers & Joe Newman (Jazztone, 1957)
Skeleton of the Band (Backbone, 1979)
The Human Factor (Fresh Sound, 1988)
Live at Birdland (Fresh Sound, 1992)
Live at Capozzoli's (Woofy, 1999)
Chris Connor Sings the George Gershwin Almanac of Song (Atlantic, 1957)