Second youngest of his family, Bickert was born in Hochfeld, Manitoba; his family (parents and 5 children) moved shortly after he was born to Vernon, British Columbia.
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Desmond's enthusiasm for the guitarist's style persuaded him to record with Bickert in the United States at Rudy Van Gelder's studio with musicians Connie Kay on drums, and bassist Ron Carter—the album Pure Desmond was the result.
From 1953-1957 he played with and directed his own jazz octet whose members also included Ed Bickert, Ron Collier, Ross Culley, Bernie Piltch, Jack Richardson, and Jerry Toth.
This music includes jazz musicians like Oscar Peterson, Moe Koffman, Ed Bickert, Lorne Lofsky and Jim Galloway, and there are also several classical pieces as well.
Canadian jazz musicians to record the song include Bert Niosi (1946), Peter Appleyard (1957), Ed Bickert (1979), and Oscar Peterson (1980).