Pasquale Troise was a popular bandleader, arranger and composer, active in England from the 1920s until his death in 1957. Born in Minori, a small fishing village near Sorrento, Troise started playing the clarinet in the village band from the age of seven, then took up the mandolin, aged 12. Moving to London in the early 1920s he joined the London Radio Dance Band, performed in some early radio broadcasts with 2LO, and made his first stage appearance at the Plaza Theatre, Haymarket in 1932. With help from Colin Wark he formed his own band, initially known as Troise and his Mandoliers and later Troise and his Banjoliers. The classic instrumentation was piano, bass, drums, accordion and eight different sizes of banjo. Angy Palumbo was among its members. There is footage of Troise and his band performing in the British musical film Sunshine Ahead (1936). Troise secured a recording contract with Decca, and toured the country with his band.