He is the son of Tony Romano, a composer, singer, and guitarist who writes films, books, plays, and lectures in screenwriting.
His father worked with Bing Crosby, Ray Heindorf, Bob Hope, Cole Porter, Pat Silver-Lasky, Frank Sinatra, and Joe Venuti.
[1] In 1975 he received a degree in composition from the Berklee College of Music in Boston where he studied with Gary Burton, Michael Gibbs, Pat Metheny, and Herb Pomeroy.
On British television series for David Essex and Leo Sayer he arranged and conducted for Ronnie Spector, Twiggy, Kate Bush, and Denny Laine.
He has composed, arranged and produced music for Anita Baker, Cilla Black, James Brown, Ray Charles, Cher, Petula Clark, Randy Crawford, Gloria Gaynor, Lulu, Paul McCartney, Pet Shop Boys, Tears For Fears, Tina Turner, and Deniece Williams.
Niles also scored and conducted strings on Depeche Mode songs "Home", "Only When I Lose Myself" and "Surrender" and for Berlin's "Sex Me Talk Me".
He wrote arrangements for Pet Shop Boys, Swing Out Sister, Living in a Box, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, ABC, and Was (Not Was).
(Bandzilla Records, 2016) co-produced by John Thirkell and featuring Randy Brecker, Leo Sayer, Clarice Assad, Lamont Dozier Jr. and Nigel Hitchcock.
Niles has also worked for the advertising industry, composing and producing music for TV commercials including McDonald's, Max Factor, Toshiba, Wall's, Nescafé and EuroDisney.
Niles has since written and presented many BBC Radio 2 documentaries including "The Arrangers" and "Bright Size Life - Pat Metheny".