Roy N. Gerson obit

Roy N. Gerson

 

He was not on the list.

We are profoundly saddened by the passing of our beloved husband, brother and uncle, Roy, from a sudden illness.

After attending The Manhattan School of Music, Roy moved quickly and easily into the professional arena, becoming the pianist with the swing band, Widespread Depression Orchestra. He then formed his own band, The Roy Gerson Swingtet, headlining such renown New York City clubs, The Village Gate, Michael’s Pub, Tavern on the Green, The Rainbow Room, and Club Zanzibar. He made his film debut as the pianist of the 1920’s jazz orchestra in Francis Ford Coppola’s, The Cotton Club, and had a cameo performance in Woody Allen’s movie, Crimes and Misdemeanors. Roy’s subsequent films also included Barbra Streisand’s, The Mirror Has Two Faces.

His debut album, That Gerson Person came about thanks to Tony Bennet and his wife, Susan, and his follow up album, Gerson Swings Disney, featured notable performers, Rosemary Clooney, John Pizzarelli and Michael Feinstein.  After living many years in New York, he and his wife, Corrine, moved to Florida where he continued to delight his newfound audience with his amazing talent

Roy will forever live in our hearts…His wife, Corrine, his  sister, Robin Gerson Wong, his brother-in-law, Denis Wong, his niece, Katerina Wong ( Dennis Zollo), his nephew, Andrew Selzer-Wong ( Angela Selzer-Wong,) his brother, Ira Gerson, his sister-in-law, Gayle Gerson , his nieces Ilyse Cody (Brian Cody,) Sarah Gerson ( Ross Vanderwert,) Shayna Adelman ( Brian Adelman) and his great nieces and nephews, Nate and Finn Cody, Penelope Gerson, Annabel and Sophie Adelman and Bria Zollo. He will also be treasured by his cousins and countless friends and musicians worldwide.

Gerson and his band the Roy Gerson Swingtet performed live in jazz clubs in Manhattan, New York during the 1990s at venues such as the Village Gate, Blue Note, Tavern on the Green, and played for two years at Zanzibar.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Humane Society of New York.