Nathan Gershman (1917 – 2008)
On September 13, 2008 the Gershman and Ober families lost a beloved husband, father, best friend and superb musician, Nathan Gershman, just shy of his 91st birthday. He was born to Max and Rose Gershman, raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Vineland, New Jersey. "Nat", as his friends called him, attended the Curtis Institute of Music where he studied cello under the tutelage of Orlando Cole and Felix Salmond.
Nat began his music career with the Cleveland Orchestra for seven years and then moved to New York where he was a regular in the orchestra at Radio City Music Hall. In the 1950's Nat felt the call to move west to California where he freelanced for a few years before he was invited to tour nationally with the Chico Hamilton Quintet. I remember him telling the story of what a departure this was from his classical roots and how nervous he was at the prospect of having to improvise. His friend and guitar player in the group would spend hours in his hotel room practicing with him. Nat now entered into a new career – jazz.
After four years with Chico, Nat returned to California and continued to freelance in the studios for movies, TV, shows and pop recording dates and worked with many of the great pop singers.
When Nat entered my life and the lives of my two brothers, it was not only the beginning of a lifelong friendship but he also became a cherished father when he married our mother, Alice. A rare man of character, generosity, warmth and kindness blessed our lives from that day forward. He became our 2nd father in the most wonderful sense of the word. He will be forever in our hearts and sorely missed. He has had such a profound influence on us all through his passion for music, friends and family that his memory will live on through each of us who knew him and loved him dearly.
Nat is survived by the woman he adored, his wife Alice, his three sons: Gene, William and Wayne and his three granddaughters: Julia, Nikki and Brooke.
As Nat was so fond of doing when his martini arrived at the table, there was always an olive for everyone. We love you dad and we celebrate your life with many a "mozel tof".
Gene R. Ober
On September 13, 2008 the Gershman and Ober families lost a beloved husband, father, best friend and superb musician, Nathan Gershman, just shy of his 91st birthday. He was born to Max and Rose Gershman, raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Vineland, New Jersey. "Nat", as his friends called him, attended the Curtis Institute of Music where he studied cello under the tutelage of Orlando Cole and Felix Salmond.
Nat began his music career with the Cleveland Orchestra for seven years and then moved to New York where he was a regular in the orchestra at Radio City Music Hall. In the 1950's Nat felt the call to move west to California where he freelanced for a few years before he was invited to tour nationally with the Chico Hamilton Quintet. I remember him telling the story of what a departure this was from his classical roots and how nervous he was at the prospect of having to improvise. His friend and guitar player in the group would spend hours in his hotel room practicing with him. Nat now entered into a new career – jazz.
After four years with Chico, Nat returned to California and continued to freelance in the studios for movies, TV, shows and pop recording dates and worked with many of the great pop singers.
When Nat entered my life and the lives of my two brothers, it was not only the beginning of a lifelong friendship but he also became a cherished father when he married our mother, Alice. A rare man of character, generosity, warmth and kindness blessed our lives from that day forward. He became our 2nd father in the most wonderful sense of the word. He will be forever in our hearts and sorely missed. He has had such a profound influence on us all through his passion for music, friends and family that his memory will live on through each of us who knew him and loved him dearly.
Nat is survived by the woman he adored, his wife Alice, his three sons: Gene, William and Wayne and his three granddaughters: Julia, Nikki and Brooke.
As Nat was so fond of doing when his martini arrived at the table, there was always an olive for everyone. We love you dad and we celebrate your life with many a "mozel tof".
Gene R. Ober
Nathan Gershman (1917 – 2008)
On September 13, 2008 the Gershman and Ober families lost a beloved husband, father, best friend and superb musician, Nathan Gershman, just shy of his 91st birthday. He was born to Max and Rose Gershman, raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Vineland, New Jersey. "Nat", as his friends called him, attended the Curtis Institute of Music where he studied cello under the tutelage of Orlando Cole and Felix Salmond.
Nat began his music career with the Cleveland Orchestra for seven years and then moved to New York where he was a regular in the orchestra at Radio City Music Hall. In the 1950's Nat felt the call to move west to California where he freelanced for a few years before he was invited to tour nationally with the Chico Hamilton Quintet. I remember him telling the story of what a departure this was from his classical roots and how nervous he was at the prospect of having to improvise. His friend and guitar player in the group would spend hours in his hotel room practicing with him. Nat now entered into a new career – jazz.
After four years with Chico, Nat returned to California and continued to freelance in the studios for movies, TV, shows and pop recording dates and worked with many of the great pop singers.
When Nat entered my life and the lives of my two brothers, it was not only the beginning of a lifelong friendship but he also became a cherished father when he married our mother, Alice. A rare man of character, generosity, warmth and kindness blessed our lives from that day forward. He became our 2nd father in the most wonderful sense of the word. He will be forever in our hearts and sorely missed. He has had such a profound influence on us all through his passion for music, friends and family that his memory will live on through each of us who knew him and loved him dearly.
Nat is survived by the woman he adored, his wife Alice, his three sons: Gene, William and Wayne and his three granddaughters: Julia, Nikki and Brooke.
As Nat was so fond of doing when his martini arrived at the table, there was always an olive for everyone. We love you dad and we celebrate your life with many a "mozel tof".
Gene R. Ober
On September 13, 2008 the Gershman and Ober families lost a beloved husband, father, best friend and superb musician, Nathan Gershman, just shy of his 91st birthday. He was born to Max and Rose Gershman, raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Vineland, New Jersey. "Nat", as his friends called him, attended the Curtis Institute of Music where he studied cello under the tutelage of Orlando Cole and Felix Salmond.
Nat began his music career with the Cleveland Orchestra for seven years and then moved to New York where he was a regular in the orchestra at Radio City Music Hall. In the 1950's Nat felt the call to move west to California where he freelanced for a few years before he was invited to tour nationally with the Chico Hamilton Quintet. I remember him telling the story of what a departure this was from his classical roots and how nervous he was at the prospect of having to improvise. His friend and guitar player in the group would spend hours in his hotel room practicing with him. Nat now entered into a new career – jazz.
After four years with Chico, Nat returned to California and continued to freelance in the studios for movies, TV, shows and pop recording dates and worked with many of the great pop singers.
When Nat entered my life and the lives of my two brothers, it was not only the beginning of a lifelong friendship but he also became a cherished father when he married our mother, Alice. A rare man of character, generosity, warmth and kindness blessed our lives from that day forward. He became our 2nd father in the most wonderful sense of the word. He will be forever in our hearts and sorely missed. He has had such a profound influence on us all through his passion for music, friends and family that his memory will live on through each of us who knew him and loved him dearly.
Nat is survived by the woman he adored, his wife Alice, his three sons: Gene, William and Wayne and his three granddaughters: Julia, Nikki and Brooke.
As Nat was so fond of doing when his martini arrived at the table, there was always an olive for everyone. We love you dad and we celebrate your life with many a "mozel tof".
Gene R. Ober
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