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http://www.accordions.com/news.aspx?d=09-Jan-2015&lang=en&s=9783
http://www.accordions.com/news.aspx?d=09-Jan-2015&lang=en&s=9783
09-Jan-2015
Gerald Crossman (1920-2015), London - UKby Rob Howard |
 Gerald Crossman, born in 1920, studied at Trinity College of Music and became a professional accordionist and pianist in the 1930s. He earned a good living playing in restaurants, Lyons Corner Houses, and later on cruise ships, and also performed as a guest in many bands and orchestras, including Primo Scala, Ted Heath, Joe Loss, Mantovani, Frank Chacksfield, Ron Goodwin, Norrie Paramor, Edmundo Ros, etc. He came to know most of his accordion contemporaries – George Scott-Wood, Matyas Seiber, Harry Bidgood (Primo Scala), Charles Magnante, Pietro Frosini, Charles Camilleri, to name but a few - and had a huge knowledge and experience of the accordion scene and the wider world of light music. Following war service in the RAF, Gerald Crossman worked with a lot of famous show business names, and in the accordion world became a highly respected figure. He was in the 1950s and 60s an NAO Vice President, and some of his many compositions were used as All Britain Championship test pieces, for which competitions he also served as an adjudicator. As a pianist, he worked as stage accompanist with the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Marlene Dietrich, Harry Secombe, Ralph Richardson, and Jack Hawkins. An excellent musician, Gerald wrote over 100 pieces of music, wrote lots of arrangements, and contributed 200 articles to accordion magazines. He broadcast frequently on BBC radio with his sextet The Gerald Crossman Players between 1952 and 1966, his last broadcast being a solo recital in 1978. Members of the GLP at various times included accordionists Albert Delroy, Henry Krein, Jack Emblow, Brian Dexter, Emilio, Ivor Beynon, Reg Hogarth, and the pianists Billy Mayerl, William Davies, and Edward Rubach. He married Miriam Offner in 1968, and was widowed in 2012. They had no children. Although a heart pace maker fitted a few years ago meant Gerald could no longer play the accordion, until recently he played the organ at his local synagogue in Finchley, London. Gerald Crossman’s passing on December 22nd 2014 at the grand age of 94 marks the end of an era. Fuller biography and Charnwood music lists at: Gerald Crossman |