There were about 75 people packed into a small room at Leo F. Kearns Funeral Home on Woodhaven Boulevard in Rego Park Queens on Tuesday evening November 26th, 2002. The people came to remember a great organist who played for such great jazz blues vocalists as Irene Reid and Ruth Brown. The service lasted about 45 minutes, and afterwards in true tradition some of the musicians who were close to Bobby Forrester played some of his favorite tunes. Surprisingly there was no piano, instead Mark Marino played guitar, Bassist David Jackson and Drummer “Tootsie" Clarance Bean and Saxaphonist Jerry Weldon and a few others got down and grooved. They played tunes like Blue Bossa and the straw that broke the camels back was when Irene Reid sang with a microphone “Ill Be Seeing You", to Bobby as he stood still in casket on stage. It was a truly touching service and celebration of life. Many musicians dropped in and were present and included: Frank O'Brien,pianist,Ed Stoute,Pianist,Hank Johnson, Pianist, many others. They went out swinging!
By: Stuart H. Tresser -30-
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