Dan Forte
…as the Blue Note Jazz Club’s PR director and got to know John quite well when we booked Nancy at the club twice/year. A kind, gentle man with a penchant for his stylish footwear, we always looked forward to his rare, east coast visits.
John will never be forgotten. He nurtured so many of the greatest jazz musicians; three happen to be my all-time favorites: Joe Williams, Cannon and my idol, Wes Montgomery.
Knowing how much I adored Wes, John even gave me an exceedingly-rare autograph of him he found on an old contract from his personal files that Wes had forgotten to take with him, many years ago. It now is framed with an original image of Wes taken by my favorite photographer, Chuck Stewart along with Wes’s very first Riverside
album cover and is one of my most cherished possessions.
John happened to pass on my father’s birthday so it’s one more reason why I’ll never forget him.
Again, Dev, my deepest condolences to you and family. Please take comfort in knowing he lived a very long and fulfilling life and leaves behind an incredible woman as his loving wife as well as his keeper of his amazing legacy.
Dan Forte