By Nicole Hamilton
The Cincinnati Enquirer

MOUNT ADAMS - Jazz pianist Herbert "Herbie" Kirschner was known nationally for his prowess on the keyboard. He traveled with Gloria De Haven as her accompanist and worked with other well-known locals, including Dee Felice, Rosemary Clooney and Cal Collins.

Locally, he was revered not just for his talents, but for the warmth and charisma he exuded both on and off the piano bench.

"He was one of those people who knew everyone," said his daughter, Pamela Kirschner of Philadelphia. "He was so social, and he would do what he could to help anybody. He loved Mount Adams. If he wasn't playing at the Celestial or someplace else, he would be there anyway, with the musicians."

Mr. Kirschner died Friday at Hospice of Cincinnati in Blue Ash of bone cancer. The Mount Adams resident was 74.

"He was a friend," said his niece, Donna Ullner of Wyoming. "Everyone loved him. Without him sitting at the piano again, the silence is deafening."

As children, Mr. Kirschner and his identical twin brother, Gerson, practiced for hours on baby grand pianos, which faced each other in the living room of their Avondale home.

Their father, Albert Kirschner, a pianist and violinist, forbade the boys from playing sports for fear they would injure their hands. The twins played music with him at charity engagements throughout the Tristate and performed with Rosemary and Betty Clooney on WLW radio.

After graduating from Withrow High School, Mr. Kirschner attended the University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music for one year and then left to run the family business, Kirschner Wrecking, alongside his brother.

Although he owned several restaurants, bars and auto parts stores over the years - even a taxi company - Mr. Kirschner never left the jazz scene.

"He loved to play, and he was great with people," said fellow jazz pianist Frank Vincent, who had Mr. Kirschner sit in for him during his gigs at the Celestial.

He played - and owned - the former Whisper Room in Roselawn and the Whisper Room East in Mount Lookout.

He also performed regularly at the Living Room, once a popular downtown jazz club. Most recently, he performed in the Cricket Lounge in the Cincinnatian Hotel and at The Vault, located in the Federal Reserve Bank Building on Fourth Street.

Besides playing music, Mr. Kirschner collected cars and "loved animals and children," said his daughter.

Besides his daughter and niece, survivors include a son, Alan Durham of Maine; two sisters, Shirley Bear and Geraldine Ullner of Wyoming; friend and former wife, Toba Russell of Beaufort, S.C.; and several nieces and nephews.

Memorial service will be at noon Monday at Weil Funeral Home, 8350 Cornell Road, Symmes Township.

The body was cremated.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of Cincinnati, c/o Bethesda Foundation Inc., P.O. Box 633597, Cincinnati, 45263-3597.

E-mail nhamilton@enquirer.com