My father was friends with him. He said he was the most principled liberal he’s ever met. My brother interned with him circa 1974. He sent my brother to Miles Davis’ apt. in New York to pick up something and my brother tripped on the stairs because (he said) they were all shades of blue. My brother had nothing buy nice things to say about him as well. RIP, Mr. Hentoff.
Nice story. Hentoff was an American original.
Fascinating. If you’d care to share more about how your father and brother came to know Nat Hentoff, I’d be happy to hear it. And that little vignette of Miles Davis’s staircase is tantalizing as well. Anything else on him or other jazz greats?