Nat Hentoff, journalist, author, Jazz critic and civil libertarian-made his transition at age 91 on January 7 at his home in Manhattan. A self proclaimed trouble maker originally from Boston who resided in New York, Nat was the first non-musician to be recognized as a Jazz Master by The National Endowment for the Arts. He wrote for the Village Voice for 50 years and contributed to the New Yorker,Washington Post, Down Beat, Jazz Times, and the Wall Street Journal. He published more than 35 books ranging from young adults to nonfiction titles. Hentoff was a political reformer, political agitator, enemy of censors and an educational reformer. He was like the Jazz he loved, given to improvisations and permutations. Nat was one of the foremost authorities on the First Amendment and his articles defended the right to speak freely. He lectured at many universities,law schools, elementary and high schools.Taught courses in journalism and the Constitution at Princeton University and New York University. Nat Hentoff stated " The whole idea of the Bill of Rights and Jazz is freedom of expression that nobody,not even the government , can squelch." A 2013 documentary about his life was plausibly titled " The Pleasures of Being Out Of Step".
Jay Edwards is a Jazz Educator and Host of Jazz Tones on Jazz 91.9 WCLK, Sundays 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
New York Times piece on Hentoff here.