Hersch began his jazz career in the closet, but nearly 30 years ago, when people in the jazz world were afraid to come out, he identified himself as gay and HIV positive. Nine years ago he spent several weeks in a medically-induced coma; later he wrote songs inspired by his coma dreams. His memoir is ‘Good Things Happen Slowly.’ TV critic David Bianculli reviews the new Ken Burns documentary series on the Vietnam War.
