The French edition of The Ghosts of Harlem was very successful in France but Filipacchi’s production was so upscale that when it came time to find a US publisher to whom they could license it there were no takers because of the cost. The result was there was no English-language edition.
In 2005 I was visiting with Ahmet Ertegun and at one point he asked me about The Ghosts of Harlem and why there was no English-language edition. I explained that Filipacchi held the rights and that no US publisher could afford to license it. He said, “This book should be available in English.” He then asked his assistant to make a telephone call, which in this case was to his old friend, Daniel Filipacchi. He suggested that I should be given the rights back to the book so I could pursue a publisher in the United States. Filipacchi agreed and within a couple of months I had the paperwork in hand.
I got lucky with a publisher. David Berger suggested I contact the Vanderbilt University Press. This fine company had just published Playing The Changes, a book about the life and photographs of Milt Hinton that he’d created with Holly Maxson. Vanderbilt signed on immediately and I was on my way.
I rewrote some of the text, took many more pictures in Harlem to contrast the early 1990s with 2007 and included a new “ghost,” Dr. Billy Taylor. The book was published in May 2009 and is currently in print.
Adolphus Doc Cheatham 1, at Home New York City September 18, 1986
Adolphus Doc Cheatham 3, at Home New York City September 18, 1986
Al Casey at Downtown Sound New York City, February 17, 1980
Al Casey at Home New York City, April 10, 1996
Al Cobbs 830 Broadway, New York City, April 19, 1996
Al Grey New York City, February 11, 1988
Al Sears at Home Jamaica, New York, April 28, 1987
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Andy Kirk 1, at Home New York City (Harlem) September 15, 1986
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Andy Kirk 2, at Home New York City (Harlem) September 15, 1986
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Andy Kirk 3, at Home New York City (Harlem) September 15, 1986
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Andy Kirk 4, at Home New York City (Harlem) September 15, 1986
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Andy Kirk 5, at Home New York City (Harlem) September 15, 1986
Benny Carter S/S Norway, October 1986
Benny Carter at Home Hollywood, California, May 18, 1987
Benny Waters 1, Oslo, Norway, August 9, 1986
Benny Waters 2, Oslo, Norway, August 9, 1986
Bill Dillard 1, at Home Elmhurst, New York, February 4, 1987
Bill Dillard 2, at Home Elmhurst, New York, February 4, 1987
Bobby Williams at Downtown Sound New York City, February 17, 1980
Bobby Williams at Home Brooklyn, New York, May 1987
Buck Clayton 1, St Albans, New York September 24, 1986
Cab Calloway 1, at Home White Plaines, New York September 3, 1986
Cab Calloway 2, at Home White Plaines, New York September 3, 1986
Charles Red Richards 1, at Home Bronx, New York April 22, 1987
Charles Red Richards 2, at Home Bronx, New York April 22, 1987
Cladys Jabbo Smith 1, at Lorraine Gordon's Apartment New York City September 19, 1986
Cladys Jabbo Smith 2, at Lorraine Gordon's Apartment New York City September 19, 1986
Clark Terry 1, at Home Whitestone, New York, February 16, 1987
Clark Terry 2, at Home Whitestone, New York, February 16, 1987
Danny Barker & Blue Lu at Home New Orleans, Louisiana, April 14, 1987
Danny Barker 1, at Home New Orleans, Louisiana, April 14, 1987
Danny Barker 2, at Home New Orleans, Louisiana, April 14, 1987
David Panama Francis 1, New York City May 5, 1987
David Panama Francis 2, New York City May 5, 1987
Dizzy Gillespie at Home Englewood, New Jersey, March 19, 1990
Eddie Barefield 1, at Home, Bronx, New York, September 7, 1987
Eddie Barefield 2, at Home, Bronx, New York, September 7, 1987
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Eddie Durham 1, at Home New York City (Harlem) January 12, 1987
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Eddie Durham 2, at Home New York City (Harlem) January 12, 1987
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Eddie Durham 3, at Home New York City (Harlem) January 12, 1987
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Eddie Durham 4, at Home New York City (Harlem) January 12, 1987
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Eddie Durham 5, at Home New York City (Harlem) January 12, 1987
Frank Wess 1, at Home New York City March 18, 1986
Frank Wess 2, at Home New York City March 18, 1986
Frank Wess Oslo Jazz Festival
Gene Prince 1, at Home Elmhurst, New York May 7, 1987
Gene Prince 2, at Home Elmhurst, New York May 7, 1987
George Buddy Tate 1, at Home Masapequa, New York, September 25, 1986
George Buddy Tate 2, at Home Masapequa, New York, September 25, 1986
Buddy Tate 3, at Home Masapequa, New York, September 25, 1986
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George Kelley New York City (Harlem), April 20, 1996
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Greeley Walton 1, at Home New York City (Harlem) February 2, 1987
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Greeley Walton 2, at Home New York City (Harlem) February 2, 1987
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Greeley Walton 3, at Home New York City (Harlem) February 2, 1987
Harry Sweets Edison 1, at Home Los Angeles, California May 14, 1987
Harry Sweets Edison 2, at Home Los Angeles, California May 14, 1987
Illinois Jacquet at Home St. Albans, New York, April 18, 1996
Jay McShann at 830 Broadway New York City, February 2, 1989
Joe Williams aboard S/S Norway, Caribbean Sea, October 1985
Johnny Williams 1, New York City April 21, 1987
Johnny Williams 2, New York City April 21, 1987
Jonah Jones at Home 1, New York City, January 8, 1987
Jonah Jones at Home 2, New York City, January 8, 1987
Lawrence Lucie at Home New York City, March 26, 1986
Maxine Sullivan 1, at Home Bronx, New York, July 2, 1986
Maxine Sullivan 2, at Home Bronx, New York, July 2, 1986
Maxine Sullivan 3, at Home Bronx, New York, July 2, 1986
Maxine Sullivan 4, at Home Bronx, New York, July 2, 1986
Milt Jackson 1, at Home Teaneck, New Jersey, March 12, 1996
Milt Jackson 2, at Home Teaneck, New Jersey, March 12, 1996
Ovie Alston 1, at Home, Washington D.C., May 7, 1987
Ovie Alston 2, at Home, Washington D.C., May 7, 1987
Sammy Lowe at Home New Jersey, May 25, 1987
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Sammy Price 1, New York City (Harlem) March 26, 1987
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Sammy Price 2, New York City (Harlem) March 26, 1987
Sy Oliver 1, at Home New York City February 18, 1987
Sy Oliver 2, at Home New York City February 18, 1987
Thelma Carpenter 1, at Home New York City March 15, 1996
Thelma Carpenter 2, at Home New York City March 15, 1996
Tommy Benford 1, at Home Mt. Vernon, New York September 5, 1986
Tommy Benford 2, at Home Mt. Vernon, New York September 5, 1986
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