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