Photographic Memory [Jun 01, 2002] Claxton, William

Photographic Memory, Claxon's first-ever monograph of these images, features more than 100 such wonderful and revealing portraits, only a handful of which have ever been seen before. Anecdotal stories by Claxton accompanying the images reveal the intimate and first-name basis with which he photographed the well-known icons of celebrity, wit, and style from the past five decades, many of them his dear personal friends. Here for the first time Claxton describes a backstage photo session with Marlene Dietrich; antique shopping with Gloria Swanson; unwittingly provoking Shirley MacLaine into a bawdy comment on a tense, crowded film set during a love scene; and many other unforgettable moments. A stunningly intimate document of our most-loved film and entertainment icons, Claxton's Photographic Memory is sure to become an instant pop-culture heirloom.

"Claxon in arguably the best jazz photographer in the world. But his work goes beyond jazz; it encompasses the human condition and spirit."
—Vanity Fair

Many of William Claxton's photographs of American jazz musicians have become the iconic images by which we remember them—a young Chet Baker lying on his back in the studio, trumpet in hand; Bill Evans and Ray Charles at their pianos; a sparkling Sarah Vaughan; a somber Miles Davis; and countless more. Less well known is the fact that since the early 1950s, Claxton has also photographed scores of actors, directors, writers, artists, singers, and entertainers from outside the world of jazz.