Django Reinhardt’s Melodic Formulas (“Licks”)

Here are forty-one melodic formulas that comprise part of Django Reinhardt’s musical

vocabulary. This isn’t an exhaustive list—there are more. It’s just some of the common ones.

A lot more information about these formulas, including several complete solo transcriptions

illustrating their use, can be found in the third chapter of my book, The Music of Django

Reinhardt (University of Michigan Press, 2010). The book doesn’t include tablature notation.

For quite a few of the listed formulas, I’ve shown more than one variant (for example, the first

one shows four variants: F1a, F1b, F1c, and F1d). The variants are grouped together because

they share melodic features—they’re not necessarily fingered similarly.

The tablature beneath the standard staff notation shows plausible ways of fingering each formula.

Naturally, there are lots of alternatives, and I haven’t necessarily tried to guess how Reinhardt

himself might have fingered them. What’s more, since I’m a very bad guitarist, I probably

haven’t even always indicated the most logical fingering; sorry—I tried.

I’ve transcribed a representative instance of each formula as played by Reinhardt on a specific

recording. Beneath the staff notation, I’ve indicated the track title, date, and measure number

where each selected example occurs. (The measures are numbered by chorus and by bar number

within each given chorus. For instance, “2.3” means the third bar of the second chorus.)

Above the staff notation, I’ve shown the harmonies over which Reinhardt played each

transcribed formula. I’ve used both lead-sheet symbols and Roman numerals—so, if the

harmonic indication says “D7 (V7),” the chord is a D7, functioning as a dominant-seventh (V7)

in the key of G major (or G minor). Of course, Reinhardt would transpose most of these

formulas up and down the fretboard. He also used some of them in a variety of harmonic

contexts—in one or two cases I’ve shown two melodically identical versions of a given formula,

with contrasting harmonic settings.

If you think you’ve learnt something worthwhile from Django Reinhardt, please consider making

a donation to the European Roma Rights Centre:

http://www.errc.org

If you can’t make a donation, you might still find the ERRC website quite informative. For

instance, here are some press releases about the current situation facing Roma in France:

http://tinyurl.com/n4rkccg

The best way to become a creative improviser is to make up your own licks. The best way to

learn somebody else’s licks is by ear. But if you’re interested in understanding Django

Reinhardt’s music, the following pages provide some useful information. The most important

thing is to have fun!

—Ben Givan, June 2014

VTAB

bb nn# # nnb bœ œ œ œ Œ

“Charleston”(4/21/37), 2.7

(I)

“A Little Love,A Little Kiss”(4/26/37), 1.4

a)

66

78

Bbœ œ œ œ

(II)

54

5 2

Emin œ œ œ œ

“Chicago”(4/26/37), 2.4

b) (V)

88 5

5

C7 œ œ œ ˙

“Runnin’ Wild”(4/26/37), 4.27

(I)

8 56

5

F

V # # # nnbœ œ œ ˙

“H.C.Q. Strut”(8/25/39), 2.9

c) (II7)

78 5 5

A7 œ œ œ œ

“Love’s Melody”(2/1/46), 2.9

(II7)

89 7 7

Emin7 œ œ œ œ

“I’m Coming Virginia” (3/7/38), 3.9

(I)

1010 7 7

F

V # # #œ œ œ ˙

“Dinah”(12/34), 1.15

d) (I)

33

45

G œ œ œ œ

“I’se a Muggin’”(5/4/36), 2.25

(I)

1010 7

7

D

Transcribed by Ben Givan

F1

V # # nn bbœ œ œ œ(V7)

“A Little Love, A Little Kiss”(4/26/37), 1.5

a)

9 78

9

A7 œ œ œ œ(II)

“Three Little Words” (6/14/38), 2.29

b)

7 56

7

Dmin

Jœb œ œb œ œ(IV7/IV)

“Bugle Call Rag”(7/7/37), 9.2

9 89 6

7

Bb7

V # nbbbbœ œ œb œ œ œ œb œ jœc) (V7)

“The Sunshine of Your Smile” (4/35), 2.21

5 34 1

2 01

3 0

D7 œ œ œb œ œ œ œb œ jœ(IV)

“Sweet Chorus”(10/15/36), 1.15

5 34 1

2 01

3 0

Cmin œ œ œ œd) (IV)

“Charleston”(4/21/37), 2.19

811 8

8

Eb

V b bœ œ œ œ(I)

“Honeysuckle Rose” (1/31/38), 1.6

e)

10 810

10

F

Jœ œ# œ œ œn œ œ œ(II7)

“Babik” (Take 1) (5/21/47), 3.21

10 9 12 1013 10

100

G7

Transcribed by Ben Givan

F2

V # #œ œ œ œ(I)

“Miss Annabelle Lee” (4/26/37), 3.7

a)

10 810 8

C œ œ œ œ œ œb) (I)

“Confessin’”(3/35), 2.15

5 35 3

4 0

G œ œb œ œn œ œb(V7/bVI)

“How High the Moon” (3/26/47), 3.7

8 68 6

78

Bb7

V # # # nn#jœ œ œ œn œ œ œ œna) (V7)

“Anniversary Song”(7/6/47), 2.13

6 97 10

9 1210 13

E7 œn œ# œ œ œn œ# Jœ

“Brazil” (7/18/47), 2.25

b) (II)

109 12

10 13 11 12

Amin

V bb bbbbœ# œ œ œb œ œ œ

“Chez Moi a Six Heures” (5/8/42), 3.17

c) (III7)

7 108 11 101110

D73œ œn œb

3

œ œ œ3

œ œn œ3

œ œ œbJœd) (V7)

“Distraction” (4/16/42), 2.24

(I)

8 7 6 5 86 8 9

8 119 12 11

Eb7 Ab

Transcribed by Ben Givan

F3

F4

V bb nn#œ œ œ œ œ œ œb œ œ œ œb œn œ

“All the Things You Are”(1-2/49), 2.3

e) (V)

10 8 7 108 10 11

10 1311 14 12 13

Fmin

œ œ œb œ# œ

“Nagasaki”(10/15/36), 1.15

f) (V7) (I)

75 8

7 8

D7 G

V # # œ œb œ œ œ œb œ

“Love’s Melody” (2/1/46), 2.23

g) (bVII)

5 87 9

8 1110

C7

V # # nnbb nn# #3

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œa) (I)

“Moonglow”(10/21/35), 1.15

7 9 7 6 77 10

10

D

œ œ œ œb) (I)

“I Got Rhythm”(1-2/49), 3.9

7 87 10

Bbœ œ œ œ œ œc) (I) (VII)

“Them There Eyes”(6/14/38), 2.2

11 1211 14

14 12

D C#m7(b5)

Transcribed by Ben Givan

F5

V # # jœ œ œ œ œ3

œ œ œ(V7/II)

“My Sweet” (1/31/38), 3.11

76

75 9 7 9 7

B7

V bb Rœ3

œ œ œ3

œ œ œ œ(I)

“Hangin’ Around Boudon” (7/7/37), 2.7

1110

1211

1212

1312

Bb

V # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ(I)

“How High the Moon”(3/26/47), 2.17

1010 9

9 710 8

8 7

G

Transcribed by Ben Givan

F6

F7

F8

V b Jœ œ œ œ œb œ œ œ(I) (V7)

“Honeysuckle Rose”(1/31/38), 1.8

1010 13

12 11 1011

12

F C7

V bJœ# œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œa) (I)

“Dynamisme” (5/8/42), 4.9

11 1213

12 15 1213

1214 14

1213

12 15

C œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œb) (IV)

“Japanese Sandman”(5/17/39), 2.19

10 13 1011

1211

10 13 1011

1211

Bb

V # # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œc) (I)

“Daphne” (9/29/37), 3.11

(VI)

1112 9 12

1112

10 14

D Bmin

Transcribed by Ben Givan

F9

F10

V # # œb œn œ œ# œ œ œ# œn œn œn œb œn œ# œn œ œ# œa) (V)

“A Little Love, A Little Kiss”(4/26/37), 3.5

1110

12 8 9 12

9 12 1312

13 10 119

109 10

A7

V bb Jœ œ œ œ œ œn œ# œ œn œb œ œn œb œ œ œ œb)(I) (V)

“Hot Lips” (4/22/37), 2.7

1210

1110 13 12 9

119 8

108 11 10

1110

12

Bb Faug

V bb jœ œ# œn œ œ œ œb3

œn œ œb œn œ Jœc) (I)

“Blue Light Blues” (3/7/38), 7.6

1211 14

14 1212

13 1412

1312 15

13

Bb

Transcribed by Ben Givan

F11

V # # œ# œ# œ# œ œn œn 3

œn œ œ# œ# œn œ# œd) (I) (V)

“Ain’t Misbehavin’”(4/22/37), 3.29

810

9 1010

10 7 9 10 1112

11 12

D A7

V b n# #œ œ œ œb œa) (I)

“Three LittleWords” (6/14/38),2.26

910 9 8 7

C

Jœ œ œ œ# œn œb) (V7/II)

“Avalon”(7/35), 3.27

1013 10

11 10 9

D7 œ œ œ œ œb œc) (V7)

“Coquette”(1/31/46), 2.4

10 78

9 8 7

A7

V # #œ œ œ œ œ œb œd) (II)

“Tornerai”(2/1/38), 4.12

12 1012 10

12 11 10

Dmin

3

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œne)(V7/IV)

“Nagasaki”(10/15/36), 1.5

10 12 1012 10

12 11 10

G7

3

œb œb œ œb œ œb œ jœbf) (bVI7)

“Stompin’ at Decca”(1/31/38), 2.4

6 8 68 5

6 5 4

Eb7

Transcribed by Ben Givan

F12

V # nb bbbœ œ# œn œ œa) (V7)

“Stompin’ at Decca”(1/31/38), 2.24

5 4 3

4

D7 œ œ œ œ œb œ Jœb) (V7)

“Honeysuckle Rose” (1/31/38),1.9

1011 8

9 812

8

C7

Jœn œb œ ˙c) (II)

“Songe d’Automne”(5/21/47), 3.2

5 4 36

Fmin

V # #3

œ œ œ œ# ˙(V7)

“Minor Swing”(1–2/49), 2.14

7 9 7 69

E7 œ œ œ œ œ œn œd) (V7/IV)

“Daphne” (9/29/37), 3.13

1010

1112 11 10

12

D7

V # # # # #Jœ œb œ œ œ œ œ Jœa) (IV7)

“Festival Swing”(12/26/40), 12.5

7 8

10 810 8

810

F7

œ# œ œ œ œ œ œb) (III) (bIII)

“I Wonder Where My Baby isTonight” (5/17/39),4.25

6 7

10 78

79

Bmin Bbdim

œn œ# .œ Jœ œ œ œ œc) (II)

“My Melancholy Baby” (3/22/39), 3.6

7 8

11 910

11 8

F#min

Transcribed by Ben Givan

F13

F14

Vœ œ œ œ œ œa) (V7)

“Blues Clair”(2/26/43), 1.9

10 8 7 8 56

G7 œ œ œ# œ œ œb) (I)

“Minor Swing”(11/25/37), 3.2

6 5 4 5 6 5

Amin

V bb nn3

œ œ œ œ# œ œ œ œn œ œ œc)(I)

“Charleston” (4/21/37), 3.1

10 11 10 9 10 11 1013 11 10

12

Bb

Bb

œ œ# œ œd) (II)

“Ol’ Man River”(11/14/47), 2.9

13 9 12 10

Dmin

V Jœ œ œ3

œ œ œ œ œ œ(I)

“R-Vingt Six” (3/26/47), 2.5

10 12 13 12 13 12 1013 12

C

Transcribed by Ben Givan

F15

F16

V b œ œb œb œ œ œb œ Jœ(II)

“Blue Lou” (3/26/47), 2.1

8 11 9 811 9 8

10

Gm7(b5)

V # # # #œ œ œ œ Jœa) (II)

“A Little Love, A Little Kiss”(4/26/37), 3.4

2 4 54

5

Emin

œ œ œ œb) (I)

“My Sweet” (1/31/38), 2.20

7 97 10

D

V # nbbbœ œ œ œ œb œ œa) (I)

“Lady Be Good”(9/29/37), Intro.7

9 12 9 12 8 8 12

G

œ œb œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œb) (I)

“Big Boy Blues”(11/19/37), 2.3

8 6 8 5 5 8 6 6 8 5

Eb

Transcribed by Ben Givan

F17

F18

F19

V bb œ œ œ œb œ œ œn œ œc) (I)

“Chez Moi a Six Heures”(5/8/42), 2.27

8 810

7 710

8 810

Bb

V # œ> œ œ œ> œ œ œ> œ œ œ> œ œ œ> œ œ œ>(V7/VI) (VI)

“Limehouse Blues” (5/4/36), 4.11

(V7/V)

4 4 40 0 0

4 4 40 0 0

4 4 40

B7 Emin A7

V œ# œ œ œ œ# œ œ# œ œ œ œ œ(I)

“Appel Indirect” (6/14/38), 1.1

4 54 5

4 54 5

4 54 5

C

Transcribed by Ben Givan

F20

F21

V bb œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ# œ(I)

“Swing ’48” (7/6/47), 3.8

00 6

00 7

00 6

0

Gmin

V #3

œ œ œ œ3

œ œ œ œ3

œ œ œ œa) (I)

“Exactly Like You” (4/21/37),2.1

30 2 3 3 2 0

3 30 2 3

C

3

œ œ œ3

œ œ œ3

œ œ œ3

œ œ œ3

œ œ œb) (I)

“Dinah” (12/34), 2.25

30 2 3 2 0

30 2 3 2 0

30 2

G

V # #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œa) (I) (I7)

“Dinah” (12/34), 2.1

15 14 17 14 15 14 17 14 15 14 17 14

G C7 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œb) (I)

“Stompin’ atDecca” (1/31/38), 2.32

15 17 1517

15 17 1517

G

Transcribed by Ben Givan

F22

F23

F24

V # nœœ# æ œœ# æ œœæ œœ# æ œœæ(I) (bVI7)

“I’ve Had My Moments” (9/35), 2.17

a)

04 0

3 04 0

4

04

G Eb7

œæ œææ œææ œææ œææœæ œæ œæ œæœæ

(II7)

“Solitude” (4/21/37), 2.27

b)

00

00

05

45

55

D7

V # œœœ## œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ(V7/V)

“Limehouse Blues”(5/4/36), 5.13

111111

121212

111111

121212

111111

121212

111111

121212

A7

V # # #œ œb œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œb œ œ œ œ# œa) (I)

“Nagasaki” (10/15/36), 1.23

0 32

0

32

3 3

65

6 6

98

9 9

G

Jœœœn œœœ# œœœ œœœn œœœ œœœ# œœœb) (I)

“Love’s Melody” (2/1/46), 2.8

212

545

545

878

878

111011

111011

D

Transcribed by Ben Givan

F25

F26

F27

V bbbb3

‰œn œn 3Jœ œ 3

œn œ œ œ(I)

“Confessin’” (3/10/53), 3.10

10

7 7 8

5 5 6

Ab

V b ˙nœœ œb

˙̇bb œ œ ˙̇œb œb ˙̇b(VI) (bVI) (V) (bV)

“Just One of Those Things” (5/21/47), 2.43

9

1010

8

99

7

888

6

777

Bm7(b5) Bbdim Amin Abdim

V #œ œ# œ œ œ œ# œ œ Jœ

(V7/.V)

“Sweet Georgia Brown” (1/31/38), 2.23

0 42

00 2

0 3 7

A7

Transcribed by Ben Givan

F28

F29

F30

V #œ œ œ œ œ œ

œ œ œb œ œ œbœ œb œn œn œ# œn

œ œn œ œ# œ œba) (V7)

“Confessin’” (3/35), 2.23

0 42

32 3

0 53

53 4

0 64

64 5

0 75

75 6

D7

V # œ œ œ œ œb œ œ œ œn œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ œb) (I)

“Lady Be Good” (12/4/34), 2.25

4 02 0

3 02 0

4 02 0

5 0

70

6 0

70

7 0

70

G

V # œn œ œb œ œ œb œ œb œn œ œn œb œ œn œb(bVI7)

“Mixture” (4/16/42), 2.18

13 12 1113 12 11

12 11 1013 12 11

13 12 11

Eb7

Transcribed by Ben Givan

F31

F32

V b œ œb œ œ œ œb œ œ œ œb œ œ œ œ œb œn œ œ œb(V7/IV) (IV)

“Japanese Sandman” (5/17/39), 3.18

14 13 12

13 12 11

12

11

12 11 10

10

10 9 8

7

8 7

6

F7 Bb

V # # # jœ œ œ œ œ3

œ# œ œ ‰ jœ# œ œn œ# œ3

œ œ œ ‰ Jœ œ œ œ œ3

œ œ œ ‰ Jœ œ œ# œ œ3

œ œ œa) (I) (VI) (II)

“Porto Cabello” (5/21/47), 1.17

(V7)

76

75 9 6 7 6

86

86 9 7 9 7

97

77 10 9 10 9

119

119 12 10 12 10

A F#min Bmin E7

V bbbb œ œ œ œ œ œ3

œn œ œœn œn œ œ œn œ

3

œb œ! œ(III) (bIII) (II)

“Hungaria” (take 1) (3/21/39), 5.13

1110

89

8 11 10 11 10

9 1210

9 1210 9 10 9

Cmin Cbdim Bbdim

Transcribed by Ben Givan

F33

F34

V bbbb3

œ# œb œ3

œ œ œ3

œ œb œ(IV)

“Anniversary Song”(7/6/47), 2.9

9 11 1012 10

1012 11 10

Dmin

3

œ œn œ œ3

œn œ œb3

œb œ œ 3œ œn œb3

œ œ œb) (V7)

“Distraction” (4/16/42), 2.23

6 7 8 9 5 8 69 6

68 7 6 5 8

6

Eb7

V # #3

œ œ œ3

œ œ œb3

œ œ œb œ œb Jœ(II)

“Dynamisme” (5/8/42), 4.13

c)

13 15 1315 13

1315 14 13 12

15

Dm7(b5)

3

œ œ œn3

œ œ œ3

œ œ œ# Jœd) (V7)

“Coquette” (1/31/46), 2.12

10 9 8 78 5

7 6 5 6

A7

V jœ œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ# œ(I)

“Ol’ Man River” (11/14/47), 2.1

10 12 10 9 1012 10 9 10

10 9 8 910 8 7 8

C

Transcribed by Ben Givan

F36

F35

V b3

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ3

œ œ œ œn œ œ œ œ œb œa) (I)

“Marie” (1-2/49), 3.5

10 12 10 9 10 12 10 912 10 12 10 9 10 12 10 9

13 12

F

V bbbb œb œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œb) (V7/II)

“Confessin’”(3/10/53), 3.12

11 11 10 13 11 1013 111311 10

13

F7

V # #Jœœ

Jœœ

Jœ ‰ œ œ œ Jœ ‰a) (III) (VI) (II) (V7)

“Exactly Like You”(4/21/37), 3.23

57

57

57

57

Emin Amin Dmin G7

œ œ œn œ( ) ˙ œ œ œ œ( ) ˙b) (I) (V7)

“Ain’t Misbehavin’”(4/22/37), 2.25

12 1214

14

12 1214

14

D A7

Transcribed by Ben Givan

F38

F37

V # # # # nn# #œ œ œ œ œ œ‹ œc) (I) (II) (V7)

“My Melancholy Baby”(3/22/39), 2.30

7

8

7

8 8 8

E F#min B7 œn œ# œn œ# œn œ#d) (IV) (V7)

“Daphne” (1/31/38), 3.30

10 10 10 10 10 10

Gmin7 A7

V # # œ œ œ3

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ3

œ œ œe) (VI) (II) (V7) (I)

“Ain’t Misbehavin’” (4/22/37), 2.7

0 0 0 5 7 5 0 0 5 7 5 0 0 0 5 7 5

Bmin Emin A7 D

V bb nn#3

œ œ œ ˙b3

œ œ œ ˙3

œ œ œ ˙a) (V7)

“Hot Lips” (4/22/37), 2.30

10 1211 13

10 1211 13

10 1211 13

F7

3

‹ ‹# œ œ3

‹ ‹ œ œb3

‹ ‹ œ œnb) (V7/V)

“It Had to Be You”(2/1/38), 2.5

76

87

76

86

76

87

A7

Transcribed by Ben Givan

F39

V b3

œ œ œ3

œb œb œ3

œ œ œ3

œ# œ œ3

œn œb œ3

œn œ œ3

œb œb œ(I) (V7/IV)

“Rose Room” (4/22/37), 2.20

12 13 12 11 12 11 10 11 10 9 10 9 8 9 8 7 8 7 6 7 6

F F7

V bbœ œ œ œb œ œ œ œ(I)

“Blues Clair”(2/26/43), 4.11

109 12 13 10

12 9 10

C œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ# jœ(I)

“Minor Blues”(4/16/47), 5.11

1212

13 1013 10

12 9 10

Gmin

Transcribed by Ben Givan

F40

F41

Biographical and Historical Bibliography N.B. This is not a comprehensive listing. For books and DVDs on how to play this music, consult www.djangobooks.com.

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Some Books about Django Reinhardt

Antonietto, Alain, and François Billard. Django Reinhardt: Rhythmes Futurs. Paris: Fayard, 2004. Bessières, Vincent, and Michael Dregni. Django Reinhardt: Swing de Paris. Paris: Éditions Textuel, 2012. Balen, Noël. Django Reinhardt: Le Génie Vagabond. Monacho: Rocher, 2003. Colombo, Robert G. Django Oltre il Mito: La Via Non American al Jazz. Genova: Erga Edizioni, 2007. Delaunay, Charles. Django Reinhardt. New York: Da Capo Press, 1961. Dregni, Michael. Django: The Life and Music of a Gypsy Legend. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004. Fargeton, Pierre. La Modernité Chez Django: L’influence du Be-Bop sur le Langage de Django Reinhardt, entre 1947 et 1953. Aubauis: Mémoire d’Oc, 2005. Franco, Maurizio. Django Reinhardt: Dalla Chitarra Gitana al Jazz. Milano: Sinfonica Jazz, 2002. Gerber, Alain. Insensiblement (Django). Paris: Fayard, 2010. Givan, Benjamin. The Music of Django Reinhardt. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2010. Hodeir, André. “Django Reinhardt’s Solo in ‘Solid Old Man.’” In Toward Jazz, trans. Noël Burch, 186–88. New York: Da Capo, 1962. Jiménez, Juan P., and Emilie Durand. Django Reinhardt: Un Gitano en Paris. Lleida: Milenio, 2012. Marty, Pierre. Django Ressuscité: Contribution à l’étude d’une auto-rééducation fonctionelle... en 1928. Perigueux: Copédit, 2005.

Nabé, Marc-Édouard. Nuage. Paris: Le Dilettante, 2009. Schmitz, Alexander, and Peter Maier. Django Reinhardt: Sein Leben, Seine Musik, Seine Schallplaten. Gauting-Buchendorff: Oreos Verlag, 1985. Williams, Patrick. Django. Marseille: Éditions Parenthèses, 1998. Williams, Patrick, et al. Les Quatre Vies Posthumes de Django Reinhardt: Trois Fictions et une Chronique. Marseille: Éditions Parenthèses, 2010. Vernon, Paul. Jean “Django” Reinhardt: A Contetual Bio-Discography: 1910–1953. Aldershot: Ashgate, 2003.

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Some Books about Jazz Manouche

Awosusi, Anita, ed. Die Musik der Sinti und Roma: Band 2: Der Sinti-Jazz. Heidelberg: Dokumentations- und Kulturzentrum Deutscher Sinti und Roma, 1997. Dregni, Michael, with Alain Antonietto, and Anne Legrand. Django Reinhardt and the Illustrated History of Gypsy Jazz. Denver: Speck Press, 2006. Dregni, Michael. Gypsy Jazz: In Search of Django Reinhardt and the Soul of Gypsy Swing. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008.

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Some Books on Jazz in France (and Related Subjects)

Archer-Straw, Petrine. Negrophilia: Avant-Garde Paris and Black Culture in the 1920s. New York: Thames and Hudson, 2000. Blake, Jody. Le Tumulte Noir: Modernist Art and Popular Entertainment in Jazz-Age Paris, 1900–1930. University Park, Penn.: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1999. Bricktop, with James Haskins. Bricktop. New York: Welcome Rain Publishers, 1983. Chesnel, Jacques. Le Jazz en Quarantaine: 1940–1946: Occupation/Liberation. Paris: Isoète, 1994. Fry, Andy. Paris Blues: African American Music and French Popular Culture, 1920 -1960. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2014.

Gendron, Bernard. Between Montmartre and the Mudd Club: Popular Music and the Avant-Garde. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2002. Goddard, Chris. Jazz Away from Home. New York: Paddington Press, 1979. Jackson, Jeffrey H. Making Jazz French: Music and Modern Life in Interwar Paris. Durham, N.C.: Duke University Press, 2003.

Jordan, Matthew F. Le Jazz: Jazz and French Cultural Identity. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2010. Lloyd, Craig. Eugene Bullard: Black Expatriate in Jazz-Age Paris. Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press, 2006. Miller, Mark. Some Hustling, This!: Taking Jazz to the World 1914–1929. Toronto: The Mercury Press, 2005. Miner, Luke. Paris Jazz: A Guide from the Jazz Age to the Present. New York: The Little Bookroom, 2005. Moody, Bill. The Jazz Exiles: American Musicians Abroad. Reno: University of Nevada Press, 1993. Nettelbeck, Colin. Dancing with De Beauvoir: Jazz and the French. Carlton: Melbourne University Press, 2004. Régnier, Gérard. Jazz et Société sous l’Occupation. Paris: L’Harmattan, 2009. Shack, William A. Harlem in Montmartre: A Paris Jazz Story between the Great Wars. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2001. Stovall, Tyler. Paris Noir: African Americans in the City of Light. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1996. Tournès, Ludovic. New Orleans sur Seine: Histoire du Jazz en France. Paris: Fayard, 1999. Vian, Boris. Jazz in Paris: Chroniques de jazz pour la station de radio WNEW New York (1948–49), 23–43. Paris: Pauvert, 1996. Vian, Boris. Chroniques de Jazz. Paris: Pauvert, 1996. Vian, Boris. Écrits sur le Jazz.!Paris: Pauvert, 1996. (?) Vian, Boris. Round About Close to Midnight: The Jazz Writings of Boris Vian. Trans. Mike Zwerin. London: Quartet Books, 1988.

Zwerin, Mike. Swing under the Nazis: Jazz as a Metaphor for Freedom. New York: Cooper Square Press, 1985. Zwerin, Mike. The Parisian Jazz Chronicles: An Improvisational Memoir. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2005.