# List of jazz biographies

This is a list of English language book-length biographies and autobiographies of notable jazz musicians. The list is alphabetical by subject. Within subject, books are listed alphabetically by author. A list of related works contains books of related interest that do not meet the criteria for the main list: biographical collections, interview collections, and so on. This list is alphabetical by author.

## Main list

Allen, Red (1906/08–1967)
   * Chilton, John. Ride, Red, Ride: The Life of Henry "Red" Allen. New York: Cassell, 1999.
Armstrong, Louis (1901–1971)
   * Armstrong, Louis. Satchmo: My Life in New Orleans. New York: Da Capo Press, 1954.
   * Bergreen, Laurence. Louis Armstrong: An Extravagant Life. New York: Broadway Books, 1997.
   * Teachout, Terry. Pops: A Life of Louis Armstrong. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009.
Baker, Chet (1929–1988)
   * Gavin, James. Deep in a Dream: The Long Night of Chet Baker. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2002.
Barber, Chris (1930)
   * Barber, Chris and Alyn Shipton. Jazz Me Blues. Equinox Publishing Ltd, 2014
Barker, Danny (1909–1994)
   * Barker, Danny and Alyn Shipton. A Life in Jazz. New York: Oxford University Press, 1986.
Basie, Count (1904–1984)
   * Basie, Count. Good Morning Blues: The Autobiography of Count Basie as Told to Albert Murray. London: Paladin Books, 1987.
Bechet, Sidney (1897–1959)
   * Bechet, Sidney. Treat it Gentle. New York: Hill and Wang, 1960.
   * Chilton, John. Sidney Bechet: The Wizard of Jazz. New York: Oxford University Press, 1987.
Beiderbecke, Bix (1903–1931)
   * Berton, Ralph. Remembering Bix. New York: Harper & Row, 1974.
   * Evans, Philip R. and Linda K. Bix: The Leon Bix Beiderbecke Story. Bakersfield, California: Prelike Press, 1998.
   * Lion, Jean Pierre, translated by Gabriella Page-Fort. Bix: The Definitive Biography Of A Jazz Legend. New York: Continuum Publishers, 2004.
   * Sudhalter, Richard M., Philip R. Evans and William Dean-Myatt. Bix: Man and Legend. New Rochelle, NY: Arlington House, 1974.
Berigan, Bunny (1908–1942)
   * Dupuis, Robert. Bunny Berigan: Elusive Legend of Jazz. Baton Rouge: Louisiana University Press, 1993.
   * Zirpolo, Michael P. Mr. Trumpet: The Trials, Tribulations, and Triumph of Bunny Berigan. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, 2011.
Blake, Eubie (1887–1983)
   * Rose, Al. Eubie Blake. New York: Schirmer Books, 1979.
Bolden, Buddy (1877–1931)
   * Marquis, Donald M. In Search of Buddy Bolden: First Man of Jazz. Baton Rouge: Louisiana University Press, 1978.
Breau, Lenny (1941–1984)
   * Forbes-Roberts, Ron. One Long Tune: The Life and Music of Lenny Breau. Denton: University of North Texas Press, 2006.
Burton, Gary (born 1943)
   * Burton, Gary. Learning to Listen. Boston: Berklee Press, 2013.
Brown, Clifford (1930–1956)
   * Catalano, Nick. Clifford Brown: The Life and Art of the Legendary Jazz Trumpeter. Oxford: Cambridge University Press, 2000.
Bushell, Garvin (1902–1991)
   * Bushell, Garvin as told to Mark Tucker. Jazz from the Beginning. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1988.
Christian, Charlie (1916–1942)
   * Broadbent, Peter. Charlie Christian: Solo Flight – The Seminal Electric Guitarist, Second Edition. Blaydon on Tyne: Ashley Mark, 2003.
Coleman, Ornette (born 1930)
   * Litweiler, John. Ornette Coleman: A Harmolodic Life. London: Quartet Books, 1992.
Coltrane, John (1926–1967)
   * Porter, Lewis. John Coltrane: His Life and Music. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1999.
Condon, Eddie (1905–1973)
   * Condon, Eddie, with Thomas Sugrue. We Called It Music: A Generation of Jazz. New York: Da Capo Press, 1947.
Davis, Miles (1926–1991)
   * Davis, Miles and Quincy Troupe. Miles: The Autobiography. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1989.
Desmond, Paul (1924–1977)
   * Ramsey, Doug, Dave Brubeck, Iola Brubeck, and Paul Caulfield. Take Five: The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond. Seattle: Parkside Publications, 2005.
Dodds, Baby (1898–1959)
   * Dodds, Baby and Larry Gara. The Baby Dodds Story (Revised Edition). Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1992.
Dorsey, Tommy (1905–1956)
   * Levinson, Peter J. Tommy Dorsey: Living in a Great Big Way. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press, 2005.
Eldridge, Roy (1911–1989)
   * Chilton, John. Roy Eldridge: Little Jazz Giant. New York: Continuum, 2002.
Ellington, Duke (1899–1974)
   * Ellington, Duke. Music is My Mistress. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1973.
Evans, Bill (1929–1980)
   * Pettinger, Peter. Bill Evans: How My Heart Sings. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1998.
Freeman, Bud (1906–1991)
   * Freeman, Bud. You Don't Look Like a Musician. Detroit: Belamp Publications, 1974.
   * Freeman, Bud. If You Know of a Better Life Please Tell Me. Dublin: B. Eaves, 1976.
   * Freeman, Bud and Robert Wolf. Crazeology: The Autobiography of a Chicago Jazzman. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1989.
Getz, Stan (1927–1991)
   * Gelly, Dave. Stan Getz: Nobody Else But Me. San Francisco: Backbeat Books, 2002.
   * Maggin, Donald L. Stan Getz: A Life in Jazz. New York: W. Morrow and Co., 1996.
Gillespie, Dizzy (1917–1993)
   * Gillespie, Dizzy. To Be, Or Not... To Bop: Memoirs. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1979.
   * Maggin, Donald L. Dizzy: The Life and Times of John Birks Gillespie. New York: HarperEntertainment, 2005.
   * Shipton, Alyn. Groovin' High: The Life of Dizzy Gillespie. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1991.
Goodman, Benny (1909–1986)
   * Collier, James Lincoln. Benny Goodman and the Swing Era. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.
   * Firestone, Ross. Swing, Swing, Swing: The Life and Times of Benny Goodman. New York: W. W. Norton and Co., 1993.
Gordon, Dexter (1923–1990)
   * Britt, Stan. Dexter Gordon: A Musical Biography. New York: Da Capo Press, 1989.
Green Grant (1935–1979)
   * Andrews Green Sharony. Grant Green: Rediscovering the Forgotten Genius of Jazz Guitar. New York: Backbeat Books, 2002
Hampton, Lionel (1908–2002)
   * Hampton, Lionel and James Haskins. Hamp: An Autobiography. New York: Warner Books, 1989.
Hawes, Hampton (1928–1977)
   * Hawes, Hampton and Don Asher. Raise Up Off Me: A Portrait of Hampton Hawes. New York: Da Capo Press, 1979.
Hawkins, Coleman (1904–1969)
   * Chilton, John. The Song of the Hawk: The Life and Recordings of Coleman Hawkins. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1990.
Heath, Jimmy (born 1926)
   * Heath, Jimmy and Joseph McLaren. I Walked with Giants: The Autobiography of Jimmy Heath. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2010.
Henderson, Fletcher (1897–1952)
   * Magee, Jeffrey. The Uncrowned King of Swing: Fletcher Henderson and Big Band Jazz. New York: Oxford University Press, 2005.
Hendricks, Jon (1921-2017)
   * Jones, Peter. This is Bop: Jon Hendricks and the Art of Vocal Jazz. Sheffield: Equinox Publishing, 2020.
Herman, Woody (1913–1987)
   * Lees, Gene. Leader of the Band: The Life of Woody Herman. New York: Oxford University Press, 1995.
Hersch, Fred (born 1955)
   * Hersch, Fred. Good Things Happen Slowly: A Life In and Out of Jazz. New York: Crown Archetype, 2017.
Hines, Earl (1903–1983)
   * Dance, Stanley. The World of Earl Hines. New York: Scribner, 1977.
Hinton, Milt (1910–2000)
   * Hinton, Milt, David G. Berger, and Holly Maxson. Playing the Changes: Milt Hinton's Life in Stories and Photographs. Nashville: Vanderbilt University Press, 2008.
Holiday, Billie (1915–1959)
   * Nicholson, Stuart. Billie Holiday. Boston: Northeastern University Press, 1995.
James, Harry (1916–1983)
   * Levinson, Peter J. Trumpet Blues: The Life of Harry James. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999.
Jarrett, Keith (1945)
   * Carr, Ian. Keith Jarrett: The Man and His Music. London: Grafton, 1991.
Johnson, Bunk (ca. 1879 to 1889–1949)
   * Hazeldine, Mike and Barry Martin. Bunk Johnson: Song of the Wanderer. New Orleans: Jazzology Press, 2000.
   * Hillman, Christopher. Bunk Johnson: His Life and Times. New York: Universe Books, 1988.
Johnson, J. J. (1924–2001)
   * Berrett, Joshua and Louis G. Bourgois. The Musical World of J. J. Johnson. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, 1999.
Johnson, James P. (1894–1955)
   * Brown, Scott E. and Robert Hilbert. James P. Johnson: A Case of Mistaken Identity. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press and the Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University, 1986.
Kessel, Barney
   * Kessel, Jo. Barney Kessel: A Jazz Legend. Oklahoma Heritage Association, 2014
   * Summerfield, Maurice J. Barney Kessel: A Jazz Legend. Ashley Mark, 2008
Kirk, Andy (1898–1992)
   * Kirk, Andy and Amy Lee. Twenty Years on Wheels. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1989.
Kirk, Rahsaan Roland (1935–1977)
   * Kruth, John. Bright Moments: The Life and Legacy of Rahsaan Roland Kirk. New York: Welcome Rain Publishers, 2000.
Konitz, Lee (born 1927)
   * Hamilton, Andy and Lee Konitz. Lee Konitz: Conversations on the Improviser's Art. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2007.
LaFaro, Scott (1936–1961)
   * LaFaro-Fernández, Helene. Jade Visions: The Life and Music of Scott LaFaro. Denton, TX: University of North Texas Press, 2009.
Lunceford, Jimmie (1902–1947)
   * Determeyer, Eddy. Rhythm is our Business: Jimmie Lunceford and the Harlem Express. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2006.
Marsh, Warne (1927–1987)
   * Chamberlain, Safford. An Unsung Cat: The Life and Music of Warne Marsh. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, 2000.
Mehldau, Brad
   * Mehldau, Brad. Formation. Sheffield: Equinox, 2023.
Metheny, Pat
   * Niles, Richard. The Pat Metheny Interviews. Hal Leonard, 2009.
Mezzrow, Mezz (1899–1972)
   * Mezzrow, Mezz and Bernard Wolfe. Really the Blues. New York: Random House, 1946.
Mingus, Charles (1922–1979)
   * Mingus, Charles. Beneath the Underdog: His World as Composed by Mingus. New York: Knopf, 1971.
Monk, Thelonious (1917–1982)
   * Kelley, Robin D. G. Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original. New York: Free Press, 2009.
   * Fitterling, Thomas. Thelonious Monk: His Life and Music (Revised Edition). Berkeley: Berkeley Hills Books, 1997.
Morgan, Lee (1938–1972)
   * McMillan, Jeff. Delightfulee: The Life and Music of Lee Morgan. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2008.
Morton, Jelly Roll (1880s–1941)
   * Reich, Howard and William Gaines. Jelly's Blues: The Life, Music, and Redemption of Jelly Roll Morton. Cambridge, Mass.: Da Capo Press, 2003.
Murphy, Mark (1932-2015)
   * Jones, Peter. This is Hip: the Life of Mark Murphy. Sheffield: Equinox Publishing, 2018.
Nichols, Herbie (1919–1963)
   * Miller, Mark. Herbie Nichols: A Jazzist's Life. Toronto: Mercury Press Publishers, 2009.
Oliver, King (1885–1938)
   * Williams, Martin T. King Oliver. New York: Barnes, 1961.
Ory, Edward "Kid" (1886–1973)
   * McCusker, John. Creole Trombone: Kid Ory and the Early Years of Jazz. Jackson, Mississippi: University Press of Mississippi, 2012.
Parker, Charlie (1920–1955)
   * Giddens, Gary. Celebrating Bird: The Triumph of Charlie Parker. New York: Beech Tree Books, 1987.
   * Harrison, Max. Charlie Parker. New York: Barnes, 1960.
   * Priestley, Brian. Chasin' the Bird: The Life and Legacy of Charlie Parker. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006.
   * Russell, Ross. Bird Lives: The High Life and Hard Times of Charlie (Yardbird) Parker. New York: Charterhouse, 1973.
   * Woideck, Carl. Charlie Parker: His Music and Life. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1996.
Pastorius, Jaco
   * Milkowski, Bill. Jaco. Backbeat, 2005.
Pepper, Art (1925–1982)
   * Pepper, Art and Laurie. Straight Life: The Story of Art Pepper. New York: Schirmer Books, 1979.
Peterson, Oscar (1925–2007)
   * Barris, Alex. Oscar Peterson: A Musical Biography. Toronto: HarperCollins, 2002.
   * Lees, Gene. Oscar Peterson: The Will to Swing. Rocklin, Cal.: Prima Publishing, 1990.
   * Peterson, Oscar. A Jazz Odyssey: The Life of Oscar Peterson. New York: Continuum Books, 2002.
Pizzarelli, John
   * Pizzarelli, John. World on a String. Wiley, 2012
Powell, Bud (1924–1966)
   * Paudras, Francis. Dance of the Infidels: A Portrait of Bud Powell. New York: Da Capo Press, 1998.
Rich, Buddy (1917–1987)
   * Tormé, Mel. Traps, The Drum Wonder: The Life of Buddy Rich. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991.
Rollins, Sonny (born 1930)
   * Nisenson, Eric. Open Sky: Sonny Rollins and His World of Improvisation. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2000.
Russell, George (1923–2009)
   * Heining, Duncan. George Russell: The Story of An American Composer. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 2010.
Russell, Pee Wee (1906–1969)
   * Hilbert, Robert. Pee Wee Russell: The Life of a Jazzman. New York: Oxford University Press, 1993.
Scott, Hazel (1920–1981)
   * Chilton, Karen. Hazel Scott: The Pioneering Journey of a Jazz Pianist, from Cafe Society to Hollywood to HUAC. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2008.
Shaw, Artie (1910–2004)
   * Shaw, Artie. The Trouble with Cinderella: An Outline of Identity. New York: Farrar, Straus and Young, 1952.
Shorter, Wayne (born 1933)
   * Mercer, Michelle. Footprints: The Life and Work of Wayne Shorter. New York: J.P. Tarcher/Penguin, 2004.
Silver, Horace (1928–2014)
   * Silver, Horace. Let's Get to the Nitty Gritty: The Autobiography of Horace Silver. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2007.
Smith, Johnny
   * Flanagan, Lin. Moonlight in Vermont: The Official Biography of Johnny Smith. Centerstream, 2015
Snow, Valaida (1904–1956)
   * Miller, Mark. High Hat, Trumpet, and Rhythm: The Life and Music of Valaida Snow. Toronto: Mercury Press, 2007.
Strayhorn, Billy (1915–1967)
   * Hajdu, David. Lush Life: A Biography of Billy Strayhorn. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1996.
Sun Ra (1914–1993)
   * Szwed, John F. Space is the Place: The Lives and Times of Sun Ra. New York, Pantheon Books, 1997.
Tapscott, Horace (1934–1999)
   * Tapscott, Horace and Steven Louis Isoardi. Songs of the Unsung: The Musical and Social Journey of Horace Tapscott. Durham: Duke University Press, 2001.
Tatum, Art (1909–1956)
   * Lester, James. Too Marvelous for Words: The Life and Genius of Art Tatum. New York: Oxford University Press, 1994.
Tristano, Lennie (1919–1978)
   * Ind, Peter. Jazz Visions: Lennie Tristano and His Legacy. Oakville, Conn.: Equinox Publishing, 2005.
   * Shim, Eunmi. Lennie Tristano: His Life in Music. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2007.
Twardzik, Dick (1931–1955)
   * Chambers, Jack. Bouncin' With Bartok: The Incomplete Works of Richard Twardzik. Toronto: Mercury Press Publishers, 2008.
Waller, Fats (1904–1943)
   * Shipton, Alyn. Fats Waller: The Cheerful Little Earful. New York: Continuum, 2002.
   * Waller, Maurice and Anthony Calabrese. Fats Waller. New York: Schirmer Books, 1977.
Webster, Ben (1909–1973)
   * Büchmann-Møller, Frank. Someone to Watch Over Me: The Life and Music of Ben Webster. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2006.
   * de Valk, Jeroen. Ben Webster: His Life and Music. Berkeley: Berkeley Hills Books, 2001.
Wilber, Bob (born 1928)
   * Wilber, Bob and Derek Webster. Music Was Not Enough. New York: Oxford University Press, 1988.
Williams, Mary Lou (1910–1981)
   * Dahl, Linda. Morning Glory: A Biography of Mary Lou Williams. New York: Pantheon Books, 1999.
Young, Lester (1909–1959)
   * Büchmann-Møller, Frank. You Just Fight for Your Life: The Story of Lester Young. New York: Praeger, 1990.
   * Gelly, Dave. Being Prez: The Life and Music of Lester Young. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007.

## Related works

* Barker, Danny and Alan Shipton. Buddy Bolden and the Last Days of Storyville. New York: Cassell, 1998.
* Gitler, Ira. Jazz Masters of the Forties. New York: McMillan Co., 1966.
* Goldberg, Joe. Jazz Masters of the Fifties. New York: McMillan Co., 1965.
* Gourse, Leslie. Madame Jazz: Contemporary Women Instrumentalists. New York: Oxford University Press, 1995.
* Hadlock, Richard. Jazz Masters of the Twenties. New York: McMillan Co., 1965.
* Lees, Gene. Waiting for Dizzy: Fourteen Jazz Portraits. New York: Cooper Square Press, 2000.
* McPartland, Marian. Marian McPartland's Jazz World: All In Good Time. Champaign: University of Illinois Press, 2005.
* Parker, Chan. My Life in E Flat. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, 1999.
    Parker was the former wife of Charlie Parker and Phil Woods. Her autobiography was originally published in French.
* Reisner, Robert George. Bird: The Legend of Charlie Parker. New York: Da Capo Press, 1962.
* Spellman, A. B. Four Lives in the Bebop Business. New York: Pantheon Books, 1966.
    This book contains chapters on Cecil Taylor, Herbie Nichols, Jackie McLean, and Ornette Coleman. It has been reprinted under various titles: Black Music: Four Lives, Four Jazz Lives, etc.
* Stewart, Rex William. Jazz Masters of the Thirties. New York: McMillan Co., 1972.
* Taylor, Art. Notes and Tones: Musician-to-Musician Interviews. New York: Perigree, 1982.
* Williams, Martin T. Jazz Masters in Transition: 1957–69. New York: McMillan Co., 1970.
* Williams, Martin T. Jazz Masters of New Orleans. New York: McMillan Co., 1967.