Last year I put together a list of books about jazz capitals of America. March is Women's History Month, but any time would be good for posting this new list-a first-draft bibliography of books about women in jazz, including both overviews and notable biographies. As with the jazz-capitals compilation, I have read many but by no means all of these books, and comments and suggestions for additions are welcome. A list of some Night Lights shows about women in jazz follows after the bibliography:
- Chris Albertson, Bessie (Bessie Smith biography).
- Paul de Barros, Shall We Play That One Together? The Life And Art Of Jazz Piano Legend Marian McPartland.
- William R. Bauer, Open The Door: The Life And Music Of Betty Carter.
- Chris Becker, Freedom Of Expression: Interviews With Women In Jazz.
- Franya J. Berkman, Monument Eternal: The Music Of Alice Coltrane.
- Carolyn Glenn Brewer, Changing The Tune: The Kansas City Women's Jazz Festival, 1978-1985
- Katheryne Russell-Brown and Frank Morrison, Little Melba And Her Big Trombone (illustrated book for children about trombonist and arranger/composer Melba Liston).
- Donald Clarke, Billie Holiday: Wishing On The Moon.
- Rosemary Clooney, Girl Singer: An Autobiography
- Nadine Cohodas, Princess Noire: The Tumultuous Reign Of Nina Simone.
- Nadine Cohodas, Queen: The Life And Music Of Dinah Washington.
- Linda Dahl, Morning Glory: A Biography Of Mary Lou Williams.
- Angela Y. Davis, Blues Legacies And Black Feminism: Gertrude "Ma" Rainey, Bessie Smith, And Billie Holiday.
- James L. Dickerson, Just For A Thrill: Lil Hardin Armstrong, First Lady Of Jazz.
- James Gavin, Is That All There Is? The Strange Life Of Peggy Lee.
- Lorraine Gordon, Alive At The Village Vanguard: My Life In And Out Of Jazz Time
- Leslie Gourse, Madame Jazz: Contemporary Women Instrumentalists.
- Leslie Gourse, Sophisticated Ladies: The Great Women Of Jazz.
- Farah Jasmine Griffin, If You Can't Be Free, Be A Mystery: In Search Of Billie Holiday.
- D. Antoinette Handy, Black Women In American Bands And Orchestras
- D. Antoinette Handy, The International Sweethearts of Rhythm.
- Billie Holiday and William Dufty, Lady Sings The Blues.
- David Kastin, Nica's Dream: The Life And Legend Of The Jazz Baroness (biography of Pannonica de Koenigswarter).
- Tammy Kernodle, Soul On Soul: The Life And Music Of Mary Lou Williams.
- Peggy Lee, Miss Peggy Lee: An Autobiography
- Alan Light, What Happened, Miss Simone? A Biography.
- Kristen A. McGee, Some Liked It Hot: Jazz Women In Film And Television, 1928-1959.
- Marian McPartland, Marian McPartland's Jazz World: All In Good Time.
- Diane Wood Middlebrook, Suits Me: The Double Life Of Billy Tipton.
- Norma Miller, Swingin' At The Savoy: The Memoir Of A Jazz Dancer
- Carol Ann Muller and Sathima Bea Benjamin, Musical Echoes: South African Women Thinking In Jazz.
- Stuart Nicholson, Ella Fitzgerald: A Biography Of The First Lady Of Jazz.
- Anita O'Day with George Eells, High Times, Hard Times.
- Jeannie Gayle Pool, Peggy Gilbert And Her All-Girl Band.
- Flora Purim, Freedom Song
- Hannah Rothschild, The Baroness: The Search For Nica, The Rebellious Rothschild And Jazz's Secret Muse
- Nichole T. Rustin and Sherrie Tucker (editors), Big Ears: Listening For Gender In Jazz Studies.
- Nina Simone, I Put A Spell On You: The Autobiography Of Nina Simone.
- Janis Stockhouse and Wayne Enstice, Jazzwomen: Conversations With Twenty-One Musicians.
- Sherrie Tucker, Swing Shift: "All-Girl" Bands Of The 1940s.
- Gayle Wald, Shout, Sister, Shout! The Untold Story Of Rock-And-Roll Trailblazer Sister Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
- Valerie Wilmer, Mama Said There'd Be Days Like This: My Life In The Jazz World.
Night Lights Shows About Women In Jazz
- Cats Who Sing and Swing: Women Singer-Pianists of the 1940s and 50s
- To Be Somebody: Hazel Scott
- The Swingin Jezebel: Anita O'Day in the 1940s
