Michael Connelly often gets asked about the music that he mentions in his books. So here is the complete list of artists, songs, and records/CDs mentioned in Michael’s novels. Enjoy! Listen to some of the music via Spotify.
Complete List:
The 1975
Abbey Lincoln
“Amazing Grace”
Art Blakey
Art Pepper:
“High Jingo”
“Straight Life” (Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section)
“The Shadow of Your Smile”
“You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To”
“Patricia,” “Straight Life,” and “Over The Rainbow,” (Unreleased Art)
Beach Boys:
“Help Me, Rhonda”
The Beatles
Ben Webster
Biggie Smalls
Bill Evans and the Bill Evans Trio
Billy Strayhorn:
“Blood Count”
“Lush Life”
“Rain Check”
Bishop Briggs:
“Dark Side”
Black Pumas
Bob Dylan:
“All Along the Watchtower”
Bob Seger:
“Night Moves”
Boz Scaggs:
“For All We Know”
Branford Marsalis
Bruce Springsteen:
“Darkness on the Edge of Town”
Cab Calloway:
“Everybody That Comes To My Place Has To Eat”
Cannonball Adderley
Charlie Mingus:
“C Jam Blues”
“Perdido”
Charlie Parker
Chet Baker:
“Cool Burnin'”
“My Funny Valentine”
“Night Bird”
Christian Scott:
“Litany Against Fear”
“Naima”
The Clash:
“I Fought The Law”
Clifford Brown:
“Willow Weep For Me,” (Clifford Brown With Strings)
Cody Jinks
Cole Porter
Connie Stevens:
“Both Sides Now”
“Promises, Promises”
Cream
Danny Grissett:
“Let’s Face the Music and Dance,” (Form)
Death Cab For Cutie:
“Black Sun”
DelFeayo Marsalis
Dizzy Gillespie:
“The Champ”
The Doors:
“The Changeling,”
“Riders On The Storm,”
“The End”
Dr. Dre
Duke Ellington:
“Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me”
Ed Reed:
“Here’s to Life”
Eddie Harris and Les McCann:
“Compared To What”
Eddie Money:
“Two Tickets to Paradise”
Elvis Presley:
“Blue Christmas”
Eric Clapton:
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow”
“Judgement Day” (Clapton)
Frank Morgan:
“All Blues”
“Lullaby” (Mood Indigo)
Frank Sinatra:
“Summer Wind”
“That’s Life”
Gary Smulyan:
(Hidden Treasures)
George Cables:
“Helen’s Song”
Gioacchino Rossini:
“William Tell Overture”
Grace Kelly:
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow”
“By the Grave”
Guns N’ Roses:
“Sweet Child O’ Mine”
Hank Williams, Jr
Herbie Hancock
Horace Tapscott
Houston Person:
(Chemistry with Ron Carter)
Howlin’ Wolf:
“I Ain’t Superstitious”
“Wang Dang Doodle”
Jack Sheldon
The Jazz Messengers
Jim Morrison
Jimi Hendrix:
“Fire”
“Purple Haze”
Joe Zawinul
John Coltrane:
“Song of the Underground Railroad”
“Soul Eyes”
“Spiritual”
John Fogerty:
“Bad Moon Rising”
John Handy
John Handy Quintet:
“Naima”
John Legend and The Roots:
“Compared To What”
Judy Collins
Kamasi Washington:
“Change of the Guard”
King Curtis:
“A Whiter Shade of Pale”
Lee Konitz
Louis Armstrong:
“What a Wonderful World”
Louis Jordan:
“Knock Me A Kiss”
Lucinda Williams:
(Car Wheels on a Gravel Road)
(World Without Tears)
Ludacris
Mark “Preacher” Gross
Marvin Gaye:
“Sexual Healing”
“What’s Going On”
Maurice Ravel:
“Boléro”
Michael Formanek:
(The Rub and Spare Change)
Miles Davis:
“All Blues” (Kind of Blue)
“Freddie Freeloader” (Kind of Blue)
(Live at the Fillmore East)
Milt Jackson
Moody Blues
Muse:
“Dig Down”
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov:
“Scheherazade”
Paul Chambers
Pearl Jam
Percy Sledge:
“When a Man Loves a Woman”
Pharez Whitted Quintet:
“Tree of Life”
Philly Joe Jones
Procol Harum
Red Garland
Rod Stewart:
“Twisting The Night Away”
Rolling Stones:
“Midnight Rambler”
Ron Carter:
“Seven Steps to Heaven,” (Dear Miles)
“Stella By Starlight,” (Dear Miles)
“Bags’ Groove”
(Chemistry with Houston Person)
“A Song For You,” (At His Best)
Roseanne Cash
Ry Cooder:
“It’s Just Work For Me,” (Chávez Ravine)
“Teardrops Will Fall”
“Poor Man’s Shangri-La”
Samuel Barber:
“Adagio for Strings”
Seamus Blake
Shelly Berg Trio:
“Blackbird”
Shirley Horn
Snoop Dog
Sonny and Cher:
“I’ve Got You Babe”
Sonny Rollins:
(Falling In Love With Jazz)
Thelonious Monk:
“Evidence,” (Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane – At Carnegie Hall)
Three Six Mafia
Tom Harrell
Tom Waits:
Blue Valentine
Tomasz Stanko:
“Soul of Things”
Tupac Shakur:
“God Bless The Dead”
“Life Goes On”
“So Many Tears”
“To Live & Die in L.A.”
Van Morrison:
“Wild Night”
Warren Zevon:
“Lawyers, Guns and Money”
Wayne Shorter:
(Introducing Wayne Shorter)
“502 Blues”
“Harry’s Last Stand”
Weather Report:
“Birdland”
Wynton Marsalis:
“The Majesty of the Blues”
Complete List By Book
From The Black Echo
Branford Marsalis
Frank Morgan
John Coltrane, “Soul Eyes”
Sonny Rollins, (Falling In Love With Jazz)
Wayne Shorter, “502 Blues”
Jimi Hendrix, “Purple Haze”
From The Black Ice
Frank Morgan, “Lullaby,” (Mood Indigo)
John Coltrane, “Song of the Underground Railroad”
John Coltrane, “Spiritual”
Percy Sledge, “When a Man Loves a Woman”
From The Concrete Blonde
Cab Calloway, “Everybody That Comes To My Place Has To Eat”
Frank Sinatra, “Summer Wind”
Billy Strayhorn, “Lush Life”
Billy Strayhorn, “Blood Count”
Billy Strayhorn, “Rain Check”
From The Last Coyote
Clifford Brown, “Willow Weep For Me,” (Clifford Brown With Strings)
Duke Ellington, “Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me”
Louis Armstrong, “What a Wonderful World”
Abbey Lincoln
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, “Scheherazade”
Marvin Gaye, “Sexual Healing”
Tom Waits, Blue Valentine
From Trunk Music
Beach Boys, “Help Me, Rhonda”
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, “Scheherazade”
Eddie Money, “Two Tickets to Paradise”
Warren Zevon, “Lawyers, Guns and Money”
From Blood Work
Howlin’ Wolf, “I Ain’t Superstitious”
Howlin’ Wolf, “Wang Dang Doodle”
Louis Jordan, “Knock Me A Kiss”
Rolling Stones, “Midnight Rambler”
Jimi Hendrix, “Fire”
Bob Dylan, “All Along the Watchtower”
From Angels Flight
Samuel Barber, “Adagio for Strings”
Frank Morgan, “Lullaby”
From Void Moon
Lucinda Williams, Car Wheels on a Gravel Road
Roseanne Cash
Frank Sinatra, “Summer Wind”
Frank Sinatra, “That’s Life”
From A Darkness More Than Night
Art Pepper, “Straight Life,” (Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section)
Red Garland
Paul Chambers
Philly Joe Jones
Miles Davis
Bob Seger, “Night Moves”
Rod Stewart, “Twisting The Night Away”
Bruce Springsteen, “Darkness on the Edge of Town”
Van Morrison, “Wild Night”
John Fogerty, “Bad Moon Rising”
From City Of Bones
Bill Evans
Miles Davis, (Kind of Blue)
John Coltrane
Clifford Brown
Bill Evans Trio
From Chasing The Dime
Guns N’ Roses
From Lost Light
Art Pepper, “You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To”
Jack Sheldon
Cole Porter
Lee Konitz
Art Pepper, “High Jingo”
Art Pepper, “The Shadow of Your Smile”
Frank Morgan, “Lullaby,” (Mood Indigo)
George Cables
John Coltrane, “Soul Eyes”
Chet Baker, “Cool Burnin'”
Chet Baker, “My Funny Valentine”
Louis Armstrong, “What a Wonderful World”
Billy Strayhorn, “Lush Life”
From The Narrows
Lucinda Williams, (World Without Tears)
Frank Morgan, “Lullaby”
From The Closers
Boz Scaggs, “For All We Know”
Miles Davis, “Freddie Freeloader,” (Kind of Blue)
From The Lincoln Lawyer
Three Six Mafia
Tupac Shakur, “God Bless The Dead”
Tupac Shakur, “Life Goes On”
Tupac Shakur, “To Live & Die in L.A.”
Tupac Shakur, “So Many Tears”
Ludacris
Dr. Dre
Biggie Smalls
Snoop Dog
Pearl Jam
From Echo Park
Ry Cooder, “It’s Just Work For Me,” (Chávez Ravine)
Thelonius Monk, “Evidence,” (Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane – At Carnegie Hall)
Miles Davis, “All Blues,” (Kind of Blue)
The Clash, “I Fought The Law”
From The Overlook
George Cables
Frank Morgan, “All Blues”
Ron Carter
Louis Armstrong, “What a Wonderful World”
Art Pepper
Chet Baker
From The Brass Verdict
Gioacchino Rossini, “William Tell Overture”
Frank Morgan
Art Pepper
Charlie Parker
Eric Clapton
Ron Carter
From The Scarecrow
Jim Morrison
The Doors, “The Changeling”
Death Cab For Cutie
The Doors, “Riders On The Storm”
The Doors, “The End”
Eric Clapton, “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”
From Nine Dragons
Ron Carter, “Seven Steps to Heaven,” (Dear Miles)
Tomasz Stanko, “Soul of Things”
Art Pepper
From The Reversal
Death Cab for Cutie
“Scheherazade”
From The Fifth Witness
Ry Cooder, “Teardrops Will Fall”
Ry Cooder, “Poor Man’s Shangri-La”
Maurice Ravel, “Boléro”
Sonny and Cher, “I’ve Got You Babe”
Eric Clapton, “Judgement Day,” (Clapton)
From The Drop
Frank Morgan
Art Pepper
Chet Baker, “Night Bird”
From The Black Box
“Mood Indigo”
Frank Morgan
George Cables, “Helen’s Song”
Art Pepper, “Patricia,” “Straight Life,” & “Over The Rainbow,” (Unreleased Art)
Ron Carter
Thelonious Monk
Danny Grissett, “Let’s Face the Music and Dance,” (Form)
Tom Harrell
Seamus Blake
Grace Kelly
Gary Smulyan, (Hidden Treasures)
Michael Formanek, (The Rub and Spare Change)
From The Burning Room
Grace Kelly, “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”
Frank Morgan
Hank Williams, Jr
Dizzy Gillespie, “The Champ”
DelFeayo Marsalis
Mark “Preacher” Gross
Ron Carter, “Seven Steps To Heaven,” & “Stella by Starlight,” (Dear Miles)
The 1975
Miles Davis
From The Crossing
John Handy Quintet, “Naima”
Ron Carter, “Bags’ Groove”
Milt Jackson
Death Cab for Cutie, “Black Sun”
Kamasi Washington
Wynton Marsalis, “The Majesty of the Blues”
From The Wrong Side of Goodbye
Christian Scott, “Litany Against Fear” and “Naima”
John Handy
Grace Kelly
Jim Hendrix
Cream
Rolling Stones
Moody Blues
Connie Stevens, “Both Sides Now”
Judy Collins
Death Cab For Cutie, “Black Sun”
From Two Kinds Of Truth
Horace Tapscott
Houston Person & Ron Carter, (Chemistry)
Frank Morgan, “Lullaby,” (Mood Indigo)
Kamasi Washington, “Change Of The Guard”
From The Night Fire
“Amazing Grace”
Ben Webster
Charlie Mingus, “C Jam Blues,” and “Perdido”
John Handy
Ron Carter
Muse, “Dig Down”
Black Pumas
Death Cab For Cutie
Bishop Briggs,”Dark Side”
Guns N’ Roses
From Fair Warning
Grace Kelly, “By the Grave”
From The Law Of Innocence
Cody Jinks
From The Dark Hours
Eddie Harris and Les McCann, “Compared To What”
John Legend and The Roots, “Compared To What”
Marvin Gaye, “What’s Going On”
From Desert Star
Clifford Brown, (Clifford Brown with Strings)
Shelly Berg Trio, “Blackbird”
The Beatles
King Curtis, “A Whiter Shade of Pale”
Procol Harum
Pharez Whitted Quintet, “Tree of Life”
Miles Davis
Ed Reed, “Here’s to Life”
Shirley Horn
Ron Carter, “A Song For You,” (At His Best)
From Resurrection Walk
Wayne Shorter, “Harry’s Last Stand,” (Introducing Wayne Shorter)
Art Blakey
The Jazz Messengers
Miles Davis, (Live at the Fillmore East)
Herbie Hancock
Cannonball Adderley
Joe Zawinul
Weather Report, “Birdland”
From The Waiting
Muse, “Dig Down”
From The Short Stories:
Christmas Even
Art Pepper
Wayne Shorter
Elvis Presley, “Blue Christmas”
“I’ll Be Home For Christmas”
Connie Stevens, “Promises, Promises”
“Tennessee Waltz”
“Auld Lang Syne”
The Perfect Triangle
“Sweet Child O’ Mine”
Nighthawks
Frank Morgan, “Lullaby”