Standards

April In Paris chords & key

Key: C major
Form: ABCD
Bars: 32
Groove: Medium swing
Time signature: 4/4

“April In Paris” is a jazz standard by Vernon Duke. It is usually played in C major as a medium swing, and the 32-bar ABCD form has 4 sections. Harmonically it contains 1 major ii–V–I cadence and 6 minor ii–V–i, uses 24 different chords and moves between the key centres C minor, A minor, F major and E minor. In this atlas it appears on 24 album tracks and in 1 transcribed solo.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — C major

G^7♭9sus

C^maj7

D^m7♭5

G^7♭9

C^maj7

G^m7

C⁷

F^maj7

B^m7♭5E⁷

A^mA^m_/G

G♭^m7♭5

B^7♭9

B^m7E⁷

E^m7♭5A^7♭9

G♭^m7♭5F^dim7

C_/EE♭^dim7

D^m7♭5G^7♭9

C⁶

B^m7♭5E⁷

A^mA^m_/G

G♭^m7♭5B^7♭9

E^maj7D^m7G⁷

G^7♭9sus

C^maj7

E^m7♭5

A^7♭9

D⁷

D^m7♭5G⁷

C⁶

Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.

Harmonic analysis

1Major ii–V–I

6Minor ii–V–i

12ii–V moves

0Tritone substitutions

1Dominant chains

24Different chords

Most used chords

C^maj7×4
D^m7♭5×3
E⁷×3
G♭^m7♭5×3
C⁶×3
G^7♭9sus×2

Key centres reached by ii–V

C minor, A minor, F major and E minor

Recorded on these albums

1949	Charlie Parker With Strings Charlie Parker · “April in Paris”
1952	April In Paris And Other Great Favorites Vic Damone
1953	Portraits on Standards Stan Kenton · “April in Paris”
1955	Sarah Vaughan Sarah Vaughan · “April in Paris”
1955	For Quiet Lovers Teddy Wilson · “April in Paris”
1955	At Birdland Wild Bill Davis · “April in Paris”
1956	Ella and Louis Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong · “April in Paris”
1956	Concert by the Sea Erroll Garner · “April in Paris”
1956	Barney Kessel, Volume 1: Easy Like Barney Kessel · “April in Paris”
1956	The Magnificent Thad Jones Thad Jones · “April in Paris”
1957	Thelonious Himself Thelonious Monk · “April in Paris”
1957	Jazz Will-O-The-Wisp Al Haig · “April in Paris”
1958	Come Fly With Me Frank Sinatra with Billy May and His Orchestra · “April in Paris”
1958	Plays Vernon Duke Andre Previn · “April in Paris”
1958	Blues Groove Tiny Grimes with Coleman Hawkins · “April in Paris”
1958	'S Awful Nice Ray Conniff · “April in Paris”
1959	All or Nothing at All Billie Holiday · “April in Paris”
1959	Brass Shout Art Farmer · “April in Paris”
1959	Blowing Around the World Ruby Braff · “April in Paris”
1960	To My Wonderful One Tony Bennett · “April in Paris”
1960	Johnny’s Mood Johnny Mathis · “April in Paris”
1960	Gettin' With It Benny Golson · “April in Paris”
1960	Parole E Musica Helen Merrill · “April in Paris”
1961	Rosie Solves the Swingin' Riddle! Rosemary Clooney · “April in Paris”

Transcribed solos on April In Paris

Wynton Marsalis trumpet

154 BPM

C-maj

29.-30.5.1986, 24.-25.9.1986

Historic 78 rpm recordings

APRIL IN PARIS Kaye Bros. Orchestra · Lenny Kaye · Jerome Kern · Albert Black and… archive.org ↗

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
I've Never Been In Love Before 26%	Frank Loesser	B♭ major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
If I Were A Bell 26%	Frank Loesser	F major	ABAC · 32	Medium-up swing
Down In The Depths 21%	Cole Porter	G major	AAB · 54	Medium swing
Try A Little Tenderness 21%	Harry Woods	E♭ major	AABA · 32	Ballad
I Love You 20%	Cole Porter	F major	AB · 32	Medium-up swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is April In Paris in?

April In Paris is usually played in C major. For B♭ instruments that is D major, for E♭ instruments A major.

Who wrote April In Paris?

April In Paris was written by Vernon Duke.

What is the form of April In Paris?

April In Paris has 4 sections (ABCD) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is April In Paris played?

The usual groove is Medium swing. Transcribed solos in our data were played at 154 BPM.

What are the chord changes to April In Paris?

The opening bars are G7b9sus | Cmaj7 | Dm7b5 | G7b9. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.