Learn to Play ‘Coquette,’ an Approachable Arrangement of a Jazz Standard Built from Simple Shapes

“Coquette” is a pop tune turned jazz standard, written in 1928 by Carmen Lombardo and Johnny Green with lyrics by Gus Kahn (of “I’ll See You in My Dreams” fame), not to be confused with the Irving Berlin song of the same title, also published that year. Although the tune was released that year by Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians, among other groups, it’s most commonly associated with the recordings of gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt.

Reinhardt recorded “Coquette” in the key of D, but for this arrangement we’ll transpose the tune to G, which allows for voicings that more closely resemble what he might have played on the guitar. The song follows a straightforward 32-bar AABA form and can be navigated with just a handful of chord shapes, making it well suited for both singing and chord-melody playing. As presented here, the arrangement can be approached either as voice-and-ukulele accompaniment or as an instrumental solo.

For much of the song, we’ll rely on a single sixth-chord voicing, with the first finger barred across a given fret. Because of that, many of the changes can be found simply by sliding the barre up or down the neck.

The A section begins on a G6 at the seventh fret, with a moving melody on the first string alternating between the G at the 10th fret (forming a G major triad) and the E at the seventh. For most of the first two measures, keep your first finger barred at the seventh fret and add or remove the high G with your fourth finger.

The progression then moves downward through a passing diminished chord to D6, where the same melodic motion is repeated at the second fret. If you prefer, you can even skip the diminished chord and move to the D6 one beat early. Once the basic rhythmic motif is comfortable under your fingers, try filling out the rhythm by adding light strums where there are rests or sustained notes.

Starting in bar 11, the bridge introduces a few new open-position chord shapes, though it consistently returns to our one-finger sixth-chord grip. Harmonically, this is the familiar “Honeysuckle Rose” bridge of I–IV–II–V (in this case, G7–C6–A7–D7), a progression that appears in countless popular songs. If you’re accompanying yourself while singing, you can simply strum the first chord voicing throughout each measure. For an instrumental solo version, however, you’ll need a bit more movement up the neck, using different chord voicings to bring out the melody. Start by learning the moving notes on the A string as written here, then add the notes on the other strings.

The chords in this arrangement also make a strong starting point for chord-melody improvisation. Even within our primary chord shape, there are numerous ways to introduce melodic notes, creating motion and new colors. Developing those ideas through improvisation is the natural next step, and that process is demonstrated in the video. Throughout, the emphasis remains on serving the song, with a small, flexible set of shapes that support the melody.