1934 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1934.

Events

Louis Armstrong is in Europe, recording with French Polydor.
Trumpeter Rex Stewart joins the Duke Ellington Band.

Deaths

; February27 – Gene Rodemich, pianist and orchestra leader.
; September2

* Alcide Nunez, United States jazz clarinetist.
* Russ Columbo, American singer, violinist and actor, most famous for his signature tune, "You Call It Madness, But I Call It Love".

; Unknown date

Eddie Anthony, American country blues and jazz musician. He played the violin.
Jack Carey, trombonist, the leader of the Crescent City Orchestra.

Births

; January5 – Phil Ramone, South African-American record producer, violinist, and composer.8 – Georg Riedel, Swedish upright bassist.10

* Joe Licari, American clarinetist.
* Sheila Tracy, British broadcaster, writer, trombonist, and singer.11 – Egil "Bop" Johansen, Norwegian-Swedish drummer.17 – Cedar Walton, American pianist.21 – Eva Olmerová, Czech singer.

; February4 – Wade Legge, American pianist and bassist.7 – King Curtis, American saxophonist.8 – Art Porter Sr., American pianist.14 – Merl Saunders, American multi-genre musician who played piano and keyboards.17 – Hacke Björksten, Finnish-Swedish bandleader and saxophonist.20 – Selçuk Sun, Turkish upright bassist and composer.23 – Inger Berggren, Swedish singer.28 – Willie Bobo, American percussionist.
; March2 – Doug Watkins, American upright bassist.14 – Shirley Scott, American organist.26 – Don Bailey, American drummer.30 – Lanny Morgan, American alto saxophonist.
; April5 – Stanley Turrentine, American tenor saxophonist.6 – Horace Tapscott, American pianist and composer.7 – Victor Feldman, British pianist.8 – Bảo Vàng, Vietnamese trumpeter and composer.13 – Kirk Stuart, American pianist.17 – Warren Chiasson, Canadian vibraphonist.29 – Norman Edge, American upright bassist.
; May1 – Shirley Horn, American singer and pianist.14 – Warren Smith, American percussionist.17 – John Picard, English trombonist.19 – Bobby Bryant, American trumpeter and flugelhornist.21 – Bob Northern, American French hornist.
; June3 – Bob Wallis, British musician.6 – Raymond Premru, American trombonist.22 – Ray Mantilla, American drummer.24 – Terry Cryer, British jazz and blues photographer.26 – Dave Grusin, American composer, arranger, and pianist.
; July9 – Vinko Globokar, Slovene-French avant-garde composer and trombonist.9 – Colin Bailey, British-American drummer.19 – Bobby Bradford, American trumpeter and cornetist.22 – Junior Cook, American tenor saxophonist.23

* Steve Lacy, American saxophonist and composer.
* Tony Lee, British pianist.24
* Ahmad Alaadeen, American saxophonist.
* Rudy Collins, American drummer.25 – Don Ellis, American trumpeter, and drummer.

; August15 – Georgy Garanian, Russian saxophonist.27 – Sylvia Telles, Brazilian singer.28 – Ethel Azama, American singer.
; September1 – Teri Thornton, American singer.3 – Freddie King, American guitarist and singer.23 – Gino Paoli, Italian singer-songwriter.26 – Dick Heckstall-Smith, English saxophonist.27 – Ib Glindemann, Danish trumpeter and orchestra leader.
; October7 – Amiri Baraka, African-American writer and music critic.9 – Abdullah Ibrahim, South African pianist and composer.20

* Bill Chase, American trumpeter.
* Eddie Harris, American saxophonist.26 – Jacques Loussier, French pianist and composer.27
* Barre Phillips, American upright bassist.
* Ivan Jullien, French trumpeter.29
* Jimmy Woods, American alto saxophonist.
* Pim Jacobs, Dutch pianist.

; November7 – Jan Allan, Swedish trumpeter and composer.10 – Houston Person, American tenor saxophonist.14 – Ellis Marsalis Jr., American pianist.17 – Marion Montgomery, American-born singer.20 – Colin Smith, English trumpeter.23 – Victor Gaskin, American upright bassist.29 – Tony Coe, English clarinettist and tenor saxophonist.
; December5 – Art Davis, American upright bassist.6 – Norio Maeda, Japanese composer and pianist.21 – Hank Crawford, American alto saxophonist, arranger and songwriter.24 – John Critchinson, English pianist.28 – Bob Cunningham, American bassist.
; Unknown date

Delisa Newton, American vocalist.
Pat Moran McCoy, American pianist.