1977 in jazz

Events

April

• 1 – The 4th Vossajazz started in Vossavangen, Norway.

May

• 25 – The 5th Nattjazz started in Bergen, Norway.
• 27 – The 6th Moers Festival started in Moers, Germany.

June

• 24 – The 24th Newport [Jazz Festival] started in Newport, Rhode Island.

July

• 1 – The 11th Montreux Jazz Festival started in Montreux, Switzerland.
• 15 – The 2nd North Sea Jazz Festival started in The Hague, Netherlands.

September

• 16 – The 20th Monterey Jazz Festival started in Monterey, California.

Album releases

• Muhal Richard Abrams: 1-OQA+19
• Air: Air Time
• Neil Ardley: Kaleidoscope of Rainbows
• Derek Bailey: Company 5
• Arthur Blythe: Metamorphosis
• Hamiet Bluiett: Birthright
• Hamiet Bluiett: SOS
• Joanne Brackeen: AFT
• Joanne Brackeen: Tring-a-Ling
• Al Di Meola: Elegant Gypsy
• Michael Franks: Sleeping Gypsy
• Chico Freeman: Chico
• Chico Freeman: Kings of Mali
• Chico Freeman: No Time Left
• David Friesen: Waterfall Rainbow
• Jan Garbarek: Places
• Gateway Trio: Gateway 2
• Vinny Golia: Spirits In Fellowship
• Globe Unity: Pearls
• Louis Hayes: The [Real Thing (Louis Hayes album)|The Real Thing]
• Julius Hemphill: Blue Boyé
• Julius Hemphill: Raw Materials and Residuals
• Julius Hemphill: Roi Boyé & the Gotham Minstrels
• Dave Holland: Emerald Tears
• Keith Jarrett: My Song
• Leroy Jenkins: Lifelong Ambitions
• Leroy Jenkins: Solo Concert
• Sheila Jordan: Sheila
• Ernie Krivda: Satanic
• Steve Lacy: Raps
• Art Lande: Desert Marauders
• George Lewis: Chicago Slow Dance
• George Lewis: Shadowgraph
• Frank Lowe: Lowe and Behold
• Michael Mantler: Movies
• Chuck Mangione: Feels So Good
• Hugh Masekela: You Told [Your Mama Not to Worry]
• Cecil McBee: Music from the Source
• Joe McPhee: Graphics
• Pat Metheny: Watercolors
• Roscoe Mitchell: Nonaah
• Paul Motian: Dance
• Art Pepper: No Limit
• Jean-Luc Ponty: Enigmatic Ocean
• George Russell: Vertical Form 6
• Irene Schweizer: Hexensabbat
• John Scofield: East Meets West
• Woody Shaw: Rosewood
• John Tchicai: Real
• Radka Toneff: Fairytales
• Ralph Towner: Sound and Shadows
• McCoy Tyner: Supertrios
• James Ulmer: Revealing
• Michael Urbaniak: Urbaniak
• Abdul Wadud: By Myself
• Collin Walcott: Grazing Dreams
• Weather Report: Heavy Weather
• Kenny Wheeler: Deer Wan
• World Saxophone Quartet: Point Of No Return
• Tommy Turk: ''The-Truth!!!''

Deaths

• 2 – Erroll Garner, American pianist and composer.
• 22 – Maysa Matarazzo, Brazilian singer, composer, and actress.

• 9 – Buddy Johnson, American pianist and bandleader.
• Billy Taylor Jr., American upright bassist.
• Julian Gould, American organist, pianist, and composer.

• 23 – Bennie Green, American trombonist.
• 27 – Benny Moten, American upright bassist.

• 4 – Julius Watkins, American French hornist.
• 7 – Moon Mullens, American trumpeter.
• 21 – Joe Garland, American saxophonist, composer, and arranger, "In the Mood".

• 22 – Hampton Hawes, American pianist.
• 30 – Paul Desmond, American alto saxophonist and composer.

• 6 – Art Mardigan, American drummer.

• 22 – Richie Kamuca, American jazz tenor saxophonist.
• 27 – Milt Buckner, American jazz pianist and organist.

• 3 – Paloma Efron, Argentine singer.
• 5 – George Barnes, American guitarist.

• 16 – Milt Raskin, American pianist.

• 18 – Teddi King, American vocalist.
• 19 – Sonny Criss, American alto saxophonist.

• 5 – Rahsaan Roland Kirk, American saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist.
• 27 – Sam Brown, American guitarist.

• J. C. Moses, American drummer.

Births

• 8 – Torun Eriksen, Norwegian singer.
• 10 – Rhian Benson, Ghanaian-British singer and songwriter.
• 13 – Elliot Mason, English trombonist.
• 28 – Sissel Vera Pettersen, Norwegian singer, saxophonist, and composer.
• 31 – Per Zanussi, Italians–Norwegian upright bassist, composer, and band leader, Wibutee.

• 2 – Evelina De Lain, Ukrainian-English pianist, composer, and arranger.
• 10 – Shahin Novrasli, Azerbaijani pianist.

• 4
• * Jason Marsalis, American drummer, vibraphonist, and composer.
• * Dan Weiss, American drummer and composer.
• 6 – Kirsti Huke, Norwegian singer and composer.
• 8 – Jef Neve, Belgian pianist and composer.
• 10 – Torstein Lofthus, Norwegian drummer and composer.
• 21 – Farnell Newton, American composer and trumpeter.
• 26 – Håvard Stubø, Norwegian guitarist.
• 30 – Tor Egil Kreken, Norwegian bass, banjo, and guitar player, Wibutee and Shining.

• 5 – Håkon Kornstad, Norwegian tenor saxophonist and operatic tenor.
• 21 – Andrea Veneziani, Italian upright bassist, composer, and arranger.
• 28 – Asbjørn Lerheim, Norwegian guitarist and music teacher.
• 30 – Ole Jørn Myklebust, Norwegian trumpeter, flugelhornist and vocalist.

• 10 – Jasper Høiby, Danish upright bassist, Phronesis.
• 11 – Nicolai Munch-Hansen, Danish bassist and composer.
• 23 – Mads Berven, Norwegian guitarist.

• 8 – Frøy Aagre, Norwegian saxophonist.
• 9 – Atle Nymo, Norwegian saxophonist, Motif and Trondheim Jazz Orchestra.
• 11 – Ozan Musluoğlu, Turkish upright bassist and bass guitarist, Athena.
• 30 – Brynjar Rasmussen, Norwegian clarinetist.

• 4 – Sevda Alekbarzadeh, Azerbaijani female singer.
• 11 – Will Vinson, English alto saxophonist and composer, OWL Trio.

• 18 – Even Kruse Skatrud, Norwegian trombonist, Funky Butt.
• 27 – Quincy Davis, American drummer.

• 1 – Sinne Eeg, Danish singer.
• 13 – Julius Lind, Norwegian upright bassist.
• 20
• * Dan Cray, American pianist.
• * Martin Horntveth, Norwegian drummer, composer and electronica artist, Jaga Jazzist.

• 2 – David Wallumrød, Norwegian pianist and organist, Needlepoint.
• 6 – Matthew Bourne, British pianist and cellist.

• 1 – Anine Kruse, Norwegian singer and choral conductor, Pitsj.
• 3 – Jane Monheit, American singer.
• 5 – Ida Sand, Swedish singer and pianist.
• 20 – Florian Weber, German pianist and composer.

• 12 – Lage Lund, Norwegian guitarist.
• 23
• * Tore Johansen, Norwegian trumpeter and composer.
• * Verneri Pohjola, Finnish trumpeter.

• Andreas Haddeland, Norwegian guitarist.
• Giuliano Modarelli, Italian guitarist.
• Tomeka Reid, American cellist and improvisational musician.