1982 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of jazz in the year 1982.

Events

2 – The 9th Vossajazz started in Vossavangen, Norway.

26 – 10th Nattjazz started in Bergen, Norway.28 – 11th Moers Festival started in Moers, Germany.

; January9 – Vido Musso, Italian-American tenor saxophonist, clarinetist, and bandleader.
; February7 – Joseph Reinhardt, French guitarist and composer.17 – Thelonious Monk, American pianist and composer.26 – Gábor Szabó, Hungarian guitarist.
; March9 – Leonid Utyosov, Soviet singer and comic actor.23 – Sonny Greer, American drummer and vocalist.
; May5 – Cal Tjader, American vibraphonist, drummer, and percussionist.
; June11 – Al Rinker, American singer and composer.15 – Art Pepper, American alto saxophonist and clarinetist.25 – Alex Welsh, Scottish singer, cornetist, and trumpeter.
; July9 – Wingy Manone, American trumpeter, composer, singer, and bandleader.22 – Sonny Stitt, American saxophonist.
; October21 – Radka Toneff, Norwegian singer.
; November11 – Gösta Törner, Swedish jazz trumpeter and bandleader. 16 – Al Haig, American pianist.
; December17 – Big Joe Williams, American guitarist, singer, and songwriter.

; January1 – Andreas Lønmo Knudsrød, Norwegian drummer, Splashgirl.
; February4 – Hedvig Mollestad Thomassen, Norwegian guitarist, singer, and composer.5 – Marco Di Meco, Italian flautist, composer, music producer, and writer.13 – Even Helte Hermansen, Norwegian guitarist, Bushman's Revenge and Red Kite.
; March8 – Isak Strand, Norwegian drummer, electronica artist, and sound engineer, Me At Sea.9 – Erica von Kleist, American flautist, saxophonist, and composer.
; April2 – Daniel Herskedal, Norwegian tubist.3 – Irene Kepl, Austrian violinist and composer.9 – Øyvind Skarbø, Norwegian drummer and composer.13 – Nellie McKay, British comedian, singer, songwriter, actor, and composer.30 – Tyler Gilmore, American composer and orchestra conductor.
; May1 – Ambrose Akinmusire, American trumpeter and composer.23

* Malene Mortensen, Danish singer.
* Martin Musaubach, Argentine band-leading pianist, composer, arranger and producer.

; July7 – Ferit Odman, Turkish drummer and composer.28 – Mariam Wallentin, Swedish singer, musician, composer, and voice actor.
; August
; September11 – Michel Reis, Luxembourgian jazz pianist and composer.
; October4 – Kassa Overall, American drummer, producer, rapper and bandleader.4 – YolanDa Brown, British saxophonist and composer.5 – Ronald Bruner Jr., American drummer, composer and producer.8 – Veronika Harcsa, Hungarian singer and songwriter.11 – Jonathan Fritzén, Swedish pianist and multi-instrumentalist.12 – Émile Parisien, French soprano saxophonist, alto saxophonist, and composer.
; November9 – Jamie Lenman, British guitarist, musician, songwriter, singer, and illustrator.
; December3 – Eric Darius, American saxophonist, vocalist, songwriter, and producer.4 – Adam Blackstone, American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer, and bassist.6 – Ulysses Owens, American drummer and percussionist.17 – Stephan Meidell, Norwegian guitarist and composer.20 – Jessy J or Jessica Arellano, American saxophonist, flautist, singer, and pianist.30 – Nir Felder, American jazz and session guitarist, composer, and music producer.
; Unknown date