1977 in jazz

Events

April

• 1 – The 4th Vossajazz started in Vossavangen, Norway (April 1 – 3).

May

• 25 – The 5th Nattjazz started in Bergen, Norway (May 25 – June 8).
• 27 – The 6th Moers Festival started in Moers, Germany (May 27 – 30).

June

• 24 – The 24th Newport Jazz Festival started in Newport, Rhode Island (June 24 – July 4).

July

• 1 – The 11th Montreux Jazz Festival started in Montreux, Switzerland (July 1 – 24).
• 15 – The 2nd North Sea Jazz Festival started in The Hague, Netherlands (July 15 – 17).

September

• 16 – The 20th Monterey Jazz Festival started in Monterey, California (September 16 – 18).

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
• 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

; January

• 2 – Erroll Garner, American pianist and composer (born 1923).
• 22 – Maysa Matarazzo, Brazilian singer, composer, and actress (born 1936).

; February

• 9 – Buddy Johnson, American pianist and bandleader (born 1915).
• Billy Taylor Jr., American upright bassist (born 1925).
• Julian Gould, American organist, pianist, and composer (born 1915).

; March

• 23 – Bennie Green, American trombonist (born 1923).
• 27 – Benny Moten, American upright bassist (born 1916).

; April

• 4 – Julius Watkins, American French hornist (born 1921).
• 7 – Moon Mullens, American trumpeter (born 1916).
• 21 – Joe Garland, American saxophonist, composer, and arranger, "In the Mood" (born 1903).

; May

• 22 – Hampton Hawes, American pianist (born 1928).
• 30 – Paul Desmond, American alto saxophonist and composer (born 1924).

; June

• 6 – Art Mardigan, American drummer (born 1923).

; July

• 22 – Richie Kamuca, American jazz tenor saxophonist (born 1930).
• 27 – Milt Buckner, American jazz pianist and organist (born 1915).

; September

• 3 – Paloma Efron, Argentine singer (born 1912).
• 5 – George Barnes, American guitarist (born 1921).

October

• 16 – Milt Raskin, American pianist (born 1916).

; November

• 18 – Teddi King, American vocalist (born 1929).
• 19 – Sonny Criss, American alto saxophonist (born 1927).

; December

• 5 – Rahsaan Roland Kirk, American saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist (born 1935).
• 27 – Sam Brown, American guitarist (born 1939).

; Unknown date

• J. C. Moses, American drummer (born 1936).

Births

; January

• 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.

; February

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

; March

• 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.

; April

• 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.

; May

• 10 – Jasper Høiby, Danish upright bassist, Phronesis.
• 11 – Nicolai Munch-Hansen, Danish bassist and composer (died 2017).
• 23 – Mads Berven, Norwegian guitarist.

; June

• 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.

; July

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

; August

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

; September

• 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.

; October

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

; November

• 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.

; December

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

; Unknown date

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

References

References

1. "Vossajazz". [[Vossajazz]].
2. "Nattjazz". [[Nattjazz]].
3. "Moers International New Jazz Festival 1977". [[Moers Festival]].
4. "Newport Jazz Festival 1977 Poster". WolfgangsVault.com.
5. "Montreux Jazz Festival 1977 Setlists". Setlist.fm.
6. "North Sea Jazz Festival 1977". [[North Sea Jazz Festival]].
7. "Tito Puente & His Orchestra* – Live At The 1977 Monterey Jazz Festival". [[Discogs.com]].