1933 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1933.

Events

 * Louis Armstrong goes on a tour to Europe. He is a sensation on all stages in which he appears, and fills the Tivoli in Copenhagen eight nights in a row.
 * The Duke Ellington Band travels to Europe, and they are well received in England. Ellington is considered a significant composer in London.
 * Ellington records "Solitude" and "Sophisticated Lady".
 * Teddy Wilson is in New York City playing with the Benny Carter Band.
 * Bessie Smith records for the last time in a session arranged by John Hammond. "Gimme a Pigfoot" was recorded at this session.
 * Billie Holiday was discovered by John Hammond in Monette's in New York City. Billie record her singing with Benny Goodman.

Deaths


October 12th, Jimmy Wade, jazz trumpeter (born 1895)
 * March
 * 26 – Eddie Lang, American guitarist, regarded as Father of Jazz Guitar (born 1902).


 * July
 * 15 – Freddie Keppard, jazz cornetist (born 1889).


 * September
 * 30 – William Krell, American bandleader and composer (born 1868).

Births



 * January
 * 1
 * Bill Saragih, Indonesian musician (died 2008).
 * Hideo Shiraki, Japanese drummer and bandleader (died 1972).


 * February
 * 1 – Sadao Watanabe, Japanese saxophonist.
 * 2 – Orlando "Cachaito" López, Cuban bassist (died 2009).
 * 3 – John Handy, American saxophonist.
 * 17 – Spike Heatley, British bassist (died 2021).
 * 20 – Charles Kynard, American organist (died 1979).
 * 21 – Nina Simone, American singer and pianist (died 2003).
 * 24 – David "Fathead" Newman, American saxophonist (died 2009).


 * March
 * 3 – Jimmy Garrison, American upright bassist (died 1976).
 * 4 – Ann Burton, Dutch singer (died 1989).
 * 14
 * Duke Carl Gregor of Mecklenburg, member of the House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and a music and art historian (died 2018).
 * Quincy Jones, American conductor, composer and trumpeter.
 * 17 – Dick Maloney, Canadian singer (died 2010).
 * 23
 * Andrzej Trzaskowski, Polish composer and musicologist (died 1998).
 * Dave Frishberg, American pianist, vocalist, and composer (died 2021).
 * 26 – Donald Bailey, American drummer (died 2013).
 * 28 – Tete Montoliu, Spanish-Catalonian pianist (died 1997).


 * April
 * 6 – Bill Hardman, American trumpeter and flugelhornist (died 1990).
 * 8 – Paul Jeffrey, American tenor saxophonist (died 2015).
 * 21 – Ian Carr, Scottish trumpeter, composer, writer, and educator (died 2009).
 * 27 – Calvin Newborn, American guitarist (died 2018).
 * 28 – Oliver Jackson, American drummer (died 1994).


 * May
 * 5 – Cal Collins, American guitarist (died 2001).
 * 14 – Stu Williamson, American trumpeter (died 1991).
 * 20 – Charles Davis, American saxophonist and composer (died 2016).
 * 22 – Eivind Solberg, Norwegian trumpeter (died 2008).
 * 24 – Michael White, American violinist (died 2016).
 * 30 – Michael Garrick, English pianist and composer (died 2011).


 * June
 * 20 – Lazy Lester, American singer and guitarist (died 2018).


 * July
 * 1 – Rashied Ali, American drummer (died 2009).
 * 17 – Ben Riley, American drummer (died 2017).
 * 20 – Mario Schiano, Italian saxophonist (died 2008).


 * August
 * 4 – Sonny Simmons, American saxophonist (died 2021).
 * 10 – Trudy Pitts, American keyboardist (died 2010).
 * 15 – Bill Dowdy, American drummer (died 2017).
 * 19 – Asmund Bjørken, Norwegian accordionist and saxophonist (died 2018).
 * 25
 * Rune Gustafsson, Swedish guitarist (died 2012).
 * Wayne Shorter, American saxophonist and composer (died 2023).
 * 27 – Rudolf Dašek, Czech guitarist (died 2013).
 * 31 – Herman Riley, American tenor saxophonist (died 2007).


 * September
 * 1 – Gene Harris, American pianist (died 2000).
 * 11 – Baby Face Willette, American Hammond organist (died 1971).
 * 30 – Steve McCall, American drummer (died 1989).


 * October
 * 2 – Ronnie Ross, British baritone saxophonist (died 1991).
 * 18 – Bross Townsend, American pianist (died 2003).
 * 19 – Jimmy Dotson, American singer, guitarist, and drummer (died 2017).
 * 23 – Gary McFarland, composer, vibraphonist, and singer (died 1971).
 * 25 – Jack Petersen, American guitarist, pianist, and composer.


 * November
 * 11
 * Marlene VerPlanck, American singer (died 2018).
 * Sture Nordin, Swedish upright bassist (died 2000).


 * December
 * 1
 * Billy Paul, Congolese singer and musician (died 2016).
 * Lou Rawls, American singer and songwriter (died 2006).
 * 4 – Denis Charles, American drummer (died 1998).
 * 13 – Borah Bergman, American pianist (died 2012).
 * 14 – Leo Wright, American saxophonist (died 1991).
 * 16 – Johnny "Hammond" Smith, American organist (died 1997).
 * 17
 * John Ore, American bassist (died 2014).
 * Walter Booker, American upright bassist (died 2006).
 * 18 – Lonnie Brooks, American blues singer and guitarist (died 2017).
 * 23 – Frank Morgan, American saxophonist (died 2007).
 * 26 – Billy Bean, American guitarist (died 2012).
 * 29 – Brian Brown, Australian saxophones (died 2013).
 * 30 – Lanny Steele, American pianist (died 1994).


 * Unknown date
 * Jim Newman, American saxophonist and television producer.
 * Nikele Moyake, South African tenor saxophonist (died 1966).