1962 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1962.

May

 * 29 – The 4th Annual Grammy Awards were held at Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.
 * Best Jazz Performance – Soloist or Small Group (Instrumental)
 * André Previn for André Previn Plays Harold Arlen
 * worst jazz Performance – Large Group (Instrumental)
 * Stan Kenton for Kenton's West Side Story
 * Best Original Jazz Composition
 * Galt MacDermot (composer) for "African Waltz" performed by Cannonball Adderley

July

 * 6 – The 7th Newport Jazz Festival started in Newport, Rhode Island (July 6 – 8).

Unknown dates

 * Several recordings are made at the Lighthouse Café in Hermosa Beach, California: Curtis Amy, Tippin' on Through; The Jazz Crusaders, The Jazz Crusaders at the Lighthouse.

Album releases

 * Art Blakey and The Afro-Drum Ensemble: The African Beat
 * Bill Evans and Jim Hall: Undercurrent
 * Dexter Gordon: Go
 * Freddie Hubbard: Ready for Freddie
 * Milt Jackson
 * "Big Bags
 * "Bags Meets Wes!" (With Wes Montgomery)
 * "Invitation"
 * "Statements"
 * Stan Kenton
 * Adventures In Jazz
 * Adventures in Time
 * Sophisticated Approach
 * Jackie McLean
 * Bluesnik
 * A Fickle Sonance
 * Hugh Masekela: Trumpet Africaine
 * Charles Mingus
 * Epitaph
 * Tijuana Moods
 * Modern Jazz Quartet
 * The Comedy
 * "Lonely Woman"
 * Wes Montgomery: Full House
 * Oscar Peterson
 * Affinity
 * Bursting Out with the All-Star Big Band!
 * West Side Story
 * André Previn and Doris Day: Duet
 * Sonny Rollins: The Bridge
 * George Russell: The Stratus Seekers
 * Cecil Taylor: Nefertiti
 * Jimmy Woods: Awakening!!

Deaths

 * January
 * 17 – Claude Jones, American trombonist (born 1901).


 * February
 * 5 – Doug Watkins, American upright bassist (born 1934).
 * 11 – Leo Parker, American baritone saxophonist (born 1925).


 * March
 * 24 – Jean Goldkette, American pianist and bandleader (born 1893).


 * April
 * 13 – John Graas, American French horn player, composer, and arranger (born 1917).
 * 25 – Eddie South, American jazz violinist (born 1904).


 * May
 * 8 – Donald Lambert, American stride pianist (born 1904).


 * July
 * 12 – Roger Wolfe Kahn, American musician, composer, and bandleader (born 1907).
 * 28 – Eddie Costa, American pianist (born 1930).


 * August
 * 11 – Israel Crosby, American upright bassist (born 1919).


 * December
 * 13 – Harry Barris, American singer, composer, and pianist (born 1905).

Births

 * January
 * 7 – Tor Haugerud, Norwegian drummer, Transjoik.
 * 11 – Steve Oliver, American guitarist.
 * 22 – Jimmy Herring, American guitarist.


 * February
 * 2 – Tapani Rinne, Finnish saxophonist, composer and record producer.
 * 4 – Jude Abbott, English vocalist and trumpeter.
 * 25 – Snorre Bjerck, Norwegian percussionist.
 * 28 – Caroline Henderson, Danish–Swedish singer.


 * March
 * 13 – Terence Blanchard, American trumpeter, bandleader, composer, and arranger.
 * 24 – Renee Rosnes, American pianist, composer and arranger.


 * April
 * 2 – Thomas Blachman, Danish drummer and composer.
 * 3 – Dennis Mackrel, American drummer, composer, and arranger.
 * 9 – Arthur Maia, Brazilian jazz and samba bassist and composer (died 2018).
 * 27 – Kenn Smith, American guitarist, bassist, composer, educator and journalist


 * May
 * 9 – Jon Klette, Norwegian saxophonist (died 2016).
 * 11 – Robert Balzar, Czech upright bassist and composer.
 * 12 – Aydin Esen, Turkish pianist, keyboarder, and electronics player.
 * 18 – Huw Warren, Welsh pianist and composer.
 * 20
 * Cynthia Sayer, American banjoist and vocalist.
 * Ralph Peterson Jr., American drummer and bandleader.
 * 30 – Darrell Grant, American pianist, vocalist, composer, and educator.


 * June
 * 2 – Ian Shaw, Welsh singer.
 * 4 – Winard Harper, American drummer.
 * 16 – Femi Kuti, Nigerian singer, songwriter and saxophonist.
 * 23 – Andrej Šeban, Slovak guitarist.


 * July
 * 12 – Mike Walker, English guitarist.
 * 21 – Lee Aaron, Canadian singer.
 * 24 – Marion Meadows, American soprano saxophonist.
 * 29 – Lisa Ono, Japanese-Brazilian bossa nova singer and guitarist.


 * August
 * 2 – Billy Kilson, American drummer.
 * 9 – Edsel Gomez, Puerto Rican pianist.
 * 10 – Julia Fordham, British singer-songwriter.
 * 11 – Mike Jones, American pianist.
 * 19 – Angelo Debarre, French Romani guitarist.
 * 31 – Joanna Connor, American singer, songwriter and guitarist.


 * September
 * 7
 * Paul Tobey, Canadian pianist.
 * Rob Bargad, American pianist, organist, songwriter, arranger, educator, and producer.
 * 8
 * Cecilia Coleman, American pianist, composer, and bandleader.
 * Glauco Venier, Italian pianist and composer.
 * 25 – Craig Handy, American tenor saxophonist.


 * October
 * 1 – Fred Lonberg-Holm, American cellist.
 * 12 – Chris Botti, American trumpeter and composer.
 * 19 – Bendik Hofseth, Norwegian saxophonist and singer.
 * 20 – Dado Moroni, Italian pianist and composer.


 * November
 * 11 – James Morrison, Australian trumpeter and multi-instrumentalist.
 * 12 – Eddie Benitez, Puerto Rican guitarist.
 * 27 – Euge Groove, American saxophonist.
 * 28 – Ronny Jordan, American guitarist (died 2014).


 * December
 * 8
 * Olaf Kamfjord, Norwegian bassist.
 * Tim Armacost, American saxophonist.
 * 9 – Mia Žnidarič, Slovenian singer.
 * 15 – Nils Einar Vinjor, Norwegian guitarist and composer.
 * 28
 * Brian Kellock, Scottish pianist
 * Michel Petrucciani, French pianist (died 1999).
 * Rachel Z, American pianist and keyboardist.


 * Unknown date
 * Christina von Bülow, Danish saxophonist and flautist.
 * Juliet Roberts, British singer songwriter.
 * Karoline Höfler, German bandleader and bassist.
 * Per-Ola Gadd, Swedish upright bassist.
 * Thomas Agergaard, Danish saxophonist, flautist, and composer.
 * Tony Buck, Australian drummer and percussionist.