1977 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1977.

April

 * 1 – The 4th Vossajazz started in Voss, 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, Ukrain-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.