# 1977 in jazz

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

## Events
### 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, 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.