# 1962 in jazz

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

## Events
### 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
* Best 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.