1997 in jazz

Events

March

• 21 – The 24th Vossajazz started in Voss, Norway.

  May

• 16 – The 26th Moers Festival started in Moers, Germany.
• 21 – The 25th Nattjazz started in Bergen, Norway.

  June

• 26 – The 18th Montreal International Jazz Festival started in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

  July

• 2 – The 7th Jazz Fest Wien started in Wien, Austria.
• 4 – The 31st Montreux Jazz Festival started in Montreux, Switzerland.
• 11
• * The 22nd North Sea Jazz Festival started in The Hague, Netherlands.
• * The 50th Nice Jazz Festival started in France.
• 12 – The 32nd Pori Jazz Festival started in Finland.
• 15 – The 38th Moldejazz started in Molde, Norway.

  August

• 8 – The 14th Brecon Jazz Festival started in Brecon, Wales.

  September

• 19 – The 40th Monterey Jazz Festival started in Monterey, California.

  October

• 7 – Blue Note – A Story of Modern Jazz, by jazz documentarist and filmmaker Julian Benedikt, an award-winning documentary film.

  Album releases

October

Unknown date

• Guillermo Gregorio: Ellipsis
• Matthew Shipp: Strata
• Steve Coleman: Genesis
• Marcus Roberts: Blues for the New Millennium
• ICP Orchestra: Jubilee Varia
• Vandermark 5: Single Piece Flow
• David Liebman: Time Immemorial
• Wynton Marsalis: Blood on the Fields
• Franz Koglmann: O Moon My Pin Up
• Courtney Pine: Underground
• Leo Smith: Golden Hearts Remembrance
• Keith Tippett: Colours Fulfilled
• Joe Lovano:
• David Liebman: The Elements - Water
• Fred Anderson: Fred Anderson / DKV Trio

  Deaths

• 8 – George Handy, American arranger, composer, and pianist.
• 12 – Wally Rose, American pianist.
• 16 – Beverly Peer, American upright bassist.
• 25 – Seldon Powell, American tenor saxophonist and flautist.

• 10 – Lou Bennett, American organist.
• 14 – Charles Moffett, American drummer.
• 20 – Zachary Breaux, American guitarist.
• 23 – Tony Williams, American drummer.

• 11 – Hugh Lawson, American pianist.

• 10 – Bernard Anderson, American trumpeter.
• 12 – Louis Barbarin, American drummer.
• 14 – Thelma Carpenter, American singer and actress.
• 15 – Tommy Turrentine, American trumpeter.
• 18 – Horst Lippmann, German drummer, concert promoter, writer, and television director.
• 31 – Eddie Jones, American upright bassist.

• 2 – Doc Cheatham, American trumpeter, singer and bandleader.
• 4
• * Anne Lenner, English singer.
• * Johnny "Hammond" Smith, American organist.
• 12 – Chuck Andrus, American upright bassist.
• 14 – Arthur Prysock, American singer.
• 16 – Rolf Ericson, Swedish trumpeter and flugelhornist.
• 19 – Thurman Green, American trombonist.

• 2 – Stan Barker, American pianist.
• 29 – Chuck Wayne, American guitarist.

• 2 – Fela Kuti, Nigerian saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist.
• 8
• * Dardanelle Hadley, American singer, vibraphonist, pianist, composer, and arranger.
• * Duncan Swift, British pianist.
• 12 – Dick Marx, American pianist and arranger.
• 14 – Eric Von Essen, American bassist, pianist, and composer.
• 24 – Tete Montoliu, American pianist.

• 18 – Jimmy Witherspoon, American singer.
• 20 – Dick Shearer, American trombonist.

• 29 – Big Nick Nicholas, American saxophonist and vocalist.

• 2 – Carson Smith, American upright bassist.
• 9 – Joe Roccisano, saxophonist and arranger.
• 10 – Tommy Tedesco, American guitarist.
• 11 – Shake Keane, American trumpeter and poet.
• 12 – Carola Standertskjöld, Finnish singer.

• 1 – Stéphane Grappelli, French violinist.
• 6 – George Chisholm, American trombonist.
• 12 – Mouse Randolph, American trumpeter.
• 21 – Johnny Coles, American trumpeter.
• 30 – Ray Crawford, American guitarist.

• Johnny Mince, American clarinetist.

  Births

• Barbra Lica, Canadian jazz singer and songwriter.