1937 in jazz

• Charlie Parker starts collaboration with pianist Jay McShann, and plays in his band in Kansas City from time to time until 1941.

{{see also|List of 1930s jazz standards}}

File:George Gershwin 1937.jpg 28 March 1937, only months before his death]]

; February

• 1– Alex Hill American pianist (born 1906).

; March

• 15– Ward Pinkett, American jazz trumpeter (born 1906).

; July

• 11– George Gershwin, American composer and pianist (born 1898).

; August

• 20– Johnny Dunn, American trumpeter and vaudeville performer (born 1897).

; September

• 26– Bessie Smith, American blues singer, nicknamed the "Empress of the Blues" (car accident in Clarksdale, Mississippi) (born 1894).{{cite web | url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/timeline_year.php?pg=43 | title=History Of Jazz Timeline: 1937 | publisher=All About Jazz | accessdate=2017-11-19}}

File:JoeFarrell 1985.jpg in performance at Lush Life in New York, 1985. Photograph by Bob Rosenbaum]]

File:Alice Coltrane.jpg 2006]]

File:Joe Henderson 2.jpg with Neil Swainson, bass, at Harpo's, Victoria.]]

File:Orchestra of Valentin Sporius.jpg

; January

• 1 – Neville Dickie, English pianist.
• 6 – Paolo Conte, Italian singer, pianist, composer, and lawyer.
• 9 – Malcolm Cecil, British bassist (died 2021).
• 17 – Ted Dunbar, American guitarist, composer, and educator (died 1998).
• 19 – Phil Wilson, American trombonist.
• 29 – Jeff Clyne, British bassist (died 2009).

; February

• 1 – Erik Amundsen, Norwegian upright bassist (died 2015).{{cite news | url=http://www.aftenposten.no/dodsfall/Nekrolog-Erik-Amundsen-7924639.html | title=Nekrolog: Erik Amundsen | language=Norwegian | first=Bjørn | last=Stendahl | work=Aftenposten | date=2015-03-04 | accessdate=2016-02-26}}
• 3 – Bobby Durham, American drummer (died 2008).
• 5 – Big Bill Bissonnette, American trombonist, drummer and producer (died 2018).
• 9 – Len Skeat, English upright bassist.(died 2021)
• 10 – Ed Polcer, American cornetist.
• 11 – Brian Lemon, British pianist and arranger (died 2014).
• 15
• Kirk Lightsey, American pianist.
• Nathan Davis, American saxophonist, flautist, and multi-instrumentalist (died 2018).{{cite news | url=http://www.post-gazette.com/news/obituaries/2018/04/12/Obituary-Nathan-Davis-Legendary-University-of-Pittsburgh-jazz/stories/201804120169 | title=Obituary: Nathan Davis / Pioneer in jazz education | first=Rick | last=Nowlin | newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | date=2018-04-12 | accessdate=2018-05-01}}
• 19
• Fred Van Hove, Belgian pianist, accordionist, church organist, carillonist, and composer (died 2022).
• Robert Walker, American guitarist (died 2017).
• 20 – Nancy Wilson, American singer (died 2018).
• 21 – Graham Collier, English bassist, bandleader and composer (died 2011).
• 25 – Don Randi, American keyboarder, bandleader and songwriter.

; March

• 4 – Barney Wilen, French saxophonist and composer (died 1996).
• 5 – Carol Sloane, American singer (died 2023).
• 7 – Roy Williams, English trombonist.
• 12 – Janne Carlsson, Swedish drummer and actor (died 2017).
• 16 – Brian Browne, Canadian pianist and composer (died 2018).
• 20 – Eddie Shaw, American saxophonist (died 2018).{{cite news | url=http://bgindependentmedia.org/eddie-shaw-favorite-of-bg-blues-fans-dies-at-80 | title=Eddie Shaw, favorite of BG blues fans, dies at 80 | newspaper=BG Independent News | date=2018-01-30 | accessdate=2018-04-10}}
• 24 – Billy Stewart, American singer (died 1970).
• 31 – Rafig Babayev, Azerbaijani musician and composer (died 1994).

; April

• 3 – Louis Satterfield, American bassist and trombonist, The Pharaohs (died 2004).
• 6 – Gene Bertoncini, American guitarist.
• 11 – Bud Brisbois, American trumpeter (died 1978).
• 13 – J. R. Mitchell, American drummer (died 2004).
• 22 – Jack Nitzsche, American saxophonist and pianist (died 2000).
• 24
• Joe Henderson, American tenor saxophonist (died 2001).
• Spanky DeBrest, American bassist (died 1973).

; May

• 4 – Ron Carter, American upright bassist.
• 10 – Mike Melvoin, American pianist, composer, and arranger (died 2012).
• 15 – Karin Krog, Norwegian vocalist.
• 24
• Archie Shepp, American saxophonist.
• Charly Antolini, Swiss drummer.
• 26 – Neil Ardley, English pianist and composer (died 2004).
• 30 – Claes Andersson, Finland-Swedish pianist, psychiatrist, author, and poet (died 2019).
• 31 – Louis Hayes, American drummer.

; June

• 2 – Pierre Favre, Swiss drummer and percussionist.
• 3 – Grachan Moncur III, American trombonist (died 2022).
• 4 – Mark Whitecage, American saxophonist (died 2021).
• 8 – Toni Harper, American singer (died 2023).
• 13 – Frank Strozier, American alto saxophonist.
• 14 – Burton Greene, American pianist (died 2021).
• 22 – Bernie McGann, Australian alto saxophonist (died 2013).
• 23 – Elza Soares, Brazilian singer and samba recording artist (died 2022).
• 26 – Reggie Workman, American upright bassist.
• 30 – Börje Fredriksson, Swedist tenor saxophonist (died 1968).

; July

• 22 – Bob Downes, English flautist and saxophonist.
• 27 – Charlie Shoemake, American vibraphonist.
• 30 – James Spaulding, American alto saxophonist and flautist.

; August

• 6
• Baden Powell, Brazilian guitarist (died 2000).
• Charlie Haden, American upright bassist (died 2014).
• 7 – George Bohanon, American trombonist.
• 14
• Barbara Jay, British singer.
• Terry Evans, American singer and guitarist (died 2018).{{cite news | url=https://deltadailynews.com/vicksburg-blues-legend-terry-evans-dead-at-80 | title=Vicksburg Blues Legend Terry Evans Dead At 80 | first=Ben | last=Caxton | newspaper=Delta Daily News | date=2018-01-24 | accessdate=2018-04-10 | archive-date=2018-04-11 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180411031146/https://deltadailynews.com/vicksburg-blues-legend-terry-evans-dead-at-80/ | url-status=dead }}
• 17 – Guitar Gable, American singer, guitarist, and songwriter (died 2017).
• 27 – Alice Coltrane, American pianist, organist, harpist and composer (died 2007).
• 31 – Gunter Hampel, German vibraphonist, clarinetist, saxophonist, flautist, pianist and composer.

; September

• 3 – Larry Ridley, American bassist and music educator.
• 4 – Gene Ludwig, American organist (died 2010).
• 6 – Bosse Broberg, Swedish trumpeter and composer.
• 7 – Olly Wilson, American composer, pianist, double bassist, and musicologist (died 2018).
• 8 – Joe Gallivan, American drummer, percussion, and synthesizer player.
• 14 – Joseph Jarman, American saxophonist, Art Ensemble of Chicago (died 2019).{{cite news | url=https://pitchfork.com/news/jazz-musician-and-buddhist-priest-joseph-jarman-dead-at-81 | title=Jazz Musician and Buddhist Priest Joseph Jarman Dead at 81 | first=Noah | last=Yoo | newspaper=Pitchfork | date=2019-01-11 | accessdate=2019-01-16}}
• 20 – Monica Zetterlund, Swedish singer and actress (died 2005).
• 25
• Horace Arnold, American drummer.
• Michael Gibbs, Rhodesian composer, trombonist, and keyboardist.
• 27 – Guido Basso, Canadian trumpeter (died 2023).

; October

• 4 – Leon Thomas, American singer (died 1999).
• 19 – John Crocker, English clarinettist and saxophonist.

; November

• 6 – Gordon Brisker, American tenor saxophonist (died 2004).
• 27 – Wilber Morris, American upright bassist and bandleader (died 2002).
• 30 – Miúcha, Brazilian singer and composer (died 2018).

; December

• 4 – Ernie Carson, American cornetist, pianist and singer (died 2012).
• 6 – Eddie Gladden, American drummer (died 2003).
• 7 – Mike Carr, English organist, pianist and vibraphonist (died 2017).
• 11 – Beegie Adair, American pianist (died 2022).
• 16 – Joe Farrell, American saxophonist and flautist (died 1986).
• 19 – Milcho Leviev, Bulgarian composer, arranger, and pianist (died 2019.
• 24 – Bernt Rosengren, Swedist tenor saxophonist (died 2023).

; Unknown date

• Barry Vercoe, Zealand-born computer scientist and composer.
• Bill Cole, American musician, professor of music, and author.
• Brad Terry, American clarinetist and whistler.
• Humberto Clayber, Brazilian composer and musician.

• 1937 in music

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/timeline_year.php?pg=43 History Of Jazz Timeline: 1937] at All About Jazz

{{Jazz}}

Jazz, 1937 In

Category:Jazz by year