; January •
4 –
Les Brown, American bandleader (born
1912). •
13 –
Stan Freeman, American composer, lyricist, musical arranger, conductor, and pianist (born
1920). •
17 –
Norris Turney, American flautist and saxophonist (born
1921). •
23 •
Jack McDuff, American organist and organ trio bandleader (born
1926). •
Lou Levy, American pianist (born
1928). ; February •
4 –
J. J. Johnson, American trombonist, composer, and arranger (born
1924). •
10 –
Buddy Tate, American saxophonist and clarinetist (born
1913). •
13 •
George T. Simon, American writer and drummer (born
1912). •
Moses Taiwa Molelekwa, South African pianist (born
1973). ; March •
7 –
Frankie Carle, American pianist and bandleader (born
1903). •
18 –
Rupert Nurse, Trinidadian-British pianist, upright bassist, and saxophonist (born
1910). •
19 –
Herbie Jones, American trumpeter and arranger (born
1926). •
20 –
Jay Cameron, American baritone saxophonist and reedist (born
1928). •
28 –
Moe Koffman, Canadian saxophonist, flautist, composer, and arranger (born
1928). •
29 –
John Lewis, American pianist, composer and arranger (born
1920). ; April •
5 –
Sonya Hedenbratt, Swedish singer and actress (born
1931). •
9 –
Ken Rattenbury, English trumpeter, pianist, composer, and author (born
1920). •
18 –
Billy Mitchell, American tenor saxophonist (born
1926). •
24 –
Al Hibbler, American baritone singer,
Duke Ellington Orchestra (born
1915). ; May •
3 –
Billy Higgins, American drummer (born
1936). •
19 –
Susannah McCorkle, American singer (born
1946). •
22 –
Lorez Alexandria, American singer (born
1929). •
27 –
Glauco Masetti, Italian jazz reedist (born
1922). ; June •
13 –
Makanda Ken McIntyre, American musician and composer (born
1931). •
19 –
Lindsay L. Cooper, Scottish upright bass, electric bass and cello player (born
1940). •
30 •
Chet Atkins, American guitarist, songwriter, and record producer (born
1924). •
Joe Henderson, American tenor saxophonist (born
1937). ; July •
27 –
Harold Land, American hard bop and post-bop tenor saxophonist (born
1928). ; August •
6 –
Larry Adler, American harmonica player (born
1914). •
17 –
Flip Phillips, American tenor saxophonist and clarinetist (born
1915). •
23 –
Eric Allandale, Dominican-English trombonist, songwriter, and bandleader (born
1936). •
27 –
Cal Collins, American guitarist (born
1933). ; September •
1 –
Sil Austin, American saxophonist (born
1929). •
2 –
Jay Migliori, American saxophonist (born
1930). ; October •
2 –
Manny Albam, American baritone saxophonist, composer, arranger, producer, and educator (born
1922). •
4 –
John Collins, American guitarist (born
1913). •
11 –
Billy Maxted, American pianist (born
1917). •
16 –
Etta Jones, American singer (born
1928). •
29 –
Spike Robinson, American tenor saxophonist (born
1930). •
31 –
Bill Le Sage, British pianist, vibraphonist, arranger, composer, and bandleader (born
1927). ; November •
13 •
Babik Reinhardt, French jazz guitarist (born
1944). •
Panama Francis, American drummer (born
1918). •
16 –
Tommy Flanagan, American jazz pianist and composer (born
1930). •
21 –
Ralph Burns, American pianist, composer, and arranger (born
1922). ; December •
14 –
Conte Candoli, American trumpeter (born
1927). •
22 –
Gene Taylor, American upright bassist (born
1929). •
30 –
Ralph Sutton, American pianist (born
1922). ; Unknown date •
David Batey, English pianist (born
1939) •
Oliver Todd, American band leader, organist, pianist, and trumpeter (born
1916). at the 2017
Night of the Proms in
Mannheim, Germany. ==Births==