1917 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1917.

1917 in jazz
Hanley and MacDonald's "Indiana" (1917) is one of the most popular pre-1920s standards.
Decade	Pre-1920 in jazz
Music	1917 in music
Standards	List of pre-1920 jazz standards
See also	1916 in jazz – 1918 in jazz

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Musicians born in this year included Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald and Thelonious Monk.

Events

February

• 26 – The Original Dixieland Jazz Band records the first jazz album, Livery Stable Blues. It was a success and paved the way for the first jazz records in US music shops.^[1]

Standards

See also: List of pre-1920 jazz standards § 1915–1917

• In 1917 standards such as "Indiana" and "Tiger Rag" appeared.^[2]

Deaths

April

• 1 – Scott Joplin, American composer and pianist (born 1868).

Births

Dizzy Gillespie in concert in Deauville, Normandy, France

Ella Fitzgerald photo by Carl Van Vechten, 1940

January

• 9 – Jimmy Maxwell, American trumpeter (died 2002).
• 10 – Jerry Wexler, American music journalist and music producer (died 2008).
• 14 – Billy Butterfield, American band leader, trumpeter, flugelhornist and cornetist (died 1988).
• 16 – Sandy Block, American bassist (died 1985).
• 19
  • Shep Shepherd, American drummer and trombonist (died 2018).
  • Streamline Ewing, American jazz trombonist (died 2002).
• 21 – Billy Maxted, American pianist (died 2001).
• 22 – Pud Brown, American reedist (died 1996).
• 23 – Fred Beckett, American trombonist (died 1946).
• 24 – Avery Parrish, American pianist and songwriter (died 1959).
• 25 – Floyd Smith, American guitarist and record producer (died 1982).

February

• 21 – Tadd Dameron, American pianist and composer (died 1965).
• 23 – John Benson Brooks, American pianist, songwriter, arranger, and composer (died 1999).
• 28 – Max Jones, British jazz author, radio host, and journalist (died 1993).

March

• 1 – Aimé Barelli, French trumpeter, vocalist, and band leader (died 1995).
• 14 – John Graas, American French horn player, composer, and arranger (died 1962).
• 16 – Junior Raglin, American upright bassist (died 1955).
• 19
  • Buster Harding, Canadian-American pianist, composer, and arranger (died 1965).
  • Curley Russell, American upright bassist (died 1986).
• 23 – Johnny Guarnieri, American virtuoso jazz and stride pianist (died 1985).
• 27 – Dardanelle Hadley, American singer, vibraphonist, pianist, composer, and arranger (died 1997).

April

• 3 – Bill Finegan, American bandleader, pianist, arranger, and composer (died 2008).
• 7 – Mongo Santamaría, Afro-Cuban percussionist (died 2003).
• 10 – Morty Corb, American upright bassist (died 1996).
• 12 – Helen Forrest, American singer (died 1999).
• 21 – Joe Dixon, American reedist (died 1998).
• 25 – Ella Fitzgerald, American vocalist (died 1996).
• 27 – Denzil Best, American percussionist and composer (died 1965).
• 30
  • Bea Wain, American singer (died 2017).^[3]
  • Frankie Lee Sims, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (died 1970).

May

• 5 – Dalva de Oliveira, Brazilian singer (internal bleeding) (died 1972).
• 22 – Charlie Munro, New Zealand-Australian reedist and flautist (died 1985).
• 25 – Jimmy Hamilton, American clarinetist, tenor saxophonist, and composer (died 1995).
• 31 – Billie Rogers, American trumpeter and singer (died 2014).

June

• 7 – Dean Martin, American singer, actor, comedian, and film producer (died 1995).
• 13 – Si Zentner, American trombonist and big band leader (died 2000).
• 19 – Dave Lambert, American lyricist and singer (died 1966).

July

• 18
  • Henri Salvador, French-Caribbean comedian and singer (died 2008).
  • Joe Comfort, American bassist (died 1988).
• 22 – Lou McGarity, American trombonist, violinist and vocalist (died 1971).

August

• 3
  • Charlie Shavers, American trumpeter (died 1971).
  • Les Elgart, American bandleader and trumpeter (died 1995).
• 7 – Mose Vinson, American pianist and singer (died 2002).
• 10 – J. C. Heard, American drummer (died 1988).
• 30 – Lena Horne, African-American singer, dancer, actress, and civil rights activist (died 2010).

September

• 2
  • Armando Trovajoli, Italian film composer and pianist (died 2013).^[4]
  • Laurindo Almeida, Brazilian virtuoso guitarist and composer (died 1995).
• 6 – Johnny Letman, American trumpeter (died 1992).
• 11 – John Adriano Acea, American pianist (died 1963).
• 24 – Jimmy Butts, American upright bassist (died 1998).
• 26 – Nelson Williams, American jazz trumpeter (died 1973).
• 30 – Buddy Rich, American jazz drummer and bandleader (died 1987).

October

• 10 – Thelonious Monk, American pianist and composer (died 1982).
• 16 – Pat Flowers, American pianist and singer (died 2000).
• 21 – Dizzy Gillespie, trumpeter and bandleader (died 1993).
• 24 – Mike Pedicin, American saxophonist and bandleader (died 2016).

November

• 7 – Howard Rumsey, American upright bassist (died 2015).
• 11 – Sonny White, American pianist (died 1971).
• 18 – Boots Mussulli, Italian-American saxophonist (died 1967).

December

• 2 – Sylvia Syms (singer), American singer (died 1992).
• 4 – Russell Jacquet, American trumpeter (died 1990).
• 18 – Eddie Vinson, American alto saxophonist and blues shouter (died 1988).^[5]

Unknown date

• Garnet Clark, American jazz pianist (died 1938).