This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1902.

• Jelly Roll Morton start to get attention in the New Orleans scene, at the age of 17 years, as a brothel piano player. He primarily plays Ragtime and a little Blues at this point. He is one of the first to play this mix that is a forerunner of Jazz. He later claimed to have invented Jazz in this year by combining Ragtime, Quadrilles and Blues.^[1]

January

• 3 – Preston Jackson, American trombonist (died 1983).
• 9 – Mel Stitzel, German-American pianist, New Orleans Rhythm Kings (died 1952).
• 13 – Putney Dandridge, African-American bandleader, jazz pianist and vocalist (died 1946).
• 23 – Benny Waters, American saxophonist and clarinetist (died 1998).

February

• 6 – George Brunies, American trombonist (died 1974).

March

• 11 – Chauncey Morehouse, American drummer (died 1980).
• 16 – Leon Roppolo, American clarinetist (died 1943).
• 30 – Ted Heath, English musician and big band leader (died 1969).

April

• 6 – Rosy McHargue, American clarinetist (died 1999).
• 24 – Rube Bloom, Jewish-American songwriter, pianist, arranger, band leader, singer, and author (died 1976).

June

• 6 – Jimmie Lunceford, American alto saxophonist and bandleader (died 1947).
• 7 – Ed Cuffee, American trombonist (died 1959).
• 17 – Chris Columbus, American drummer (died 2002).
• 26 – Artemi Ayvazyan, Soviet-Armenian composer, conductor, and founder of the Armenian State Jazz Orchestra (died 1975).
• 27 – Georg Malmstén, Finnish singer, musician, composer, orchestra conductor, and actor (died 1981).

July

• 4 – Erik Tuxen, Danish big band leader, composer, and arranger (died 1957).
• 7 – Jim McCartney, English trumpeter and pianist (died 1976).
• 19
  • Buster Bailey, American clarinet, but also well versed on saxophone (died 1967).
  • Cliff Jackson, American stride pianist (died 1970).
• 21 – Omer Simeon, American clarinetist and reedist (died 1959).

August

• 21 – Lloyd Scott, American drummer and bandleader (died unknown date).

September

• 17 – Louis Nelson, American trombonist (died 1990).^[2]

October

• 12 – Jimmy Archey, American trombonist (died 1967).
• 24 – Louis Barbarin, American drummer (died 1997).
• 25 – Eddie Lang, American guitarist (died 1933).

November

• 29 – Danny Alvin, American drummer and bandleader (died 1958).

December

• 7 – Cecil Irwin, American reedist and arranger (died 1935).^[3]

Unknown date

• Barney Josephson, founder of Café Society in Greenwich Village (died 1988).
• Shirley Clay, American trumpeter (died 1951).