This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1972.

Quick Facts Decade, Music ...

1972 in jazz
Rune Gustafsson, Red Mitchell and Egil "Bop" Johansen, 1972.
Decade	1970s in jazz
Music	1972 in music
Standards	List of post-1950 jazz standards
See also	1971 in jazz – 1973 in jazz

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January

• 27 – Mahalia Jackson, American singer (born 1911).

February

• 19 – Lee Morgan, American trumpeter, shot dead (born 1938).

March

• 13 – Clancy Hayes, American vocalist, banjoist and guitarist (born 1908).
• 27 – Sharkey Bonano, American trumpeter, band leader, and vocalist (born 1904).

April

• 3 – Ferde Grofé, American composer, arranger, and pianist (born 1892).

May

• 5 – Reverend Gary Davis, American singer, banjoist, guitarist, and harmonica player (born 1896).

June

• 8 – Jimmy Rushing, American blues shouter, balladeer, singer, and pianist (born 1901).

July

• 3 – Marty Flax, American saxophonist (born 1924).
• 10 – Lovie Austin, 84, American pianist, composer, and bandleader (born 1887).

August

• 5 – Mezz Mezzrow, American clarinetist and saxophonist (born 1899).
• 9 – André Ekyan, French reedist (born 1907).
• 20 – Mike Bryan, American guitarist (born 1916).
• 24 – Don Byas, American tenor saxophonist (born 1912).
• 31
  • Hideo Shiraki, Japanese drummer and bandleader (born 1933).
  • Dalva de Oliveira, Brazilian singer (internal bleeding) (born 1917).

October

• 13 – Phil Seamen, English drummer (born 1926).
• 25 – Cal Massey, American trumpeter and composer (born 1928).

November

• 24 – Hall Overton, American composer and pianist (born 1920).

December

• 3 – Bill Johnson, African-American upright bassist (born 1872).
• 5 – Kenny Dorham, American trumpeter, singer, and composer (born 1924).
• 25 – Dud Bascomb, American trumpeter (born 1916).
• 29 – Hayes Alvis, American upright bassist and tubist (born 1907).

January

• 6 – Mina Agossi, French singer-songwriter.

February

• 1 – Siri Gjære, Norwegian singer.
• 14 – Daniela Schaechter, Italian singer and pianist.

March

• 7 – Katrine Madsen, Danish singer.
• 12 – Lisa Werlinder, Swedish actress and singer.
• 14 – Noriko Ueda, Japanese upright bassist, pianist, singer, composer, and arranger.^[6]
• 21 – Jesse van Ruller, Dutch guitarist and composer.
• 25 – Mimi Jones, American bassist, vocalist, composer, bandleader, and label director.^[7]

April

• 9 – Christos Rafalides, Greek vibraphonist, composer, and educator.
• 15 – Christer Fredriksen, Norwegian guitarist.
• 16 – Øyvind Nypan, Norwegian guitarist.

May

• 31 – Christian McBride, American bassist.

July

• 1 – Alex Machacek, Austrian guitarist.
• 4 – Ketil Gutvik, Norwegian guitarist.
• 29 – Roger Johansen, Norwegian drummer.

August

• 13 – Oscar Peñas, Catalan-American guitarist and composer.
• 21 – Nino Katamadze, Georgian singer.

September

• 12 – Gerard Presencer, English trumpeter.
• 27 – Lindha Kallerdahl, Swedish singer, multi-instrumentalist, and composer.

October

• 2 – John Daversa, American trumpeter and composer.
• 11 – Federico Ughi, Italian drummer and composer.
• 12 – Eugene Ball, Australian composer and trumpeter.
• 22 – Doug Wamble, American guitarist and vocalist.

November

• 5 – Neil Cowley, English pianist.

December

• 2 – Pasquale Stafano, Italian pianist, composer, and arranger.
• 5 – Stefano Bollani, Italian composer, pianist, and singer.
• 7 – Thomas Strønen, Norwegian drummer.
• 28 – Terreon Gully, American drummer.

Unknown date

• Anders Christensen, Danish upright bassist.
• Ari Poutiainen, Finnish violinist, violist, composer, and researcher.
• Jay Soto, American guitarist.
• Meriç Yurdatapan, Turkish singer.
• Morten Lund, Danish drummer.

• 1970s in jazz
• List of years in jazz
• 1972 in music