This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1937.[1]
- February
- March
- July
- 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).[2]
- 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).[3]
- 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
- 19
- 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
- April
- May
- 4 – Ron Carter, American upright bassist.
- 10 – Mike Melvoin, American pianist, composer, and arranger (died 2012).
- 15 – Karin Krog, Norwegian vocalist.
- 24
- 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
- August
- 6
- 7 – George Bohanon, American trombonist.
- 14
- 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).[7]
- 20 – Monica Zetterlund, Swedish singer and actress (died 2005).
- 25
- 27 – Guido Basso, Canadian trumpeter (died 2023).
- October
- November
- 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