This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1971.

Events

May

• 2 – The 5th Montreux Jazz Festival started in Montreux, Switzerland (May 2 – June 24).^[1]

July

• 2 – The 18th Newport Jazz Festival started in Newport, Rhode Island (July 2 – 5).^[2]

September

• 17 – The 14th Monterey Jazz Festival started in Monterey, California (September 17 – 19).^[3]

Album releases

Deaths

January

• 10 – Ernie Caceres, American saxophonist (born 1911).
• 19 – Harry Shields, American clarinetist (born 1899).

February

• 1 – Harry Roy, British clarinettist and bandleader (born 1900).
• 5 – Chas Remue, Belgian reedist (born 1903).
• 11 – Harry Arnold, Swedish saxophonist and bandleader (born 1920).
• 22 – Derek Humble, English alto saxophonist (born 1930).

March

• 26 – Harold McNair, Jamaican-born saxophonist and flute player (lung cancer) (born 1931).
• 28 – Morey Feld, American drummer (born 1915).

April

• 1 – Baby Face Willette, American Hammond organist (born 1933).
• 12 – Wynton Kelly, Jamaican pianist and composer (born 1931).
• 28 – Sonny White, American pianist (born 1917).

May

• 8 – Gus Deloof, Belgian trumpeter, composer, and arranger (born 1909).

June

• 11 – Bert Ambrose, English bandleader and violinist (born 1896).

July

• 2 – Bobby Donaldson, American drummer (born 1922).
• 6 – Louis Armstrong, American singer and trumpeter (born 1901).
• 8 – Charlie Shavers, American trumpeter (born 1920).

August

• 13 – King Curtis, American saxophonist (born 1934).
• 17 – Tab Smith, American saxophonist (born 1909).
• 27 – Lil Hardin Armstrong, American pianist, singer, and band leader (born 1898).
• 28 – Lou McGarity, American trombonist, violinist, and vocalist (born 1917).

November

• 1 – Irene Daye, American singer (born 1918).
• 3 – Gary McFarland, American composer, arranger, vibraphonist, and vocalist (born 1933).

Unknown date

• Gregor or Krikor Kélékian, Armenian-French bandleader (born 1898).

Births

January

• 1
  • Chris Potter, American saxophonist.
  • Kenya Hathaway, American singer.
• 4 – Nigel Hitchcock, English saxophonist.
• 5 – Stian Carstensen, Norwegian multi-instrumentalist.
• 20 – Zoe Rahman, English pianist and composer.

February

• 16 – Øyvind Brandtsegg, Norwegian percussionist.
• 26 – Erykah Badu, American singer-songwriter, record producer, disc jockey, activist, and actress.

March

• 23 – Leszek Możdżer, Polish pianist, music producer, and film music composer.

April

• 2 – Solveig Slettahjell, Norwegian singer.
• 10 – Joey Defrancesco, American organist, trumpeter, and vocalist.
• 16 – Max Beesley, English actor, singer, and pianist.
• 25 – Trygve Seim, Norwegian saxophonist.

  

• 26 – Christian Wallumrød, Norwegian pianist and composer.

May

• 6 – Till Brönner, German trumpeter, singer, composer, arranger, and producer.
• 12 – Kristin Asbjørnsen, Norwegian singer and composer.
• 15 – Erland Dahlen, Norwegian drummer and percussionist.
• 31 – Arun Luthra, Indo-Anglo-American saxophonist, konnakol artist, composer, arranger, and band leader.

June

• 4 – Shoji Meguro, Japanese composer, guitarist, and director.
• 7
  • Håvard Fossum, Norwegian saxophonistand flautist.
  • Jesse Green, American pianist, composer, arranger, and record producer.
• 9 – Gerald Preinfalk, Austrian saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer.
• 15 – Nasheet Waits, American drummer.
• 29 – Ingar Zach, Norwegian percussionist.

July

• 17 – Liberty Ellman, American guitarist.
• 29 – Lisa Ekdahl, Swedish singer and songwriter.

August

• 14 – Walter Blanding, American saxophonist and clarinetist.
• 17 – Ed Motta, Brazilian singer and keyboardist.

September

• 15 – Graham Wood, Australian jazz pianist (died 2017).
• 20 – Sean J. Kennedy, American drummer.
• 23 – Ingebrigt Håker Flaten, Norwegian bassist.

October

• 19 – Helén Eriksen, Norwegian saxophonist and singer.
• 20 – Russell Gunn, American trumpeter.
• 24 – Frode Berg, Norwegian bassist.
• 26 – Vijay Iyer, American pianist and composer.

November

• 1 – Antonio Sánchez, Mexican-American drummer and composer.
• 4 – Gregory Porter, American vocalist.
• 28 – Robert Mitchell, British pianist, composer, and teacher.

December

• 1 – Mika Pohjola, Finnish pianist and composer.
• 11 – Mattias Ståhl, Swedish vibraphonist, clarinetist, and composer.
• 18 – Noriko Matsueda, Japanese pianist and composer.

Unknown date

• Carla Kihlstedt, American composer, violinist, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist.
• Dominique Atkins, British singer, Grace.
• Kasper Tranberg, Danish trumpeter and flugelhornist.
• Marcus Johnson, American keyboardist.
• Tom Norris, English musician, composer, ensemble leader, and songwriter.
• Vellu Halkosalmi, Finnish trombonist and composer.