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 timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1917.

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

• 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]

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

April

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

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).

• History Of Jazz Timeline: 1917 at All About Jazz