This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1962.

• 29 – The 4th Annual Grammy Awards were held at Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.^[1]
• Best Jazz Performance – Soloist or Small Group (Instrumental)
  • André Previn for André Previn Plays Harold Arlen
• Best Jazz Performance – Large Group (Instrumental)
  • Stan Kenton for Kenton's West Side Story
• Best Original Jazz Composition
  • Galt MacDermot (composer) for "African Waltz" performed by Cannonball Adderley

• 6 – The 7th Newport Jazz Festival started in Newport, Rhode Island (July 6 – 8).^[2]

• Several recordings are made at the Lighthouse Café in Hermosa Beach, California: Curtis Amy, Tippin' on Through; The Jazz Crusaders, The Jazz Crusaders at the Lighthouse.

January

• 17 – Claude Jones, American trombonist (born 1901).

February

• 5 – Doug Watkins, American upright bassist (born 1934).
• 11 – Leo Parker, American baritone saxophonist (born 1925).

March

• 24 – Jean Goldkette, American pianist and bandleader (born 1893).

April

• 13 – John Graas, American French horn player, composer, and arranger (born 1917).
• 25 – Eddie South, American jazz violinist (born 1904).

May

• 8 – Donald Lambert, American stride pianist (born 1904).

July

• 12 – Roger Wolfe Kahn, American musician, composer, and bandleader (born 1907).
• 28 – Eddie Costa, American pianist (born 1930).

August

• 11 – Israel Crosby, American upright bassist (born 1919).

December

• 13 – Harry Barris, American singer, composer, and pianist (born 1905).

January

• 7 – Tor Haugerud, Norwegian drummer, Transjoik.
• 11 – Steve Oliver, American guitarist.
• 22 – Jimmy Herring, American guitarist.

February

• 2 – Tapani Rinne, Finnish saxophonist, composer and record producer.
• 4 – Jude Abbott, English vocalist and trumpeter.
• 25 – Snorre Bjerck, Norwegian percussionist.
• 28 – Caroline Henderson, Danish–Swedish singer.

March

• 13 – Terence Blanchard, American trumpeter, bandleader, composer, and arranger.
• 24 – Renee Rosnes, American pianist, composer and arranger.

April

• 2 – Thomas Blachman, Danish drummer and composer.
• 3 – Dennis Mackrel, American drummer, composer, and arranger.
• 9 – Arthur Maia, Brazilian jazz and samba bassist and composer (died 2018).
• 27 – Kenn Smith, American guitarist, bassist, composer, educator and journalist

May

• 9 – Jon Klette, Norwegian saxophonist (died 2016).^[3]
• 11 – Robert Balzar, Czech upright bassist and composer.
• 12 – Aydin Esen, Turkish pianist, keyboarder, and electronics player.^[4]
• 18 – Huw Warren, Welsh pianist and composer.
• 20
  • Cynthia Sayer, American banjoist and vocalist.
  • Ralph Peterson Jr., American drummer and bandleader.
• 30 – Darrell Grant, American pianist, vocalist, composer, and educator.

June

• 2 – Ian Shaw, Welsh singer.
• 4 – Winard Harper, American drummer.
• 16 – Femi Kuti, Nigerian singer, songwriter and saxophonist.
• 23 – Andrej Šeban, Slovak guitarist.

July

• 12 – Mike Walker, English guitarist.
• 21 – Lee Aaron, Canadian singer.
• 24 – Marion Meadows, American soprano saxophonist.
• 29 – Lisa Ono, Japanese-Brazilian bossa nova singer and guitarist.

August

• 2 – Billy Kilson, American drummer.
• 9 – Edsel Gomez, Puerto Rican pianist.
• 10 – Julia Fordham, British singer-songwriter.
• 11 – Mike Jones, American pianist.
• 19 – Angelo Debarre, French Romani guitarist.
• 31 – Joanna Connor, American singer, songwriter and guitarist.

September

• 7
  • Paul Tobey, Canadian pianist.
  • Rob Bargad, American pianist, organist, songwriter, arranger, educator, and producer.
• 8
  • Cecilia Coleman, American pianist, composer, and bandleader.
  • Glauco Venier, Italian pianist and composer.
• 25 – Craig Handy, American tenor saxophonist.

October

• 1 – Fred Lonberg-Holm, American cellist.
• 12 – Chris Botti, American trumpeter and composer.
• 19 – Bendik Hofseth, Norwegian saxophonist and singer.
• 20 – Dado Moroni, Italian pianist and composer.

November

• 11 – James Morrison, Australian trumpeter and multi-instrumentalist.
• 12 – Eddie Benitez, Puerto Rican guitarist.
• 27 – Euge Groove, American saxophonist.
• 28 – Ronny Jordan, American guitarist (died 2014).

December

• 8
  • Olaf Kamfjord, Norwegian bassist.
  • Tim Armacost, American saxophonist.
• 9 – Mia Žnidarič, Slovenian singer.
• 15 – Nils Einar Vinjor, Norwegian guitarist and composer.
• 28
  • Brian Kellock, Scottish pianist
  • Michel Petrucciani, French pianist (died 1999).
  • Rachel Z, American pianist and keyboardist.

Unknown date

• Christina von Bülow, Danish saxophonist and flautist.
• Juliet Roberts, British singer songwriter.
• Karoline Höfler, German bandleader and bassist.
• Per-Ola Gadd, Swedish upright bassist.
• Thomas Agergaard, Danish saxophonist, flautist, and composer.
• Tony Buck, Australian drummer and percussionist.

• 1960s in jazz
• List of years in jazz
• 1962 in music

• The New Real Book, Volume I. Sher Music. 1988. ISBN 0-9614701-4-3.
• The New Real Book, Volume II. Sher Music. 1991. ISBN 0-9614701-7-8.
• The New Real Book, Volume III. Sher Music. 1995. ISBN 1-883217-30-X.
• The Real Book, Volume I (6th ed.). Hal Leonard. 2004. ISBN 0-634-06038-4.
• The Real Book, Volume II (2nd ed.). Hal Leonard. 2007. ISBN 1-4234-2452-2.
• The Real Book, Volume III (2nd ed.). Hal Leonard. 2006. ISBN 0-634-06136-4.
• The Real Jazz Book. Warner Bros. ISBN 978-91-85041-36-7.
• The Real Vocal Book, Volume I. Hal Leonard. 2006. ISBN 0-634-06080-5.

• History Of Jazz Timeline: 1962 at All About Jazz