Home » History of Jazz Timeline: 1971

History of Jazz Timeline: 1971

Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong dies in New York City on July 6.

In September, Thelonious Monk and a band including Art Blakey on drums and Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet begins "The Giants of Jazz" world tour in New Zealand. They would record at several venues in Europe. Shortly after the tour's conclusion, Thelonious Monk records three Black Lion sessions (The London Collection, Vol. 1-3) solo and with drummer Art Blakey and bassist Al McKibbon.

The fusion group Weather Report records its eponymous first LP for Columbia. The group consists at this time of Joe Zawinul on keyboards, Wayne Shorter on soprano saxophone, Miroslav Vitous on bass, Alphonse Mouzon on drums and Airto Moreira on percussion.

British electric guitarist John McLaughlin forms the Mahavishnu Orchestra, a fusion group whose first LP, The Inner Mounting Flame (Columbia), includes McLaughlin on guitar, Jan Hammer on piano, Rick Laird on bass, Jerry Goodman on violin and Billy Cobham on drums.

Pianist Chick Corea records Piano Improvisations Vols 1 and 2 (ECM), two records of solo improvisation consisting mostly of Corea tunes.

Henry Threadgill (flute and reeds), Fred Hopkins (bass) and Steve McCall (drums) form Air and record an eponymous record on Embryo.

Keyword Search

Disclaimer: Though we have checked our facts, this timeline may contain erroneous information. If you discover errors or omissions, please bring them to our attention.