Births
- January
- 5 – Chuck Flores, American drummer (died 2016).
- 6 – Nino Tempo, American musician, singer, and actor.
- 7
- Kenny Davern, American clarinetist (died 2006).
- Sam Woodyard, American drummer (died 1988).
- 18 – Rodgers Grant, American pianist (died 2012).
- 30 – Tubby Hayes, English saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist (died 1973).
- February
- 10 – Johnny Helms, American trumpeter (died 2015).
- 14 – Rob McConnell, Canadian trombonist (died 2010).
- 20 – Orlando Marin, American band leader and timbales player.
- March
- 8 – George Coleman, American saxophonist.
- 12 – Hugh Lawson, American pianist (died 1997).
- 14 – Getatchew Mekurya, Ethiopian saxophonist (died 2016). [2]
- 16 – Emil Mijares, Filipino vibist and pianist (died 2007).
- 30 – Karl Berger, German pianist, composer and educator (died 2023).
- 31 – Herb Alpert, American trumpeter and record executive.
- April
- 1 – Alan Haven, English organist (died 2016).
- 9 – Reuben Wilson, American organist (died 2023).
- 10 – Jerzy Milian, Polish vibraphonist (died 2018). [3]
- 15 – Gene Cherico, American upright bassist (died 1994).
- 19 – Dudley Moore, English pianist and actor (died 2002).
- 20
- Herbie Phillips, American trumpeter (died 1995).
- Ran Blake, American pianist, composer, and educator.
- 22 – Paul Chambers, American upright bassist (died 1969).
- 23 – Milton Banana, Brazilian drummer (died 1998).
- 24 – Allan Jaffe, American jazz tubist (died 1987).
- May
- 1
- Henry Grimes, American upright bassist, violinist, and poet (died 2020).
- Heraldo do Monte, Brazilian guitarist.
- 4 – Don Friedman, American pianist (died 2016).
- 5 – Kidd Jordan, American saxophonist (died 2023).
- 10
- George Golla, Australian guitarist.
- Julius Wechter, American vibraphonist and percussionist (died 1999).
- 12 – Gary Peacock, American upright bassist (died 2020).
- 19
- Cecil McBee, American upright bassist.
- Tore Jensen, Norwegian trumpeter.
- 20 – Dino Saluzzi, Argentinian bandoneon player.
- 21 – Terry Lightfoot, British clarinetist and bandleader (died 2013).
- 22
- Barry Rogers, American trombonist (died 1991).
- Giuseppi Logan, American saxophonist (died 2020).
- 24 – Valerie Capers, American pianist and composer.
- 27 – Ramsey Lewis, American composer, pianist, and radio personality (died 2022).
- 31 – Albert Heath, American drummer.
- June
- 3
- Enzo Jannacci, Italian singer-songwriter, pianist, actor, and stand-up comedian (died 2013).
- Ted Curson, American trumpeter (died 2012).
- 5 – Misha Mengelberg, Dutch pianist and composer (died 2017).
- 6 – Grant Green, American guitarist and composer (died 1979).
- 15 – François Jeanneau, French saxophonist, flautist, and composer.
- July
- 1
- James Cotton, American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter (died 2017). [4]
- Rashied Ali, American drummer (died 2009).
- 3 – Enrico Intra, Italian pianist, composer, conductor.
- 9 – Frank Wright, American saxophonist and singer (died 1990).
- 12 – John Patton, American pianist (died 2002).
- 13 – Pete Escovedo, Mexican-American percussionist.
- 29 – Julian Priester, American trombonist.
- August
- 3 – Vic Vogel, Canadian pianist and trombonist (died 2019).
- 7 – Rahsaan Roland Kirk, American saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist (died 1977).
- 28 – Stan McDonald, American clarinetist and saxophonist (died 2021).
- September
- 1 – Harry Beckett, British trumpeter (died 2010).
- 3 – Dorothy Masuka, South African singer (died 2019).
- 8 – James Clay, American saxophonist and flautist (died 1994).
- 9 – Fred Stone, Canadian flugelhornist, trumpeter, and pianist (died 1986).
- 16 – Gordon Beck, English pianist (died 2011).
- 23 – Les McCann, American pianist and singer.
- 25
- Bjarne Liller, Danish banjoist and singer (died 1993).
- Roland Alexander, American saxophonist and pianist (died 2006).
- 28 – Bent Jædig, Danish saxophonist (died 2004).
- 30 – Johnny Mathis, American singer.
- October
- 3 – Judy Bailey, New Zealand-born pianist and composer (died 2025).
- 12 – Paul Humphrey, American drummer (died 2014).
- 21
- 23 – Frank Hewitt, American pianist (died 2002).
- 27 – Charlie Tagawa, Japanese-American banjoist (died 2017).
- November
- 3 – Harry Leahey, American guitarist (died 1990).
- 9 – Jimmy D'Aquisto, Italian-American luthier|guitar maker (died 1995).
- 17 – Roswell Rudd, American trombonist and composer (died 2017).
- 23 – Alvin Fielder, American drummer (died 2019). [5]
- 27 – Michel Portal, French composer, saxophonist, and clarinetist.
- December
- 1 – Woody Allen, American filmmaker and clarinetist.
- 2 – Ronnie Mathews, American pianist (died 2008).
- 5 – Totti Bergh, Norwegian saxophonist (died 2012).
- 12 – Juhani Aaltonen, Finnish saxophonist and flautist.
- 17 – Ronnie Boykins, American bassist (died 1980).
- 19 – Bobby Timmons, American pianist and composer (died 1974).
- 22 – Joe Lee Wilson, American singer (died 2011).
- 23 – Esther Phillips, American singer (died 1984).
- 26 – Noel Kelehan, Irish musician and conductor, RTÉ Concert Orchestra (died 2012).
- 31 – Peter Herbolzheimer, German trombonist and bandleader (died 2010).
- Unknown date
- Eddie Khan, American upright bassist (died 1980s).
- Trevor Koehler, American saxophonist (died 1975).
- Tülay German, Turkish singer.
- Yasunao Tone, Japanese artist.
