1933 in jazz

• Louis Armstrong goes on a tour to Europe. He is a sensation on all stages in which he appears, and fills the Tivoli in Copenhagen eight nights in a row.^[1]
• The Duke Ellington Band travels to Europe, and they are well received in England. Ellington is considered a significant composer in London.^[1]
• Ellington records "Solitude" and "Sophisticated Lady".^[1]
• Teddy Wilson is in New York City playing with the Benny Carter Band.^[1]
• Bessie Smith records for the last time in a session arranged by John Hammond. "Gimme a Pigfoot" was recorded at this session.^[1]
• Billie Holiday was discovered by John Hammond in Monette's in New York City. Billie record her singing with Benny Goodman.^[1]

March

October 12th, Jimmy Wade, jazz trumpeter (born 1895)

• 26 – Eddie Lang, American guitarist, regarded as Father of Jazz Guitar (born 1902).

July

• 15 – Freddie Keppard, jazz cornetist (born 1889).

September

• 30 – William Krell, American bandleader and composer (born 1868).

January

• 1
  • Bill Saragih, Indonesian musician (died 2008).
  • Hideo Shiraki, Japanese drummer and bandleader (died 1972).

February

• 1 – Sadao Watanabe, Japanese saxophonist.
• 2 – Orlando "Cachaito" López, Cuban bassist (died 2009).
• 3 – John Handy, American saxophonist.
• 17 – Spike Heatley, British bassist (died 2021).
• 20 – Charles Kynard, American organist (died 1979).
• 21 – Nina Simone, American singer and pianist (died 2003).
• 24 – David "Fathead" Newman, American saxophonist (died 2009).

March

• 3 – Jimmy Garrison, American upright bassist (died 1976).
• 4 – Ann Burton, Dutch singer (died 1989).
• 14
  • Duke Carl Gregor of Mecklenburg, member of the House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and a music and art historian (died 2018).
  • Quincy Jones, American conductor, composer and trumpeter.
• 17 – Dick Maloney, Canadian singer (died 2010).
• 23
  • Andrzej Trzaskowski, Polish composer and musicologist (died 1998).
  • Dave Frishberg, American pianist, vocalist, and composer (died 2021).
• 26 – Donald Bailey, American drummer (died 2013).
• 28 – Tete Montoliu, Spanish-Catalonian pianist (died 1997).

April

• 6 – Bill Hardman, American trumpeter and flugelhornist (died 1990).
• 8 – Paul Jeffrey, American tenor saxophonist (died 2015).
• 21 – Ian Carr, Scottish trumpeter, composer, writer, and educator (died 2009).
• 27 – Calvin Newborn, American guitarist (died 2018).
• 28 – Oliver Jackson, American drummer (died 1994).

May

• 5 – Cal Collins, American guitarist (died 2001).
• 14 – Stu Williamson, American trumpeter (died 1991).
• 20 – Charles Davis, American saxophonist and composer (died 2016).
• 22 – Eivind Solberg, Norwegian trumpeter (died 2008).
• 24 – Michael White, American violinist (died 2016).
• 30 – Michael Garrick, English pianist and composer (died 2011).

June

• 20 – Lazy Lester, American singer and guitarist (died 2018).

July

• 1 – Rashied Ali, American drummer (died 2009).
• 17 – Ben Riley, American drummer (died 2017).
• 20 – Mario Schiano, Italian saxophonist (died 2008).

August

• 4 – Sonny Simmons, American saxophonist (died 2021).
• 10 – Trudy Pitts, American keyboardist (died 2010).
• 15 – Bill Dowdy, American drummer (died 2017).
• 19 – Asmund Bjørken, Norwegian accordionist and saxophonist (died 2018).
• 25
  • Rune Gustafsson, Swedish guitarist (died 2012).
  • Wayne Shorter, American saxophonist and composer (died 2023).
• 27 – Rudolf DaÅ¡ek, Czech guitarist (died 2013).
• 31 – Herman Riley, American tenor saxophonist (died 2007).

September

• 1 – Gene Harris, American pianist (died 2000).
• 11 – Baby Face Willette, American Hammond organist (died 1971).
• 30 – Steve McCall, American drummer (died 1989).

October

• 2 – Ronnie Ross, British baritone saxophonist (died 1991).
• 18 – Bross Townsend, American pianist (died 2003).
• 19 – Jimmy Dotson, American singer, guitarist, and drummer (died 2017).
• 23 – Gary McFarland, composer, vibraphonist, and singer (died 1971).
• 25 – Jack Petersen, American guitarist, pianist, and composer.

November

• 11
  • Marlene VerPlanck, American singer (died 2018).^[2]
  • Sture Nordin, Swedish upright bassist (died 2000).

December

• 1
  • Billy Paul, Congolese singer and musician (died 2016).^[3]
  • Lou Rawls, American singer and songwriter (died 2006).
• 4 – Denis Charles, American drummer (died 1998).
• 13 – Borah Bergman, American pianist (died 2012).
• 14 – Leo Wright, American saxophonist (died 1991).
• 16 – Johnny "Hammond" Smith, American organist (died 1997).
• 17
  • John Ore, American bassist (died 2014).
  • Walter Booker, American upright bassist (died 2006).
• 18 – Lonnie Brooks, American blues singer and guitarist (died 2017).^[4]
• 23 – Frank Morgan, American saxophonist (died 2007).
• 26 – Billy Bean, American guitarist (died 2012).
• 29 – Brian Brown, Australian saxophones (died 2013).
• 30 – Lanny Steele, American pianist (died 1994).

Unknown date

• Jim Newman, American saxophonist and television producer.
• Nikele Moyake, South African tenor saxophonist (died 1966).

• 1933 in music