This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1971. Events May 2 – The 5th Montreux Jazz Festival started in Montreux, Switzerland (May 2 – June 24). July 2 – The 18th Newport Jazz Festival started in Newport, Rhode Island (July 2 – 5). September 17 – The 14th Monterey Jazz Festival started in Monterey, California (September 17 – 19). Album releases Art Ensemble of Chicago: Phase One Derek Bailey: Solo Guitar Gato Barbieri: Fenix Carla Bley: Escalator Over The Hill Willem Breuker: Instant Composers Pool 008 Gary Burton: Live in Tokyo Alice Coltrane Universal Consciousness Journey in Satchidananda Compost: Compost Chick Corea Circle 2: Gathering Piano Improvisations The Song of Singing Don Ellis: Tears of Joy Bill Evans The Bill Evans Album From Left to Right Jan Garbarek: Sart Freddie Hubbard First Light Sing Me a Song of Songmy Straight Life Keith Jarrett Birth Gary Burton & Keith Jarrett The Mourning of a Star Mahavishnu Orchestra: The Inner Mounting Flame Joe McPhee: Trinity Oliver Nelson: Swiss Suite Jean-Luc Ponty: Open Strings Terje Rypdal: Terje Rypdal Pharoah Sanders: Black Unity Spontaneous Music Ensemble: So What Do You Think Keith Tippett: Septober Energy Stanley Turrentine: Salt Song Weather Report: Weather Report Tim Weisberg: Tim Weisberg Mike Westbrook: Metropolis Paul Winter Icarus Road Joe Zawinul: Zawinul Deaths January 10 – Ernie Caceres, American saxophonist (born 1911). 19 – Harry Shields, American clarinetist (born 1899). February 1 – Harry Roy, British clarinettist and bandleader (born 1900). 5 – Chas Remue, Belgian reedist (born 1903). 11 – Harry Arnold, Swedish saxophonist and bandleader (born 1920). 22 – Derek Humble, English alto saxophonist (born 1930). March 26 – Harold McNair, Jamaican-born saxophonist and flute player (lung cancer) (born 1931). 28 – Morey Feld, American drummer (born 1915). April 1 – Baby Face Willette, American Hammond organist (born 1933). 12 – Wynton Kelly, Jamaican pianist and composer (born 1931). 28 – Sonny White, American pianist (born 1917). May 8 – Gus Deloof, Belgian trumpeter, composer, and arranger (born 1909). June 11 – Bert Ambrose, English bandleader and violinist (born 1896). July 2 – Bobby Donaldson, American drummer (born 1922). 6 – Louis Armstrong, American singer and trumpeter (born 1901). 8 – Charlie Shavers, American trumpeter (born 1920). August 13 – King Curtis, American saxophonist (born 1934). 17 – Tab Smith, American saxophonist (born 1909). 27 – Lil Hardin Armstrong, American pianist, singer, and