- Jan 2 Joseph Arthurlin "Joe" Harriott, Jamaican-British be-bop and free-form jazz alto saxophonist (Abstract), dies of cancer at 44
- Jan 3 Wilbur De Paris, American swing and Dixieland jazz trombone player, dies at 72
- Jan 11 Rudolf Kubin, Czech cellist, dies a day after 64th birthday
- Jan 15 Jef Alpaerts, Flemish pianist, educator, and conductor (Collegium Musicum Antverpiense), dies at 68
- Jan 23 Edward "Kid" Ory, American New Orleans style jazz trombonist, and band leader, dies of pneumonia and a heart attack at 86
- Jan 26 Jay C. Higginbotham, American swing jazz trombonist (Luis Russell'; Red Allen;, Benny Carter), dies at 67
- Jan 29 Johannes Paul Thilman, German composer, dies at 67
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