- Dave Brubeck visits the Soviet Union. In the ‘80s Brubeck led a quartet that featured clarinetist Bill Smith, a former Octet member, with his son Chris on electric bass and Randy Jones on drums.
- Pat Metheny Group achieves further commercial success with the album Still Life
- Drummer Buddy Rich dies at the age of 69 & bassist Joe Pastorius dies at 35 after he is beaten up during a nightclub brawl.
- A big band is formed to celebrate Dizzy Gillespie’s seventieth birthday and embarks on a world tour
- Ella Fitzgerald receives the National Medal of Arts from President Reagan.
In Greece, few releases in 1987 : http://www.jazzonline.gr/en/cd-releases/itemlist/tag/Greek%20Jazz%20Discography%201987.html