The jazz chart had premiered in the May 21, 1982 issue:

Playlist:

#29: “Common Ground” by Judy Roberts, from the #29 album of the week, Nights in Brazil. Written by Ivan Lins, John Guth, Michael Holmes, and Paul Winter; produced by Judy Roberts and Andy Waterman. The album spent 5 weeks on the R&R chart, peaking at #16: this would be its last week on the chart, having first charted when the chart premiered on May 21.

• Judy Roberts – Vocals, keyboards
• Neal Saroka – Guitar
• David Derge – Drums, percussion
• Michael Fiorino – Bass

#24: “On Second Thought” by Nightwind, from the #24 album of the week, A Casual Romance. Written by Jeff Hull; produced by Charles Black, Jeff Hull, Peter Lewis, and Bill Stilfield. Debuting on this week’s chart, the album would eventually spend 10 weeks on the R&R jazz chart, peaking at #15 on July 2.

• Charles Black – Reeds, percussion
• Jeff Hull – Drums
• Barry Coates – Guitars
• Rich Eames – Keyboards
• Steve Anderson – Bass
• John Mandel – Percussion, mallets

#21: “Love Duet” by Michael Franks, from the #21 album of the week, Objects of Desire. Written by Michael Franks; produced by Michael Colina and Ray Bardani. The album spent 7 weeks on the R&R chart, peaking at #14 on the May 21 chart.

• Michael Franks, Renee Diggs – Vocals
• Francisco Centeno – Bass
• Harvey Mason – Drums
• Hugh McCracken – Guitar
• Rob Mounsey, Michael Colina – Keyboards
• Victor Feldman, Ray Bardani – Percussion
• David Sanborn – Saxophone

#20: “East River Drive” by Grover Washington, Jr. from the #20 album, Come Morning. Written by Grover Washington, Jr.; produced by Grover Washington, Jr. and Ralph MacDonald. The album spent 6 weeks on the R&R chart, peaking at #10 on the May 21 chart.

• Grover Washington, Jr. – Saxophone
• Ralph MacDonald – Percussion
• Steve Gadd – Drums
• Marcus Miller – Bass
• Richard Tee – Fender Rhodes
• Eric Gale – Guitar
• Paul Griffin – Synthesizer

#15: “Margarita” by Herb Alpert from the #15 album, Fandango. Written by Juan Carlos Calderón; produced by José Quintana and Herb Alpert. The album spent 21 weeks on the R&R jazz chart, peaking at #12 on July 2.

• Herb Alpert – Trumpet
• José Quintana – Backing vocals
• Victor Ruiz Pazos – Bass
• Carlos Vega – Drums
• Miguel Peña – Guitar
• Bill Cuomo – Keyboards
• Paulinho DaCosta – Percussion

#13: “Paradise” by Herbie Hancock from the #13 album, Lite Me Up. Written by Herbie Hancock, Jay Graydon, David Foster, and Bill Champlin; produced by Jay Graydon. The album spent 14 weeks on the R&R jazz chart, peaking at #4 on July 2.

• Herbie Hancock – Vocals, keyboards
• Jay Graydon – Guitar
• Jeff Porcaro – Drums
• Abe Laboriel – Bass
• David Foster – Acoustic piano
• Bill Champlin, Richard Page, Venette Gloud – Background vocals

#11: “Birdland” by Freddie Hubbard from the #11 album, Ride Like the Wind. Written by Joe Zawinul; produced by Jeffrey Weber. The album spent 8 weeks on the R&R jazz chart, peaking here at #11.

• Freddie Hubbard – Trumpet
• Bill Maxwell – Drums
• Joe Porcaro – Percussion
• Abe Laboriel – Bass
• Bill Mays – Keyboards
• Dan Ferguson – Guitars
• Chuck Findley, Gary Grant – Trumpets
• Vince Derosa – French Horn
• Bill Waltrous – Trombone
• Bud Shank, Bill Perkins, Bob Tricarico – Saxophones

#7: “Forget Me Nots” by Patrice Rushen from the #7 album, Straight from the Heart. Written by Patrice Rushen, Teri McFadden, and Freddie Washington; produced by Charles Mims Jr. and Patrice Rushen. The album spent 12 weeks on the R&R jazz chart, peaking at #4 on the premiere chart of May 21.

• Patrice Rushen – Vocals, keyboards
• Ollie E. Brown – Drums
• Freddie Washington – Bass
• Gerald Albright – Saxophone
• Roy Galloway – Backing vocals

#5: “San Juan Sunset” by Lee Ritenour from the #5 album, Rio. Written by Eumir Deodato; produced by Lee Ritenour. The album spent 9 weeks on the R&R jazz chart, peaking here at #5.

• Lee Ritenour – Guitar
• Dave Grusin – Keyboards
• Marcus Miller – Bass
• Buddy Williams – Drums
• Jeff Mironov – Rhythm Guitar
• Rubens Bassini – Percussion

#4: “Soaring” by Dan Siegel from the #4 album, Dan Siegel. Written and produced by Dan Siegel. The album spent 14 weeks on the R&R jazz chart, peaking here at #4.

• Dan Siegel – Keyboards
• Rob Thomas – Bass
• Moyes Lucas, Jr. – Drums
• Paul Jackson, Jr. – Guitar
• Lenny Castro – Percussion
• Mark Hatch – Flugelhorn

#2: “Hollywood” by Maynard Ferguson from the #2 album, Hollywood. Written and produced by Stanley Clarke. The album spent 16 weeks on the R&R jazz chart, peaking here at #2.

• Maynard Ferguson – Trumpet
• Nathan East – Bass
• Ndugu Chancler – Drums
• Stanley Clarke – Acoustic Piano
• Todd Cochran – Keyboards
• Alex Acuna – Percussion
• David Sanborn – Saxophone solos
• Jerry Hey, Chuck Findley, Gary Grant, Larry Hall – Trumpets
• Charlie Loper, Lew McCreary, Bill Reichenbach – Trombones
• Jim Horn, Larry Williams, Gary Herbig, Kim Hutchcroft – Saxophones

#1: “Eighteen” by Pat Metheny Group from the #1 album, Offramp.  Written by Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, and Nan Vaconcelos; produced by Manfred Eicher. The album spent 27 weeks on the R&R jazz chart, spending 10 consecutive weeks in the #1 position.

• Pat Metheny – Guitars, guitar synthesizers
• Lyle Mays – Keyboards
• Steve Rodby – Bass
• Dan Gottlieb – Drums
• Nana Vasconcelos – Percussion, voice