This is a timeline documenting events of

Jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

in the year 1978.

Events

March

* 17 – The 5th

Vossajazz Vossajazz or Vossa Jazz (established 19 December 1973) is an international jazz festival in Voss, Norway, which takes place annually during the week before Easter, and which also includes concerts throughout the year. The festival has been led by ...

started in

Voss, Norway Voss () is a municipality and a traditional district in Vestland county, Norway. The administrative center of the municipality is the village of Vossevangen. Other villages include Bolstadøyri, Borstrondi, Evanger, Kvitheim, Mjølfjell, Opp ...

(March 17–19).

May

* 12 – The 7th

Moers Festival The Moers Festival is an annual international music festival in Moers, Germany. The festival has changed from concentrating on free jazz to including world and pop music, though it still invites many avant-garde jazz musicians. Performers at Moers ...

started in

Moers, Germany Moers (; older form: ''Mörs''; archaic Dutch: ''Murse'', ''Murs'' or ''Meurs'') is a German city on the western bank of the Rhine, close to Duisburg. Moers belongs to the district of Wesel. History Known earliest from 1186, the county of Moe ...

(May 12–15). * 24 – The 6th

Nattjazz Bergen International Jazz Festival or Nattjazz, is one of the largest jazz festivals of Norway. The festival has a musical profile with an emphasis on ethnic and contemporary jazz. It is held annually in late May, coinciding with Festspillene ...

started in

Bergen, Norway Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipalities of Norway, municipality in Vestland county on the Western Norway, west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the list of towns and cities in Norway, secon ...

(May 24 – June 7).

July

* 1 – The 25th

Newport Jazz Festival The Newport Jazz Festival is an annual American multi-day jazz music festival held every summer in Newport, Rhode Island. Elaine Lorillard established the festival in 1954, and she and husband Louis Lorillard financed it for many years. They hire ...

started in

Newport, Rhode Island Newport is an American seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, ...

(July 1–3). * 7 – The 12th

Montreux Jazz Festival The Montreux Jazz Festival (formerly Festival de Jazz Montreux and Festival International de Jazz Montreux) is a music festival in Switzerland, held annually in early July in Montreux on the Lake Geneva shoreline. It is the second-largest annual ...

started in

Montreux, Switzerland Montreux (, , ; frp, Montrolx) is a Swiss municipality and town on the shoreline of Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps. It belongs to the district of Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland, and has a population of approxima ...

(July 7–23). * 14 – The 3rd

North Sea Jazz Festival The North Sea Jazz Festival is an annual festival held each second weekend of July in the Netherlands at the Ahoy venue. It used to be in The Hague but since 2006 it has been held in Rotterdam. This is because the Statenhal where the festival w ...

started in

The Hague, Netherlands The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital of ...

(July 14–16). * 28 – The very first Jazz in Marciac started in Marciac, France (July 28 – August 17).

September

* 15 – The 21st

Monterey Jazz Festival The Monterey Jazz Festival is an annual music festival that takes place in Monterey, California, United States. It debuted on October 3, 1958, championed by Dave Brubeck and co-founded by jazz and popular music critic Ralph J. Gleason and jaz ...

started in

Monterey, California Monterey (; es, Monterrey; Ohlone: ) is a city located in Monterey County on the southern edge of Monterey Bay on the U.S. state of California's Central Coast. Founded on June 3, 1770, it functioned as the capital of Alta California under bo ...

(September 15 – 17).

Album releases

Chick Corea Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea (June 12, 1941 – February 9, 2021) was an American jazz composer, pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and occasional percussionist. His compositions "Spain", " 500 Miles High", "La Fiesta", "Armando's Rhumba", and ...

: ''

The Mad Hatter The Hatter is a fictional character in Lewis Carroll's 1865 book ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' and its 1871 sequel ''Through the Looking-Glass''. He is very often referred to as the Mad Hatter, though this term was never used by Car ...

'' *Chick Corea: ''

Secret Agent Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information (intelligence) from non-disclosed sources or divulging of the same without the permission of the holder of the information for a tangib ...

'' *Chick Corea: ''

Friends ''Friends'' is an American television sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994, to May 6, 2004, lasting ten seasons. With an ensemble cast starring Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa ...

'' *Air: ''Open Air Suit'' *

Herb Alpert Herb Alpert (born March 31, 1935) is an American trumpeter who led the band Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass in the 1960s. During the same decade, he co-founded A&M Records with Jerry Moss. Alpert has recorded 28 albums that have landed on the ...

and

Hugh Masekela Hugh Ramapolo Masekela (4 April 1939 – 23 January 2018) was a South African trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, singer and composer who was described as "the father of South African jazz". Masekela was known for his jazz compositions and for ...

: ''

Herb Alpert / Hugh Masekela ''Herb Alpert / Hugh Masekela'' is collaborative studio album by Herb Alpert and Hugh Masekela. It was recorded in Hollywood, California, and released in 1978 via A&M Records and Horizon Records labels. Track listing Personnel *Acoustic guit ...

'' *Herb Alpert and Hugh Masekela: ''

Main Event Live ''Main Event Live'' is collaborative live album by Herb Alpert and Hugh Masekela. It was recorded in Los Angeles, California and released in 1978 via A&M Records label. Reception Richard Ginell of Allmusic stated: "'Let the good times roll,' He ...

'' * Fred Anderson: ''Another Place'' *

Art Ensemble of Chicago The Art Ensemble of Chicago is an avant-garde jazz group that grew out of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians ( AACM) in the late 1960s. The ensemble integrates many jazz styles and plays many instruments, including "little ...

: '' Nice Guys'' *

Kenny Barron Kenny Barron (born June 9, 1943) is an American jazz pianist, who has appeared on hundreds of recordings as leader and sideman and is considered one of the most influential mainstream jazz pianists since the bebop era. Biography Born in Philadel ...

: ''Innocence'' *

Carla Bley Carla Bley (born Lovella May Borg; May 11, 1936) is an American jazz composer, pianist, organist and bandleader. An important figure in the free jazz movement of the 1960s, she is perhaps best known for her jazz opera '' Escalator over the Hill'' ...

: ''

Musique Mecanique ''Musique Mecanique'' is an album by American composer, bandleader and keyboardist Carla Bley recorded in 1978 and released on the ECM (record label), Watt/ECM label in 1979.

'' *

Arthur Blythe Arthur Murray Blythe (May 7, 1940 – March 27, 2017) was an American jazz alto saxophonist and composer. He was described by critic Chris Kelsey as displaying "one of the most easily recognizable alto sax sounds in jazz, big and round, with a f ...

: ''

Bush Baby Galagos , also known as bush babies, or ''nagapies'' (meaning "night monkeys" in Afrikaans), are small nocturnal primates native to continental, sub-Sahara Africa, and make up the family Galagidae (also sometimes called Galagonidae). They ar ...

'' *Arthur Blythe: ''

Lenox Avenue Breakdown ''Lenox Avenue Breakdown'' is an album by jazz saxophonist Arthur Blythe. It was released by Columbia Records in 1979 and reissued by Koch Jazz in 1998. The album reached No. 35 on the ''Billboard'' Jazz Albums chart in 1979. Reception ''Th ...

'' *

Lester Bowie Lester Bowie (October 11, 1941 – November 8, 1999) was an American jazz trumpet player and composer. He was a member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians and co-founded the Art Ensemble of Chicago. Biography Born in t ...

: ''

African Children ''African Children'' is a double LP by Lester Bowie recorded for the Italian Horo label and released in 1978. It features performances by Bowie, Arthur Blythe, Amina Claudine Myers, Malachi Favors and Phillip Wilson. Track listing Side One # ...

'' *

Anthony Braxton Anthony Braxton (born June 4, 1945) is an American experimental composer, educator, music theorist, improviser and multi-instrumentalist who is best known for playing saxophones, particularly the alto. Braxton grew up on the South Side of Chica ...

: ''For Four Orchestras'' *Andrew Cyrille: '' Metamusicians' Stomp'' *Anthony Davis: ''Of Blues and Dream'' *

Al Di Meola Albert Laurence Di Meola (born July 22, 1954) is an American guitarist. Known for his works in jazz fusion and world music, he began his career as a guitarist of the group Return to Forever in 1974. Between the 1970s and 1980s, albums such as ' ...

: ''Casino'' *

Joe Farrell Joseph Carl Firrantello (December 16, 1937 – January 10, 1986), known as Joe Farrell, was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist who primarily performed as a saxophonist and flutist. He is best known for a series of albums under his own name o ...

: ''Night Dancing'' * Michael Franks: ''

Burchfield Nines ''Burchfield Nines'' is a jazz vocal album by Michael Franks, released in 1978 by Warner Bros. Records. Track listing Reception Gene DellaSala of Audioholics.com praised the vinyl record to CD transfer, stating, "the sound quality of th ...

'' *

Chico Freeman Chico Freeman (born Earl Lavon Freeman Jr.; July 17, 1949) is a modern jazz tenor saxophonist and trumpeter and son of jazz saxophonist Von Freeman. He began recording as lead musician in 1976 with ''Morning Prayer'', won the New York Jazz Award ...

: '' The Outside Within'' * Ganelin Trio: ''Concerto Grosso'' *

Egberto Gismondi Egberto Amin Gismonti (born December 5, 1947) is a Brazilian composer, guitarist and pianist. Biography Gismonti was born in the small city of Carmo, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, into a musical family. His mother was from Sicily and his ...

: ''Solo'' * Guenter Hampel: ''Freedom Of The Universe'' *Guenter Hampel: ''Oasis'' *

Gerry Hemingway Gerry Hemingway (born March 23, 1955) is an American drummer and composer. Hemingway was a member of the Anthony Braxton quartet from 1983 to 1994. He has also performed with Ernst Reijseger, Anthony Davis, Earl Howard, Leo Smith, George E. ...

: ''Kwambe'' *

Ernie Krivda Ernie Krivda (born February 6, 1945, in Cleveland, Ohio as Krvda Ernö) is a jazz saxophone player. Ernie Krivda began his professional career in 1963 with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra. During the 1960s he played in bands of two Cleveland legends, ...

: ''The Alchemist'' * Leroy Jenkins: ''

The Legend of Ai Glatson ''The Legend of Ai Glatson'' is an album by American jazz violinist Leroy Jenkins recorded in 1978 for the Italian Black Saint label.

'' *

Quincy Jones Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (born March 14, 1933) is an American record producer, musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer. His career spans 70 years in the entertainment industry with a record of 80 Grammy Award n ...

: ''Sounds・・And Stuff Like That!'' *

John Klemmer John T. Klemmer (born July 3, 1946) is an American saxophonist, composer, songwriter, and arranger. He was born in Chicago, Illinois, United States, and began playing guitar at the age of five and alto saxophone at the age of 11. His other ear ...

: ''Arabesque'' *

Oliver Lake Oliver Lake (born September 14, 1942) is an American jazz saxophonist, flutist, composer, poet, and visual artist. He is known mainly for alto saxophone, but he also performs on soprano and flute. During the 1960s, Lake worked with the Black Art ...

: ''Life Dance of Is'' *

George Lewis George Lewis may refer to: Entertainment and art * George B. W. Lewis (1818–1906), circus rider and theatre manager in Australia * George E. Lewis (born 1952), American composer and free jazz trombonist * George J. Lewis (1903–1995), Mexica ...

: ''The Imaginary Suite'' *

David Liebman David Liebman (born September 4, 1946) is an American saxophonist, flautist and jazz educator. He is known for his innovative lines and use of atonality. He was a frequent collaborator with pianist Richie Beirach. In June 2010, he received a N ...

: ''Pendulum'' *

Chuck Mangione Charles Frank Mangione ( ; born November 29, 1940) is an American flugelhorn player, voice actor, trumpeter and composer. He came to prominence as a member of Art Blakey's band in the 1960s, and later co-led the Jazz Brothers with his brother, ...

: ''Feels So Good'' *

John McLaughlin John or Jon McLaughlin may refer to: Arts and entertainment * John McLaughlin (musician) (born 1942), English jazz fusion guitarist, member of Mahavishnu Orchestra * Jon McLaughlin (musician) (born 1982), American singer-songwriter * John McLaug ...

: ''Electric Guitarist'' *

Misha Mengelberg Misha Mengelberg (5 June 1935 – 3 March 2017) was a Dutch jazz pianist and composer.Feather, Leonard & Gitler, Ira (2007) ''The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz'', p. 459. Oxford University Press. A prominent figure in post-WWII European Jazz ...

: ''Pech Onderweg'' *Pat Metheny: ''

Pat Metheny Group The Pat Metheny Group was an American jazz band founded in 1977. The core members of the group were guitarist, composer and bandleader Pat Metheny; and keyboardist and composer Lyle Mays, who was in the group at its inception. Other long-standing ...

'' *

Roscoe Mitchell Roscoe Mitchell (born August 3, 1940) is an American composer, jazz instrumentalist, and educator, known for being "a technically superb – if idiosyncratic – saxophonist". ''The Penguin Guide to Jazz'' described him as "one of the key figures ...

: ''LRG-Maze-S II Examples'' * John Oswald: ''Improvised'' *Evan Parker: ''Monoceros'' *

Marvin Peterson Hannibal Lokumbe (born Marvin Peterson on November 11, 1948) is an American jazz trumpeter. Career A native of Smithville, Texas, United States, he is sometimes known by the name "Hannibal". He attended high school in Texas City, Texas and was i ...

: ''The Light'' *

Jean-Luc Ponty Jean-Luc Ponty (born 29 September 1942) is a French jazz violinist and composer. Early life Ponty was born into a family of classical musicians in Avranches, France. His father taught violin, his mother taught piano. At sixteen, he was admitt ...

: ''Cosmic Messenger'' *

Don Pullen Don Gabriel Pullen (December 25, 1941 – April 22, 1995) was an American jazz pianist and organist. Pullen developed a strikingly individual style throughout his career. He composed pieces ranging from blues to bebop and modern jazz. The great ...

: ''

Warriors A warrior is a person specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracies, class, or caste. History Warriors seem to have be ...

'' *

Dewey Redman Walter Dewey Redman (May 17, 1931 – September 2, 2006) was an American saxophonist who performed free jazz as a bandleader and with Ornette Coleman and Keith Jarrett. Redman mainly played tenor saxophone, though he occasionally also played ...

: '' Soundsigns'' * Sam Rivers: ''

Waves Waves most often refers to: *Waves, oscillations accompanied by a transfer of energy that travel through space or mass. * Wind waves, surface waves that occur on the free surface of bodies of water. Waves may also refer to: Music * Waves (ban ...

'' *

Max Roach Maxwell Lemuel Roach (January 10, 1924 – August 16, 2007) was an American jazz Jazz drumming, drummer and composer. A pioneer of bebop, he worked in many other styles of music, and is generally considered one of the most important drummers in h ...

& Anthony Braxton: ''

Birth and Rebirth ''Birth and Rebirth'' is an album by American jazz drummer Max Roach and saxophonist Anthony Braxton. It was recorded in 1978 for the Italian Black Saint/Soul Note, Black Saint label.

'' *

Rova Saxophone Quartet Rova Saxophone Quartet is an American, San Francisco-based saxophone quartet, formed in October 1977. The name "Rova" is an acronym formed from the last initials of the founding members: Jon Raskin, Larry Ochs, Andrew Voigt, and Bruce Ackley. Wh ...

: ''Cinema Rovate'' * Leo Smith: ''Mass on the World'' *

Peter Sprague Peter Tripp Sprague (born October 11, 1955) is an American jazz guitarist, record producer, and audio engineer. He owns SpragueLand Studios and the label SBE Records. He invented a twin-neck guitar with one neck from a classical guitar and one ...

: ''Dance of the Universe'' *

Spyro Gyra Spyro Gyra is an American jazz fusion band that was formed in Buffalo, New York, in 1974. The band's music combines jazz, R&B, funk, and pop music. The band's name comes from ''Spirogyra'', a genus of green algae which founder Jay Beckenstein ...

: ''Spyro Gyra'' *

Sun Ra Le Sony'r Ra (born Herman Poole Blount, May 22, 1914 – May 30, 1993), better known as Sun Ra, was an American jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, and poet known for his experimental music, "cosmic" philosophy, prolific out ...

: ''

Lanquidity ''Lanquidity'' is a 1978 studio album by American jazz musician Sun Ra. Music The album was recorded by Bob Blank at Blank Studios, entirely on the night of July 17, 1978, following a performance on ''Saturday Night Live''. Stylistically, the ...

'' *

Cecil Taylor Cecil Percival Taylor (March 25, 1929April 5, 2018) was an American pianist and poet. Taylor was classically trained and was one of the pioneers of free jazz. His music is characterized by an energetic, physical approach, resulting in complex ...

: '' 3 Phasis'' *Cecil Taylor: ''

Cecil Taylor Unit ''Cecil Taylor Unit'' is an album by Cecil Taylor recorded in April 1978 and released on the New World label. The album features three performances by Taylor on piano with alto saxophonist Jimmy Lyons, trumpeter Raphe Malik, violinist Ramsey Ameen ...

'' *

Ralph Towner Ralph Towner (born March 1, 1940) is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and bandleader. He plays the twelve-string guitar, classical guitar, piano, synthesizer, percussion, trumpet and French horn. Biography Towner was born i ...

: ''Batik'' *

James Blood Ulmer James "Blood" Ulmer (born February 8, 1940) is an American jazz, free funk and blues guitarist and singer. Ulmer plays a Gibson Byrdland guitar. His guitar sound has been described as "jagged" and "stinging". His singing has been called "ragge ...

: ''

Tales of Captain Black ''Tales of Captain Black'' is an album by American guitarist James Blood Ulmer (credited simply as "James Blood" on the cover) featuring Ornette Coleman, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, and Denardo Coleman recorded in 1978 and originally released on the Ar ...

'' *

Weather Report Weather Report was an American jazz fusion band active from 1970 to 1986. The band was founded in 1970 by Austrian virtuoso keyboardist Joe Zawinul, American saxophonist Wayne Shorter, Czech bassist Miroslav Vitouš, American drummer and vocali ...

: ''Mr. Gone'' *

Paul Winter Paul Winter (born August 31, 1939) is an American saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. He is a pioneer of world music and earth music, which interweaves the voices of the wild with instrumental voices from classical, jazz and world music. The ...

: ''Common Ground'' *

World Saxophone Quartet The World Saxophone Quartet is an American jazz ensemble founded in 1977, incorporating elements of free jazz, R&B, funk and South African jazz into their music. The original members were Julius Hemphill (alto and soprano saxophone, flute), ...

: ''

Steppin' with the World Saxophone Quartet ''Steppin' with the World Saxophone Quartet'' is an album by the jazz group the World Saxophone Quartet released on the Italian Black Saint label in 1979. The album features performances by Hamiet Bluiett, Julius Hemphill, Oliver Lake and David M ...

Deaths

; January * 23 –

Terry Kath Terry Alan Kath (January 31, 1946 – January 23, 1978) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter, best known as a founding member of the rock band Chicago. He played guitar and sang lead vocals on many of the band's early hit singl ...

, American guitarist and vocalist (unintentional self-inflicted gunshot),

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

(born

1946 Events January * January 6 - The 1946 North Vietnamese parliamentary election, first general election ever in Vietnam is held. * January 7 – The Allies recognize the Austrian republic with its 1937 borders, and divide the country into f ...

). * 31 – Gregory Herbert, American saxophonist and flautist,

Blood, Sweat & Tears Blood, Sweat & Tears (also known as "BS&T") is a jazz rock music group founded in New York City in 1967, noted for a combination of brass with rock instrumentation. In addition to original music, the group has performed popular songs by Laura Ny ...

(born

1947 It was the first year of the Cold War, which would last until 1991, ending with the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Events January * January–February – Winter of 1946–47 in the United Kingdom: The worst snowfall in the country in ...

). ; February * 26 **

Frances Wayne Frances Wayne (born Chiarina Francesca Bartocci or Clara Bertocci, August 26, 1924 – February 6, 1978) was an American jazz vocalist. She was best known for her recording of "Happiness Is Just a Thing Called Joe." Early years and career Wayn ...

, American vocalist (born

1924 Events January * January 12 – Gopinath Saha shoots Ernest Day, whom he has mistaken for Sir Charles Tegart, the police commissioner of Calcutta, and is arrested soon after. * January 20– 30 – Kuomintang in China hol ...

). **

Alix Combelle Alix Combelle (15 June 1912 – 26 February 1978 :fr:Alix Combelle) was a French swing saxophonist, clarinetist, and bandleader. He recorded often with Django Reinhardt and the Quintette du Hot Club de France. Career A native of Paris, his ...

, French tenor saxophonist, clarinetist, and bandleader (born

1912 Events January * January 1 – The Republic of China (1912–49), Republic of China is established. * January 5 – The Prague Conference (6th All-Russian Conference of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party) opens. * January 6 ...

). ; March * 4 –

Joe Marsala Joseph Francis Marsala (January 4, 1907 – March 4, 1978) was an Italian-American jazz clarinetist and songwriter. His younger brother was trumpeter Marty Marsala and he was married to jazz harpist Adele Girard. Music career He was born in Ch ...

, Italian-American clarinetist and songwriter (born

1907 Events January * January 14 – 1907 Kingston earthquake: A 6.5 Mw earthquake in Kingston, Jamaica, kills between 800 and 1,000. February * February 11 – The French warship ''Jean Bart'' sinks off the coast of Morocco. ...

). * 21 –

Louis Cottrell Jr. Louis Albert Cottrell Jr. (March 7, 1911 - March 21, 1978) was a Louisiana Creole jazz clarinetist and tenor saxophonist. He was the son of the influential drummer Louis Cottrell, Sr., and grandfather of New Orleans jazz drummer Louis Cottrell ...

, American clarinetist and tenor saxophonist (born

1911 A notable ongoing event was the Comparison of the Amundsen and Scott Expeditions, race for the South Pole. Events January * January 1 – A decade after federation, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory ...

). * 25 –

Richard Plunket Greene Richard George Hubert Plunket Greene (1 July 1901 – 25 March 1978) was an English racing motorist, a jazz musician and author. Biography Richard George Hubert Plunket Greene was born on 1 July 1901, the son of Harry Plunket Greene, an Irish bar ...

, English musician and author,

Bright Young Things __NOTOC__ The Bright Young Things, or Bright Young People, was a nickname given by the tabloid press to a group of Bohemianism, Bohemian young Aristocracy (class), aristocrats and socialites in 1920s London. They threw flamboyant costume party, f ...

(born

1901 Events January * January 1 – The Crown colony, British colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria (Australia), Victoria and Western Australia Federation of Australia, federate as the Australia, ...

). * 30 – Larry Young, American organist and occasional pianist (born

1940 A calendar from 1940 according to the Gregorian calendar, factoring in the dates of Easter and related holidays, cannot be used again until the year 5280. Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January *January ...

). ; April * 3 –

Ray Noble Raymond Stanley Noble (17 December 1903 – 2 April 1978) was an English jazz and big band musician, who was a bandleader, composer and arranger, as well as a radio host, television and film comedian and actor; he also performed in the United ...

, English bandleader, composer, arranger, radio comedian, and actor (born

1903 Events January * January 1 – Edward VII is proclaimed Emperor of India. * January 19 – The first west–east transatlantic radio broadcast is made from the United States to England (the first east–west broadcast having been ...

). ; May * 19 –

Teddy Hill Teddy Hill (December 7, 1909 in Birmingham, Alabama – May 19, 1978 in Cleveland, Ohio) was an American big band leader and the manager of Minton's Playhouse, a seminal jazz club in Harlem. He played a variety of instruments, including dru ...

, American big band leader and multi-instrumentalist (born

1909 Events January–February * January 4 – Explorer Aeneas Mackintosh of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition escaped death by fleeing across ice floes. * January 7 – Colombia recognizes the independence of Panama. * Januar ...

). * 28 **

Marlowe Morris Marlowe Morris (May 16, 1915 – May 28, 1978) was an American jazz pianist and organist. He was the nephew of Thomas Morris. Biography Morris also learned drums, harmonica, and ukulele as a child. He accompanied June Clark from 1935 to 1937, t ...

, American jazz pianist and organist (born

1915 Events Below, the events of World War I have the "WWI" prefix. January * January – British physicist Sir Joseph Larmor publishes his observations on "The Influence of Local Atmospheric Cooling on Astronomical Refraction". *January 1 ...

). **

Money Johnson Harold "Money" Johnson (February 23, 1918 – March 28, 1978) was an American jazz trumpeter. Early life Johnson was born in Tyler, Texas, on February 23, 1918. He first played trumpet at age 15. Primarily a trumpeter, he also recorded with the tr ...

, American jazz trumpeter (born

1918 This year is noted for the end of the First World War, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, as well as for the Spanish flu pandemic that killed 50–100 million people worldwide. Events Below, the events ...

). ; June *

Bud Brisbois Austin Dean "Bud" Brisbois (April 11, 1937 – June 1978) was a jazz and studio trumpeter. He played jazz, pop, rock, country, Motown, and classical music. Career Brisbois was born in Edina, Minnesota and began studying the trumpet at age 12. ...

, American trumpeter (born

1937 Events January * January 1 – Anastasio Somoza García becomes President of Nicaragua. * January 5 – Water levels begin to rise in the Ohio River in the United States, leading to the Ohio River flood of 1937, which continues into Fe ...

). ; July * 4 – Arne Hülphers, Swedish pianist and bandleader (born

1904 Events January * January 7 – The distress signal ''CQD'' is established, only to be replaced 2 years later by ''SOS''. * January 8 – The Blackstone Library is dedicated, marking the beginning of the Chicago Public Library system. * ...

). * 14 –

Lennie Hastings Leonard "Lennie" Hastings (5 January 1927 – 14 July 1978) was an English jazz drummer. Biography Hastings started out playing in military bands during World War II in the 1940s, which included Micky Bryan's Rug Cutters in 1942. He then playe ...

, English drummer (born 1927). * 20 – Teddy Bunn, American guitarist,

Spirits of Rhythm Spirits of Rhythm were an American jazz string band. The ensemble's members had previously played under several other names (The Sepia Nephews, Ben Bernie's Nephews, The Five Cousins), and upon adding Teddy Bunn as guitarist in 1932, the group ...

(born

). ; August * 14 –

Joe Venuti Giuseppe "Joe" Venuti (September 16, 1903 – August 14, 1978) was an American jazz musician and pioneer jazz violinist. Considered the father of jazz violin, he pioneered the use of string instruments in jazz along with the guitarist Eddie La ...

, Italian-American jazz violinist (born

). * 15 –

Irene Kral Irene Kral (January 18, 1932 – August 15, 1978) was an American jazz singer who was born to Czechoslovakian parents in Chicago, Illinois and settled in Los Angeles in the early 1960s. She died from breast cancer in Encino, California. Kral's ol ...

, American jazz singer (born

1932 Events January * January 4 – The British authorities in India arrest and intern Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel. * January 9 – Sakuradamon Incident (1932), Sakuradamon Incident: Korean nationalist Lee Bong-chang fails in his effort ...

). * 24 –

Louis Prima Louis Leo Prima (December 7, 1910 – August 24, 1978) was an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and trumpeter. While rooted in New Orleans jazz, swing music, and jump blues, Prima touched on various genres throughout his career: he forme ...

, Italian-American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and trumpeter (born

1910 Events January * January 13 – The first public radio broadcast takes place; live performances of the operas '' Cavalleria rusticana'' and ''Pagliacci'' are sent out over the airwaves, from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York C ...

). ; September * 9 –

Kaoru Abe (May 5, 1949 – September 9, 1978) was a Japanese avant-garde alto saxophonist. Self-taught at a young age, Abe performed with notables such as Motoharu Yoshizawa, Takehisa Kosugi, Yosuke Yamashita, Derek Bailey, and Milford Graves, although ...

, Japanese avant-garde alto saxophonist (born

1949 Events January * January 1 – A United Nations-sponsored ceasefire brings an end to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. The war results in a stalemate and the division of Kashmir, which still continues as of 2022. * January 2 – Luis ...

). * 30 –

Beryl Booker Beryl Booker (June 7, 1922 – September 30, 1978) was an American swing pianist. She was born in Philadelphia. Career Booker performed with Slam Stewart's trio in 1946, and played intermittently with him until 1951. She was Dinah Washington ac ...

, American pianist (born

1922 Events January * January 7 – Dáil Éireann (Irish Republic), Dáil Éireann, the parliament of the Irish Republic, ratifies the Anglo-Irish Treaty by 64–57 votes. * January 10 – Arthur Griffith is elected President of Dáil Éirean ...

). ; November * 16 –

Jimmy Nottingham James Edward Nottingham, Jr. (December 15, 1925 – November 16, 1978), also known as Sir James, was an American jazz trumpeter and flugelhorn player. He was born in New York, United States, and started performing professionally in 1943 in Brookl ...

, American jazz trumpeter (born

1925 Events January * January 1 ** The Syrian Federation is officially dissolved, the State of Aleppo and the State of Damascus having been replaced by the State of Syria. * January 3 – Benito Mussolini makes a pivotal speech in the Italia ...

). * 18 –

Lennie Tristano Leonard Joseph Tristano (March 19, 1919 – November 18, 1978) was an American jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and teacher of jazz improvisation. Tristano studied for bachelor's and master's degrees in music in Chicago before moving to New Yo ...

, American pianist, composer, and arranger (born

1919 Events January * January 1 ** The Czechoslovak Legions occupy much of the self-proclaimed "free city" of Pressburg (now Bratislava), enforcing its incorporation into the new republic of Czechoslovakia. ** HMY ''Iolaire'' sinks off the c ...

). * 26 –

Frank Rosolino Frank Rosolino (August 20, 1926 – November 26, 1978) was an American jazz trombonist. Biography Rosolino was born in Detroit, Michigan, United States, He performed with the big bands of Bob Chester, Glen Gray, Tony Pastor, Herbie Fields, Gen ...

, American trombonist (born

1926 Events January * January 3 – Theodoros Pangalos declares himself dictator in Greece. * January 8 **Abdul-Aziz ibn Saud is crowned King of Hejaz. ** Crown Prince Nguyễn Phúc Vĩnh Thuy ascends the throne, the last monarch of V ...

). ; December * 17 –

Don Ellis Donald Johnson Ellis (July 25, 1934 – December 17, 1978) was an American jazz trumpeter, drummer, composer, and bandleader. He is best known for his extensive musical experimentation, particularly in the area of time signatures. Later in his lif ...

, American big-bandleader, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and film composer (born

1934 Events January–February * January 1 – The International Telecommunication Union, a specialist agency of the League of Nations, is established. * January 15 – The 8.0 1934 Nepal–Bihar earthquake, Nepal–Bihar earthquake strik ...

). * 29 –

Happy Caldwell Albert W. "Happy" Caldwell (sometimes incorrectly spelled Cauldwell) (July 25, 1903 in Chicago – December 29, 1978 in New York City) was an American jazz clarinetist and tenor saxophonist. Caldwell began on clarinet at age 16, playing in t ...

, American clarinetist and tenor saxophonist (born

). ; Unknown date * Bill Jennings, American guitarist and composer (born

Births

; January * 3 – Susana Santos Silva, Portuguese trumpeter, flugelhornist, and flautist. * 9 –

China Moses China Moses (born January 9, 1978, in Los Angeles) is an American singer and television host. Life and career Born in Los Angeles, California, China Moses is the daughter of jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater and director Gilbert Moses. She re ...

, American singer. * 10 ** Kekko Fornarelli, Italian pianist and composer. **

Soweto Kinch Soweto Kinch (born 10 January 1978) is a British jazz alto saxophonist and rapper. Biography Born in 1978 in London, England, to a Barbadian father, playwright Don Kinch, and British-Jamaican actress Yvette Harris, Soweto Kinch began playin ...

, British saxophonist. ; February * 9 –

Clarice Assad Clarice Assad (born February 9, 1978) is a Brazilian-American composer, pianist, arranger, singer, and educator from Rio de Janeiro. She is influenced by popular Brazilian culture, Romanticism, world music, and jazz. She comes from a musical fami ...

, Brazilian-American composer, pianist, and singer. * 12 –

Masayuki Hiizumi , also known by the name H Zett M (stylised as H ZETT M) is a Japanese keyboardist and producer. He became a member of jazz instrumental band Pe'z in 1999, and was a member of Ringo Sheena's band Tokyo Jihen between 2004 and 2005. In 2007, Hiizumi ...

, Japanese keyboardist and producer. * 14 –

Cem Tuncer Cem Tuncer (born 27 July 1978) is a bass guitarist, composer, arranger and producer. He was born in Germany but moved to London, England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its ...

, Turkish guitarist, composer, arranger, and producer. ; March * 5 –

Søren Kjærgaard Søren (, ) or Sören (, ) is a Scandinavian given name that is sometimes Anglicized as Soren. The name is derived from that of the 4th-century Christian saint Severin of Cologne,Portal Rheinische Geschichte"Severin (circa 330-400), Heiliger und B ...

, Danish pianist, composer, and bandleader. * 18 – Videlina Mircheva, Bulgarian singer and songwriter. * 24 –

Andrew McCormack Andrew McCormack (born 24 March 1978) is a British jazz pianist. Biography McCormack recorded his debut album ''Telescope'' in 2006 and was awarded BBC Jazz Awards Rising Star in the same year. The London Symphony Orchestra commissioned a pi ...

, British pianist. ; April * 6 –

Robert Glasper Robert Andre Glasper (born April 6, 1978) is an American pianist, record producer, songwriter, and musical arranger with a career that bridges several different musical and artistic genres, mostly centered on jazz. To date, Glasper has won fou ...

, American pianist and record producer. * 11 –

Jakob Bro Jakob Bro (born April 11, 1978) is a Danish guitarist and composer. Career Bro leads a trio with Joey Baron and Thomas Morgan. In the fall of 2016 the trio released the album ''Streams'' ( ECM). Bro also works with Palle Mikkelborg and Bro/Knak, ...

, Danish guitarist. * 15 – Susanne Alt, Dutch saxophonist and composer. ; May * 7 – Antal Pusztai, Hungarian guitarist. * 10 – Nils Janson, Swedish composer and trumpeter. * 25 –

Michael Wollny Michael Wollny (born 25 May 1978) is a German jazz pianist and a professor at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Leipzig. He has played with international musicians including Joachim Kühn, Tamar Halperin, Marius Neset, Andreas Schaerer, Ém ...

, German pianist. * 29 – Sean Jones, American trumpeter and composer. ; June * 10 – Jukka Eskola, Finnish trumpeter and flugelhornist. ; August * 6 –

Andreas Öberg Andreas Öberg (born 6 August 1978) is a Swedish guitarist, songwriter, and music producer. Music career Öberg was born in Stockholm on 6 August 1978. When he was seven, he took classical guitar lessons at school. He played electric guitar wh ...

, Swedish guitarist, songwriter, and music producer. * 12 – Chris Jennings, Canadian upright bassist, composer, arranger, and educator. * 27 –

Susy Kane Susy Kane (born 27 August 1978, in Dorking, Surrey, England) is an English actress, comedy writer and musician. Personal life She is the daughter of opera singer Alison Warner and actor and writer John Kane, and the younger sister of comedy w ...

, English actress, comedy writer and musician. * 31 **

Morten Qvenild Morten Qvenild (born 31 August 1978) is a Norwegian jazz pianist, band leader, and producer. Career Qvenild started his jazz career in the big band Ung Musikk in 1995, followed by studies on the Jazz program at the Norges Musikkhøgskole. He u ...

, Norwegian jazz pianist, band leader and producer, Susanna and the Magical Orchestra. ** Tineke Postma, Dutch saxophonist. ; June * 17 –

Esben Selvig Esben Ullbæk Bundgaard-Jørgensen Selvig, stage name Dansken (born 17 June 1978) is a Norwegian-Danish rapper and singer. His nickname, "The Dane", stems from his being born in Denmark, but moving to Norway as a child. Selvig is best known as a ...

, Norwegian rapper and singer. ; September * 2 –

Jonas Kullhammar Jonas Kullhammar (2 September 1978 in Nacka, Sweden) is a Swedish jazz composer, saxophonist and is one of Sweden's most established jazz musicians. Career Since 1998 his main group has been Jonas Kullhammar Quartet, and he has participated o ...

, Swedish composer and saxophonist. * 16 **

Ane Carmen Roggen Ane Carmen Stuve Roggen (born 16 September 1978) is a Norwegian singer, conductor, arranger, and journalist. She is the younger sister of jazz singer Live Maria Roggen and the twin sister of jazz singer Ida Roggen. Education Roggen attended ...

, Norwegian singer, conductor, and arranger,

Pitsj Pitsj (founded 1999 in Oslo, Norway) is a female Norwegians, Norwegian a cappella quintet. The band consists of Anine Kruse, Anine and Benedikte Shetelig Kruse, Benedikte Kruse, the twin sisters Ane Carmen Roggen, Ane Carmen and Ida Roggen, and An ...

. **

Ida Roggen Ida Rannveig Stuve Roggen (born 16 September 1978 in Oslo, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz singer, information officer, and literary scholar, and is the younger sister of jazz singer Live Maria Roggen and twin sister of Soprano Ane Carmen Roggen. ...

, Norwegian singer,

. * 23 –

Valtteri Laurell Pöyhönen Valtteri Laurell Pöyhönen (born September 23, 1978, in Helsinki, Finland) is a Finnish jazz guitarist, pianist, composer, bandleader and producer. He is best known as bandleader and composer of the 20-headed Ricky-Tick Big Band and the award-win ...

, Finnish guitarist, pianist, composer, bandleader and producer. * 29 – Luca Gianquitto, Italian guitarist and composer. ; October * 5 –

Steinar Nickelsen Steinar Sønk Nickelsen (born 5 October 1978) is a Norwegian jazz musician (Hammond organ and piano) from Bærum, known from several bands and album releases. Biography Nickelsen was born in Oslo, and became well known in Norway when he was awa ...

, Norwegian Hammond organist, pianist, and composer. * 8 –

Mike Moreno Mike Moreno (born October 8, 1978) is a jazz guitarist and composer from Houston, Texas. According to an NPR interview in 2008,Jackson, Josh, (Feb. 5, 2008).Mike Moreno: Jazz Guitar 'Between the Lines'. NPR. Retrieved Jan. 28, 2013. Moreno's ma ...

, American guitarist and composer. * 12 – Børge-Are Halvorsen, Norwegian saxophonist and flautist. * 16 –

Eva Kruse Eva Kruse (born 16 October 1978) is a German jazz musician (upright bass, bass guitar) and composer. Biography Kruse was raised in Brunsbek in Schleswig-Holstein. In her childhood and youth, she received eleven years of classical piano lesson ...

, German upright bassist and composer. ; November * 1 – Rozina Pátkai, Hungarian singer, songwriter, and visual artist. * 3 –

Jonas Howden Sjøvaag Jonas Howden Sjøvaag (born 3 November 1978 in Munich, Germany) is a Norwegian jazz drummer. Biography Sjøvaag started playing piano at an early age. He had his solo debut with Vestfold Youth Symphony Orchestra at age 11, started playing drum ...

, Norwegian jazz drummer. * 5 – Marita Røstad, Norwegian singer-songwriter. * 9 –

Even Ormestad Even Enersen Ormestad (born 9 November 1978 in Tønsberg, Norway) is a Norwegian bass guitarist and music producer, known as a member of the band Jaga Jazzist. (in Norwegian) Career Ormestad is educated in jazz and music production at Norges M ...

, Norwegian bass guitarist and music producer,

Jaga Jazzist Jaga Jazzist (also known as Jaga) is a Norwegian experimental jazz band, that rose to prominence when the BBC named their second album, ''A Livingroom Hush'' (Smalltown Supersound/Ninja Tune), the best jazz album of 2002. (in Norwegian) Biograph ...

. * 19 **

Matt Dusk Matthew-Aaron Dusk (born November 19, 1978) is a Canadian jazz vocalist. He has four certified gold albums: ''Two Shots'', '' Good News'', ''Old School Yule!'' and ''JetSetJazz'', and two certified platinum albums; ''My Funny Valentine: The Chet ...

, Canadian vocalist. **

Janek Gwizdala Janek Gwizdala (born 19 November 1978) is an English jazz bassist. Biography Gwizdala initially preferred drums, but switched to bass guitar after hearing Laurence Cottle. Gwizdala later moved to the U.S. to attend Berklee College of Music. Rec ...

, English bassist. ; December * 12 –

Lage Lund Lage Fosheim Lund (born 12 December 1977) is a Norwegian jazz guitarist. Early life and education Initially aspiring to become a professional skateboarder, Lund began playing guitar at the age of 13. He later founded a jazz trio and performing ...

, Norwegian guitarist. * 28 –

Terrace Martin Terrace Jamahl Martin (born December 28, 1978) is an American musician, rapper, singer, and record producer. He is perhaps best known for producing records for several prominent artists in the music industry, including Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dog ...

, American saxophonist and producer. * 30 **

Daniel Heløy Davidsen Daniel Heløy Davidsen (born 30 December 1978 in Copenhagen) is a Danish-Norwegian guitarist. He is known for his participation in bands like Czesław Śpiewa and JazzKamikaze and many record appearances as a studio musician, with artists like S ...

, Danish-Norwegian guitarist. **

Julie Dahle Aagård Julie Dahle Aagård (born 30 December 1978 in Flatanger, Norway) is a Norwegians, Norwegian Jazz musician (vocals). Career Aagård is a graduate singing teacher from the Jazz program at Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet, Trondhe ...

, Norwegian vocalist, composer, and band leader. ; Unknown date * Marc Demuth, Luxembourgian upright bassist, bass guitarist, and composer. * Mikkel Ploug, Danish guitarist and composer. * Niels Klein, German saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer. *

Robi Botos Robi Botos is a Hungarian-Canadian jazz pianist. He has recorded several albums as a leader and was the winner of the Concours de Jazz, TD Grand Jazz Award at the 2012 Montreal International Jazz Festival. In 2016, Botos won the JUNO Award for Bes ...

, Hungarian-Canadian pianist and composer.

References

External links

History Of Jazz Timeline: 1978
at

All About Jazz ''All About Jazz'' is a website established by Michael Ricci in 1995. A volunteer staff publishes news, album reviews, articles, videos, and listings of concerts and other events having to do with jazz. Ricci maintains a related site, ''Jazz Near ...

{{Jazz

Jazz by year

Events

March

May

July

September

Album releases

Deaths

Births

See also

References

External links