1941 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1941.

Events

 * Cab Calloway is struck by a spitball during a concert in Hartford, Connecticut. He then fights Dizzy Gillespie. Dizzy is consequently fired.

Deaths

 * February
 * 24 – David Plunket Greene, English musician, Bright Young Things (suicide) (born 1904).


 * March
 * 8 – Ken Snakehips Johnson, band leader and dancer, originally from British Guiana (born 1914).
 * 9 – Casper Reardon, American harpist (born 1907).


 * July
 * 10 – Jelly Roll Morton, American pianist, bandleader and composer (born 1890).


 * September
 * 1 – Frank Melrose, American pianist (born 1907).


 * October
 * 25 – Nisse Lind, Swedish accordionist and pianist (born 1904).
 * 30 – Chu Berry, American tenor saxophonist (born 1908).


 * November
 * 24 – Dick Wilson, American tenor saxophonist (born 1911).


 * Unknown date
 * Steve Lewis, New Orleans pianist and composer (born 1896).

Births



 * January
 * 3 – Roger Neumann, American saxophonist, flutist, and composer (died 2018).
 * 12 – Olu Dara, American cornetist, guitarist and singer.
 * 13 – Frankie Armstrong, English singer and voice teacher, Feminist Improvising Group.
 * 15 – Captain Beefheart, American singer (died 2010).
 * 16 – Aldo Romano, Italian drummer.
 * 19
 * Putter Smith, American bassist.
 * R. Winston Morris, American tubist.
 * 27 – Bobby Hutcherson, American vibraphone and marimba player (died 2016).


 * February
 * 5 – Rick Laird, American bassist (died 2021).
 * 6 – Palle Mikkelborg, Danish trumpeter.
 * 11
 * Louis Banks, Indian keyboardist, singer composer, and record producer.
 * Sérgio Mendes, Brazilian musician.
 * 16 – Jim Richardson, British bassist and session musician.
 * 17 – Herbie Lewis, American upright bassist (died 2007).
 * 18 – Lajos Dudas, German-Hungarian clarinetist and composer.
 * 23 – Barry Martyn, English born drummer and bandleader (died 2023).


 * March
 * 4 – Bobby Shew, American trumpet and flugelhorn player.
 * 6 – Peter Brötzmann, German saxophonist and clarinetist (died 2023).
 * 8 – Franco D'Andrea, Italian pianist and composer.
 * 22 – Hugo Rasmussen, Danish upright bassist (died 2015).
 * 23 – Carola Standertskjöld, Finnish singer (died 1997).
 * 28 – Meredith D'Ambrosio, American singer.


 * April
 * 5 – Michael Moriarty, American-Canadian actor and musician.
 * 17 – John C. Marshall, British guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter (died 2012).
 * 21
 * Alfred "Pee Wee" Ellis, American saxophonist, composer, and arranger (died 2021).
 * Fredrik Norén, Swedish drummer (died 2016).
 * 22 – Don Grusin, American songwriter, producer, and keyboardist.
 * 25 – Harry Miller, South African upright bassist (died 1983).
 * 28 – Mickey Tucker, American pianist and organist.


 * May
 * 2
 * Connie Crothers, American pianist (died 2016).
 * Eddy Louiss, French Hammon organist and singer (died 2015).
 * 5 – Stanley Cowell, American pianist and founder of Strata-East Records (died 2020).
 * 7 – Lars Sjösten, Swedish pianist and composer (died 2011).
 * 8 – Cornel Chiriac, Romanian journalist, producer, and drummer (died 1975).
 * 11 – Eric Burdon, English singer.
 * 12 – Trevor Tomkins, English drummer (died 2022).
 * 13
 * John Von Ohlen, American drummer, Blue Wisp Big Band (died 2018).
 * Miles Kington, British journalist, musician, and broadcaster (died 2008).
 * 20 – Gia Maione, American singer (died 2013).
 * 24 – Charles Earland, American composer, organist, and saxophonist (died 1999).
 * 27 – Teppo Hauta-aho, Finnish upright bassist and composer (died 2021).


 * June
 * 2
 * Charlie Watts, English drummer, The Rolling Stones (died 2021).
 * Irène Schweizer, Swiss pianist, Feminist Improvising Group.
 * 3 – Janusz Muniak, Polish saxophonist, flautist, arranger, and composer (died 2016).
 * 12 – Chick Corea, American pianist, keyboardist, and composer (died 2021).
 * 18 – Jim Pepper, American saxophonist and singer (died 1992).
 * 25 – David T. Walker, American guitarist.
 * 26 – Wayne Dockery, American upright bassist (died 2018).


 * July
 * 1 – Robertinho Silva, Brazilian drummer.
 * 18 – Pete Yellin, American saxophonist and educator (died 2016).
 * 19 – Phil Upchurch, American guitarist and bassist.
 * 24 – Bobby Matos, American percussionist (died 2017).
 * 28 – Jim Riggs, American saxophonist.


 * August
 * 5
 * Airto Moreira, Brazilian drummer and percussionist.
 * Lenny Breau, American guitarist and music educator (died 1984).
 * 6 – Svein Christiansen, Norwegian drummer (died 2015).
 * 7 – Howard Johnson, American tubist and saxophonist (died 2021).
 * 15 – Eddie Gale, American trumpeter (died 2020).
 * 20 – Milford Graves, American drummer and percussionist (died 2021).
 * 21 – Tom Coster, American keyboardist and composer.
 * 26 – Clifford Jarvis, American drummer (died 1999).
 * 27
 * Anders Linder, Swedish actor and musician.
 * Cesária Évora, Cape Verdean singer (died 2011).
 * 28 – John Marshall, English drummer, Nucleus.
 * 30 – Carmen Fanzone, American horn players.


 * September
 * 8 – Phillip Wilson, American percussionist (died 1992).
 * 13 - Knut Kiesewetter, German musician, singer, and songwriter (died 2016).
 * 20 – Jim Cullum Jr., American cornetist (died 2019).
 * 23 – Norma Winstone, British singer and lyricist.
 * 26 – Terry Rosen, American jazz guitarist, concert promoter, and radio DJ. (died 1999).
 * 27 – Uli Trepte, German bassist (died 2009).
 * 28 – Mike Osborne, English alto saxophonist, pianist, and clarinetist (died 2007).


 * October
 * 1 – LaMont Johnson, American pianist (died 1999).
 * 6 – Masahiko Satoh, Japanese pianist, composer, and arranger.
 * 9 – Chucho Valdés, Cuban pianist, bandleader, and composer.
 * 11 – Lester Bowie, American trumpet player and composer (died 1999).
 * 19
 * Eddie Daniels, American clarinetist, saxophonist, and composer.
 * Jonas Gwangwa, South African trombone player (died 2021).
 * 28
 * Glen Moore, American bassist.
 * Hank Marvin, English guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter.
 * Jay Clayton, American vocalist and jazz educator.


 * November
 * 7 – Gary Windo, American tenor saxophonist (died 1992).
 * 22 – Ron McClure, American bassist.
 * 25 – Eleni Karaindrou, Greek pianist and composer.
 * 28
 * Adelhard Roidinger, Austrian bassist, electronic musician, composer, and computer graphic designer (died 2022).
 * Jesper Thilo, Danish tenor saxophonist, alto saxophonist, and clarinetist.


 * December
 * 2 – P. J. Perry, Canadian saxophonist.
 * 19 – Franco Ambrosetti, Swiss trumpeter, flugelhornist and composer.
 * 11 – Rogier van Otterloo, Dutch composer and conductor (died 1988).
 * 12
 * Gary Barone, American trumpeter and flugelhornist (died 2019).
 * Tim Hauser, American singer (died 2014).
 * 18 – Wadada Leo Smith, American trumpeter and composer.
 * 19
 * Don Weller, British tenor saxophonist and composer (died 2020).
 * Maurice White, American singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, and bandleader, Earth, Wind & Fire (died 2016).
 * 21 – John Hicks, American pianist and composer (died 2006).
 * 25
 * Don Pullen, American pianist and organist (died 1995).
 * Ronnie Cuber, American saxophonist (died 2022).
 * 29 – Ray Thomas, British flautist and singer, The Moody Blues (died 2018).
 * 31 – Elisa Gabbai, German-singing Israeli singer (died 2010).


 * Unknown date
 * Annette Peacock, American composer, singer, songwriter, producer, arranger, and musician.
 * Lowell Davidson, American pianist (died 1990).