1945 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of jazz in the year 1945.

Events

 * Miles Davis has graduated from high school. He goes to New York and becomes a musician. He enrolls in Juilliard at his parents' request.
 * John Coltrane was drafted and plays clarinet with the Navy Band in Hawaii.

Album releases

 * Mary Lou Williams: Zodiac Suite (1945)
 * John Serry Sr.: Leone Jump for Sonora Records (catalogue # 3001 B) with the Biviano Accordion & Rhythm Sextette

Deaths

 * March
 * 10 – Josef Taussig, Czech trombonist and journalist (born 1914).


 * April
 * 25 – Teddy Weatherford, American pianist, an accomplished stride pianist (born 1903).


 * August
 * 5 – Nat Jaffe, American pianist (born 1918).


 * October
 * 7 – Erhard Bauschke, German reedist and bandleader (born 1912).
 * 14 – Pha Terrell, American singer (born 1910).


 * December
 * 8 – Richard M. Jones, American pianist, composer, band leader, and record producer (born 1892).
 * 16 – Jack Jenney, American trombonist (born 1910).
 * 29 – Bobby Stark, American trumpeter (born 1906).

Births



 * January
 * 2 – Terje Bjørklund, Norwegian pianist and composer.
 * 15 – Bob Maize, American upright bassist (died 2004).
 * 27 – Henri Texier, French upright bassist.


 * February
 * 3 – Bob Stewart, American tubist.
 * 4 – John Stubblefield, American saxophonist, flautist, and oboist (died 2005).
 * 6 – Ernie Krivda, American saxophonist.
 * 13 – Keith Nichols, English multi-instrumentalist.
 * 15 – Edward Vesala, Finnish drummer (died 1999).
 * 16 – Pete Christlieb, American tenor saxophonist.
 * 21 – Akira Sakata, Japanese saxophonist.
 * 24
 * Kaj Backlund, Finnish trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader (died 2013).
 * Steve Berrios, American drummer and percussionist (died 2013).


 * March
 * 17 – Elis Regina, Brazilian singer (died 1982).
 * 21 – Ed Soph, American drummer and educator.
 * 23 – David Grisman, American mandolinist.


 * April
 * 1 – Bjørnar Andresen, Norwegian bassist (died 2004).
 * 4 – Leszek Żądło, Polish saxophonist, flautist, composer, and university teacher.
 * 9 – Steve Gadd, American drummer.
 * 12 – Doug Riley, Canadian pianist (died 2007).
 * 19 – Ole Kock Hansen, Danish pianist and composer.
 * 22 – Demetrio Stratos, Greek lyricist and multi-instrumentalist (died 1979).
 * 25 – Halvard Kausland, Norwegian guitarist (died 2017).
 * 27 – Dominic Duval, American bassist (died 2016).
 * 29 – Hugh Hopper, British bass guitarist (died 2009).


 * May
 * 2 – Bob Rockwell, American saxophonist.
 * 4 – Bill Stapleton, American trumpeter and arranger (died 1984).
 * 8 – Keith Jarrett, American pianist and composer.
 * 13 – Lou Marini, American saxophonist, arranger and composer.
 * 16 – Michael Moore, American bassist.
 * 24 – Terry Callier, American guitarist and singer-songwriter (died 2012).


 * June
 * 3 – Bjørn Alterhaug, Norwegian bassist, arranger, and composer.
 * 4 – Anthony Braxton, American composer, saxophonist, clarinettist, flautist, and pianist.
 * 6 – Tom Coppola, American pianist and arranger.
 * 9 – Mick Goodrick, American guitarist.
 * 28 – Magni Wentzel, Norwegian singer and guitarist.


 * July
 * 3 – Thomas Mapfumo, Zimbabwean singer.
 * 11 – Vaughn Wiester, American musician and educator.
 * 12 – Bernard Lubat, French drummer, pianist, singer, percussionist, vibraphonist, and accordionist.
 * 13 – Josef Vejvoda, Czech composer, percussionist, conductor and bandleader.
 * 29 – Joe Beck, American guitarist (died 2008).
 * 30 – David Sanborn, American alto saxophonist.


 * August
 * 14 – Eliana Pittman, Brazilian singer.
 * 19 – Brian Godding, American guitarist.
 * 21 – Takehiro Honda, Japanese pianist (died 2006).
 * 22 – Sylvia Vrethammar, Swedish singer.
 * 24 – Bryan Spring or Brian Spring, British drummer.
 * 28 – Victor Assis Brasil, Brazilian saxophonist (died 1981).
 * 29 – Trevor Richards, English drummer.


 * September
 * 2 – Svein Finnerud, Norwegian pianist (died 2000).
 * 4 – Danny Gatton, American guitarist (died 1994).
 * 10 – Harry Pepl, Austrian guitarist (died 2005).
 * 27 – Peter Ecklund, American cornetist.
 * 28 – Murray Wall, Australian upright bassist.


 * October
 * 5
 * Geoff Leigh, English saxophonist and flautist.
 * George Finola, American cornetist (died 2000).
 * 8 – John Betsch, American drummer.
 * 14 – Colin Hodgkinson, British bass guitarist.
 * 19 – Carol Kidd, Scottish singer.
 * 23 – Ernie Watts, American saxophonist.
 * 27 – Arild Andersen, Norwegian upright bassist.
 * 28 – Elton Dean, English saxophonist (died 2006).


 * November
 * 3 – Mark Kramer, American pianist and composer.
 * 10 – John LaBarbera, American trumpeter and arranger.
 * 13 – Knut Riisnæs, Norwegian saxophonist.
 * 26 – Jim Mullen, Scottish guitarist.
 * 27 – Randy Brecker, American trumpeter and flugelhorn player, Brecker Brothers.
 * 30 – Johnny Dyani, South African upright bassist and pianist (died 1986).


 * December
 * 12 – Tony Williams, American drummer (died 1997).
 * 15 – Kimiko Kasai, Japanese singer.
 * 21 – Cameron Brown, American upright bassist.
 * 28 – Daniel Carter, American saxophonist, flautist, clarinetist, and trumpeter.


 * Unknown date
 * Johnny "Dandy" Rodriguez Jr, American percussionist.
 * Mongezi Feza, South African trumpeter and flautist (died 1975).
 * Steve Gregory, English saxophonist, flautist, and composer.