1951 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1951.

Events

 * The first American Jazz festival takes place at Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania in the autumn. This festival precedes the first Newport Jazz Festival.
 * The tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins, a Coleman Hawkins influenced player, joins the group of Miles Davis.

Album releases

 * Stan Kenton: City of Glass
 * Oscar Peterson: 1951
 * Shorty Rogers: Modern Sounds
 * Lester Young: Lester Young Trio

Deaths



 * January
 * 21 – R.Q. Dickerson, American trumpeter (born 1898).


 * February
 * 7 – Shirley Clay, American trumpeter (born 1902).


 * March
 * 25 – Sid Catlett, American swinging drummer (born 1910).


 * May
 * 4 – Doc West, American drummer (born 1915).


 * August
 * 17 – Ray Wetzel, American trumpeter (born 1924).


 * October
 * 26 – Charlie Creath, American trumpeter, saxophonist, accordionist, and bandleader (born 1890).


 * December
 * 3 – Cyril Blake, Trinidadian trumpeter (born 1900).
 * 12 – Mildred Bailey, American singer (born 1903).
 * 23 – Enrique Santos Discépolo, Argentine tango and milonga pianist, bandoneónist, and singer (born 1901).
 * 26 – Vic Berton, American jazz drummer (born 1896).


 * Unknown date
 * Valentin Parnakh, Russian poet, translator, historian, explorer, musician, choreographer, ballet master, best remembered as a founding father of Soviet jazz (born 1891).

Births

 * January
 * 1 – Ashwin Batish, Indian sitar and tabla player.
 * 4 – Håkan Rydin, Swedish pianist.
 * 9 – Idris Ackamoor, American multi-instrumentalist.
 * 12 – Earl Howard, American saxophonist, synthesizer player and multi-instrumentalist.
 * 14 – Mark Egan, American bass guitarist and trumpeter.
 * 18 – Steve Grossman, American saxophonist.
 * 30
 * Phil Collins, English drummer, singer-songwriter, record producer, and actor.
 * Ralph Lalama, American saxophonist.


 * February
 * 2 – Alphonso Johnson, American bassist.
 * 20 – Anthony Davis, American pianist and composer.
 * 21
 * Herb Robertson, American trumpeter and flugelhornist.
 * Warren Vache, American trumpeter, cornetist, and flugelhornist.
 * 28 – Roseanna Vitro, American singer.


 * March
 * 3 – Lindsay Cooper, English bassoon and oboe player, composer, and political activist (died 2013).
 * 7 – Rocco Prestia, American bassist, Tower of Power.
 * 8 – James Williams, American pianist (died 2004).
 * 13
 * Geoff Eales, Welsh pianist, improviser, and composer.
 * Michael Jefry Stevens, American pianist.
 * 18 – Bill Frisell, American guitarist and composer.
 * 21 – Fred Sturm, American composer, arranger, and teacher (died 2014).
 * 24 – Gregory B. Johnson, American pianist, Cameo.


 * April
 * 3 – Mitch Woods, American pianist and singer.
 * 7 – Bob Berg, American saxophonist (died 2002).
 * 9 – Hugh Ragin, American trumpeter.
 * 10 – Steve Lodder, British keyboardist, composer, and organist.
 * 15 – Bill MacCormick, English bassist and vocalist.
 * 26 – Billy Newton-Davis, Canadian singer-songwriter.
 * 29 – Vinicius Cantuária, Brazilian singer, songwriter, guitarist, drummer, and percussionist.
 * 30 – Alexander Zonjic, Canadian flutist.


 * May
 * 3 – Krister Andersson, Swedish saxophonist and composer.
 * 14 – Jay Beckenstein, American saxophonist, composer, and producer, Spyro Gyra.
 * 28 – Richard Niles, American guitarist, composer, and record producer.
 * 31 – Jimmy Nalls, American guitarist and singer, Sea Level (died 2017).


 * June
 * 15 – Mark Hennen, American pianist.
 * 19 – Karen Young, Canadian singer, lyricist, and composer.
 * 20 – Peter Gordon, American composer and musician.
 * 30 – Stanley Clarke, American bassist, Return to Forever.


 * July
 * 7 – Sue Evans, American American percussionist and drummer.
 * 16 – Bobby Previte, American drummer, composer, and bandleader.
 * 21 – Pino Minafra, Italian trumpeter and flugelhornist.
 * 22 – Richard Bennett, American guitarist and record producer.
 * 29 – Charles Loos, Belgian pianist and composer.
 * 31 – Howard Levy, American harmonica player and multi-instrumentalist.


 * August
 * 1 – Tommy Bolin, American guitarist, Deep Purple (died 1976).
 * 5 – Jemeel Moondoc, American saxophonist.
 * 15
 * António Pinho Vargas, Portuguese composer and pianist.
 * Bobby Caldwell, American singer and songwriter.
 * 19 – Roland Batik, Austrian pianist and composer.
 * 22 – Edwin Birdsong, American keyboard/organ player.


 * September
 * 3 – Todd Cochran, American pianist, keyboard and synthesizer player, Fuse One.
 * 7 – Mark Isham, American trumpeter and synthesist.
 * 12 – Joëlle Léandre, French upright bassist, vocalist, and composer.
 * 15 – Carla White, American vocalist (died 2007).
 * 17 – Theryl DeClouet, American singer, Galactic (died 2018).
 * 18 – Steve Slagle, American saxophonist, flautist, and composer.
 * 23 – Steven Springer, American guitarist, Trinidad Tripoli Steel Band (died 2012).


 * October
 * 2 – Sting, American singer, bassist, and guitarist, the Police.
 * 17 – Jukka Gustavson, Finnish organist, keyboarder, and composer.
 * 30
 * Poncho Sanchez, Mexican-American conguero (conga player).
 * Trilok Gurtu, Indian percussionist and composer.


 * November
 * 17 – Lisle Ellis, Canadian upright bassist and composer.
 * 19 – Kenny Werner, American pianist and composer.
 * 28
 * Dennis Irwin, American upright bassist (died 2008).
 * Diedre Murray, American cellist and composer.
 * Peter Malick, American guitarist and record producer.


 * December
 * 1 – Jaco Pastorius, American bassist, Weather Report (died 1987).
 * 3 – Barry Finnerty, American guitarist, keyboardist, singer, songwriter, and arranger.
 * 14 – Nükhet Ruacan, Turkish singer and educator in musicology (died 2007).
 * 16 – Robben Ford, American guitarist, L.A. Express.
 * 20 – Brynjulf Blix, Norwegian pianist.
 * 21 – Alex Blake, American upright bassist and bass guitarist.
 * 26
 * Brooks Kerr, American pianist (died 2018).
 * John Scofield, American guitarist and composer.
 * 28 – Rebecca Parris, American singer (died 2018).
 * 31 – Jimmy Haslip, American bass guitarist, Yellowjackets.


 * Unknown date
 * Jon Rose, British-Australian violinist.
 * Judi Silvano, American singer and composer.
 * Kit McClure, American trombonist, saxophonist, and bandleader.
 * La Palabra, Cuban bandleader, singer-songwriter, pianist.
 * Lars Jansson, Swedish pianist and composer.
 * Tom Kubis, American saxophonist, flautist, and pianist.