1952 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1952.

Events

 * The pianist John Lewis initiates the Modern Jazz Quartet together with vibraphonist Milt Jackson, bassist Percy Heath, and drummer Kenny Clarke.
 * Thelonious Monk starts making records for Prestige.
 * The young trumpeter Chet Baker play with Charlie Parker before he joines the quartet of Gerry Mulligan.
 * The health of guitarist Django Reinhardt is starting to fail. His fingers are getting stiff.
 * Les Paul introduces his new invention, the solid body guitar, when Gibson begins marketing the classic guitar which bears his name.

Album releases

 * Gerry Mulligan: Gerry Mulligan Quartet Volume 1 (Pacific Jazz)
 * Johnny Smith: Moonlight in Vermont originally Jazz at NBC Series (Royal Roost)
 * Stan Kenton: New Concepts of Artistry in Rhythm (Capitol)
 * Nat King Cole: Penthouse Serenade (Capitol)
 * Duke Ellington: Ellington Uptown (Columbia)


 * Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie: Bird and Diz (Clef/Verve)
 * Oscar Peterson: An Evening with Oscar Peterson (Clef Records)


 * Oscar Peterson: Oscar Peterson Plays Duke Ellington (Clef Records)
 * Dave Brubeck: The Dave Brubeck Quartet (Fantasy Records)
 * Bud Powell: The Amazing Bud Powell (Blue Note)

Deaths



 * January
 * 9 – Midge Williams, African-American singer (born 1915).


 * February
 * 23 – Herb Morand, American trumpeter (born 1905).


 * March
 * 27 – Cassino Simpson, American pianist (born 1909).


 * April
 * 26 – Zinky Cohn, American pianist (born 1908).


 * June
 * 14 – John Kirby, American upright bassist who also played trombone and tuba (born 1908).


 * November
 * 20 – Mal Hallett, American jazz violinist and bandleader (born 1893).


 * December
 * 29 – Fletcher Henderson, American pianist, bandleader, arranger and composer (born 1897).
 * 31 – Mel Stitzel, German-born pianist best known for his work with the New Orleans Rhythm Kings (born 1902).

Births

 * January
 * 2 – Viatcheslav Nazarov, Russian trombonist, pianist, and vocalist (died 1996).
 * 10 – William Parker, American bassist, poet, and composer.
 * 11 – Lee Ritenour, American guitarist.
 * 13 – Pekka Pohjola, Finnish multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer (died 2008).
 * 19 – Eric Leeds, American saxophonist.
 * 27 – Ray Obiedo, American contemporary jazz guitarist.


 * February
 * 18 – Randy Crawford, American singer.
 * 20 – Uwe Kropinski, German guitarist.
 * 22 – Ken Pickering, Canadian jazz promotor, Vancouver Jazz Festival co-founder (died 2018).
 * March
 * 11 – Vince Giordano, American saxophonist, Nighthawks Orchestra.
 * 17 – Manolo Badrena, Puerto Rican percussionist, Weather Report.
 * 19 – Chris Brubeck, American bassist, bass trombonist, and pianist.
 * 21 – Carlo Actis Dato, Italian saxophonist and composer.
 * 22 – Bob Mover, American saxophonist and vocalist.
 * 26 – Paolo Damiani, Italian cellist and upright bassist.
 * 29 – Errol Dyers, South African guitarist and composer (died 2017).


 * April
 * 2 – Dave Buxton, English pianist and composer.
 * 6 – Richard Tabnik, American saxophonist.
 * 8 – Yildiz Ibrahimova, Bulgarian singer of Turkish ancestry.
 * 12 – Jeff Linsky, American guitarist.
 * 16 – Jukka Tolonen, Finnish guitarist.
 * 25 – Ketil Bjørnstad, Norwegian pianist, American composer and writer.
 * 28 – Leni Stern, German guitarist, singer, and n'goni (Malian banjo-guitar) player.
 * 29 – Dave Valentin, American flautist (died 2017).


 * May
 * 2 – Mari Natsuki, Japanese singer.
 * 8 – John Purcell, American saxophonist.
 * 24
 * Dave DeFries, British trumpeter, flugelhornist, and percussionist.
 * Pierre Van Dormael, Belgian musician and composer (died 2008).
 * 29 – Hilton Ruiz, American pianist (died 2006).


 * June
 * 5 – Monnette Sudler, American guitarist.
 * 7 – Royce Campbell, American guitarist.
 * 12
 * Bent Patey, Norwegian guitarist, composer, and writer.
 * Jed Williams, Welsh jazz journalist and the founder of the Brecon Jazz Festival (died 2003).
 * 13 – Clarence Banks, American trombonist, Count Basie Orchestra.
 * 16 – Gino Vannelli, Canadian singer, songwriter, musician and composer.
 * 19 – Sidsel Endresen, Norwegian vocalist, composer and actor.
 * 20 – Gary Lucas, American guitarist, Gods and Monsters.
 * 23 – Anthony Jackson, American bassist.
 * 25 – Radka Toneff, Norwegian singer (died 1982).
 * 28 – Alan Pasqua, American pianist.


 * July
 * 1
 * Ichiko Hashimoto, Japanese pianist, composer and singer.
 * Leon "Ndugu" Chancler, American drummer (died 2018).
 * Timothy J. Tobias, American composer and pianist (died 2006).
 * 7 – Sue Keller, American pianist and singer
 * 23 – Janis Siegel, American singer.
 * 26 – Christian Lauba, Tunisian born French composer and teacher.


 * August
 * 11
 * Finn Sletten, Norwegian drummer.
 * Harry Tavitian, Romanian pianist and singer.
 * 14 – George E. Lewis, American composer, electronic performer, installation artist, and trombonist.
 * 19 – Bruce Katz, American pianist, organist, and bass guitarist.
 * 20 – John Clayton, American upright bassist.
 * 25
 * Ben Brown, American upright bassist.
 * Michael Marcus, American clarinetist and multi-woodwind player.
 * 26
 * Michael Wolff, Austrian pianist, composer, and producer.
 * Peter Wolf, Austrian composer, producer, songwriter, and arranger.


 * September
 * 1 – Ed Neumeister, American trombonist.
 * 6 – Phil Markowitz, American pianist.
 * 9 – Per Jørgensen, Norwegian trumpeter, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist, JøKleBa.
 * 19
 * Henry Kaiser, American guitarist and composer.
 * Uffe Markussen, Danish reedist.
 * 22 – Oliver Mtukudzi, Zimbabwean guitarist (died 2019).
 * 26 – Mark Dresser, American upright bassist and composer.
 * 29 – Roy Campbell, Jr., American trumpeter (died 2014).


 * October
 * 11 – Brian Jackson, American keyboardist, flautist, singer, composer, and producer.
 * 16 – Ray Anderson, American trombonist and trumpeter.
 * 21 – Ali Ryerson, American flautist.
 * 27 – Ken Filiano, American upright bassist.
 * 30 – Arlen Roth, American guitarist.


 * November
 * 4 – Jeff Lorber, American keyboardist, composer, and record producer.
 * 8 – Carl Haakon Waadeland, Norwegian drummer.
 * 12 – Laurence Juber, English guitarist, Wings.
 * 16 – Lauren Newton, American singer and composer.
 * 28 – Ole Thomsen, Norwegian guitarist.
 * 30 – Chris Joris, Belgian percussionist, pianist, and composer.


 * December
 * 2 – Rob Mounsey, American keyboarder, composer, and arranger.
 * 8
 * Mathias Rüegg, Swiss pianist, composer, bandleader, director, Vienna Art Orchestra.
 * Reynold Philipsek, American guitarist, singer-songwriter, and poet.
 * Ric Sanders, English violinist.
 * 23 – Jay Azzolina, American guitarist, Spyro Gyra.
 * 24 – Chucho Merchán, Colombian bassist and guitarist.
 * 27 – David Knopfler, British singer-songwriter, guitarist, pianist, record producer, poet, and writer.
 * 29 – Joe Lovano, American saxophonist, alto clarinetist, flautist, and drummer.


 * Unknown date
 * Akio Sasajima, Japanese guitarist.
 * Brad Upton, American trumpeter.
 * Eugene Friesen, American cellist and composer.
 * Gordon Johnson, American upright bassist.
 * Roberto Perera, Uruguayan harpist.