1968 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1968.

June

 * 12 – The 2nd Montreux Jazz Festival started in Montreux, Switzerland (June 12 – 18).
 * 30 – The 15th Newport Jazz Festival started in Newport, Rhode Island (June 30 – July 3).

Unknown date

 * The English avant-rock ensemble Henry Cow was founded at Cambridge University.

Album releases

 * Peter Brötzmann: Machine Gun
 * Don Cherry: Eternal Rhythm 
 * Chick Corea: Now He Sings, Now He Sobs 
 * Miles Davis: Filles de Kilimanjaro 
 * Bill Evans: Bill Evans at the Montreux Jazz Festival
 * Milt Jackson: Milt Jackson and the Hip String Quartet
 * Roland Kirk: Left & Right
 * Michael Mantler: The Jazz Composer's Orchestra
 * Hugh Masekela: The Promise of a Future
 * Roscoe Mitchell: Congliptious 
 * Modern Jazz Quartet: Under the Jasmin Tree
 * Sun Ra: Outer Spaceways Incorporated 
 * Horace Silver: Serenade to a Soul Sister 
 * Spontaneous Music Ensemble: Karyobin 
 * John Surman: John Surman
 * McCoy Tyner: Tender Moments
 * Kenny Wheeler: Windmill Tilter 
 * Gary Bartz: Another Earth 
 * Pat Martino: Baiyina (The Clear Evidence)
 * Charles Tolliver: Paper Man
 * Herbie Hancock: Speak Like a Child
 * Miles Davis: Miles in the Sky
 * Hugh Masekela: The Lasting Impression of Hugh Masekela
 * Hugh Masekela: Africa '68

Deaths

 * February
 * 5 – Luckey Roberts, American composer and stride pianistr (born 1887).
 * 15 – Little Walter, American singer and harmonica player (born 1930).
 * 27 – Frankie Lymon, American singer (heroin overdose) (born 1942).


 * March
 * 5 – Monk Hazel, American drummer (born 1903).


 * June
 * 15 – Wes Montgomery, American guitarist (born 1923).
 * 26 – Ziggy Elman, American trumpeter (born 1914).


 * October
 * 18 – Jack Bland, American banjoist and guitarist (born 1899).


 * November
 * 9 – Jan Johansson, Swedish pianist (born 1931).
 * 23 – Reinhold Svensson, Swedish pianist, Hammond organist, and composer (born 1919).


 * December
 * 31 – George Lewis, American clarinetist (born 1900).


 * Unknown date
 * Eyvin Andersen, Danish organist, violinist, and composer (born 1914).
 * Jay Wilbur, British bandleader (born 1898).

Births

 * January
 * 19 – Jørn Øien, Norwegian pianist.
 * 21 – Frank Kvinge, Norwegian guitarist.


 * February
 * 4 – Tim Lefebvre, American bass guitarist.
 * 18 – Jukka Perko, Finnish saxophonist.
 * 19 – Stochelo Rosenberg, Dutch guitarist.
 * 22 – Rodney Whitaker, American upright bassist.


 * March
 * 1 – Per Oddvar Johansen, Norwegian drummer.
 * 2 – Rune Brøndbo, Norwegian keyboardist and guitarist.
 * 6 – Jakob Dinesen, Danish saxophonist.
 * 21 – Vincent Courtois, French cellist.
 * 22 – Arve Henriksen, Norwegian trumpeter and multiinstrumentalist.
 * 24 – Sherman Irby, American alto saxophonist.


 * April
 * 30 – Russ Nolan, American saxophonist.


 * May
 * 1 – D'arcy Wretzky American bassist, The Smashing Pumpkins.
 * 9 – Anthony Wilson, American guitarist.
 * 19 – Kyle Eastwood, American bassist.


 * June
 * 6 – Alan Licht, American guitarist, composer, and journalist, Run On.
 * 19 – John Hollenbeck, American drummer and composer, The Claudia Quintet.


 * July
 * 10 – David Gald, Norwegian guitarist.
 * 16 – Finn Guttormsen, Norwegian bassist.
 * 17 – Julia Hülsmann, German pianist and composer.


 * August
 * 4 – Eric Alexander, American saxophonist.
 * 18 – Ernie Hammes, Luxembourgian trumpeter, arranger, composer, and big band director.
 * 20 – Frode Barth, Norwegian guitarist.
 * 28 – Larry Goldings, American pianist, organist, and composer.
 * 30 – Vahagn Hayrapetyan, Armenian pianist, singer, and composer.


 * September
 * 9 – David Sánchez, Puerto Rican tenor saxophonist.
 * 13 – Bernie Williams, Puerto Rican former professional baseball player and musician.
 * 30 – Antonio Hart, American alto saxophonist.


 * November
 * 14 – Ken Ford, American violinist.
 * 30 – Sylvie Courvoisier, Swiss composer, pianist, and improviser.


 * December
 * 7 – Noël Akchoté, French guitarist.
 * 16 – Lalah Hathaway, American singer.


 * Unknown date
 * Jean David Blanc, French film producer, writer, and jazz musician.