1974 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1974.

April

 * 5 – The very first Vossajazz started in Voss, Norway (April 5 – 7).

May

 * 22 – The 2nd Nattjazz started in Bergen, Norway (May 22 – June 5).
 * 31 – The 3rd Moers Festival started in Moers, Germany (May 31 – June 1).

June

 * 28
 * The 21st Newport Jazz Festival started in Newport, Rhode Island (June 28 – July 7).
 * The 8th Montreux Jazz Festival started in Montreux, Switzerland (June 28 – July 7).

September

 * 20 – The 17th Monterey Jazz Festival started in Monterey, California (September 20 – 22).

Unknown date

 * The First International Boogie Woogie Festival at WDR Cologne, Germany, on Sept.14/15 1974, with Memphis Slim, Willie Mabon, Axel Zwingenberger, Bob Hall, Jo-Ann Kelly, Vince Weber among others, organized by Hans W. Ewert for Radio WDR

Album releases

 * Sam Rivers: Crystals
 * Cecil Taylor: Silent Tongues
 * Steve Lacy: Saxophone Special
 * Jeanne Lee: Conspiracy
 * Leo Smith: Reflectativity
 * Weather Report: Mysterious Traveller
 * Randy Weston: Blues To Africa
 * Marion Brown: Sweet Earth Flying
 * Paul Rutherford: The Gentle Harm of the Bourgeoisie
 * Marvin Peterson: Children of the Fire
 * John Abercrombie: Timeless
 * Roswell Rudd: Flexible Flyer
 * McCoy Tyner: Atlantis
 * Globe Unity Orchestra: Hamburg '74
 * Cecil McBee: Mutima
 * Mahavishnu Orchestra: Apocalypse
 * Ralph Towner: Solstice
 * Terje Rypdal: Whenever I Seem To Be Far Away
 * Roscoe Mitchell: Solo Saxophone Concerts
 * Steve Kuhn: Ecstasy
 * Joe McPhee: Pieces of Light
 * Keith Jarrett: Death and the Flower
 * Steve Kuhn: Trance
 * Steve Lacy: Scraps
 * David Liebman: Drum Ode
 * Kenny Barron: Peruvian Blue
 * Tete Montoliu: Music for Perla
 * Bill Watrous: Manhattan Wildlife Refuge
 * Lonnie Liston Smith: Expansions
 * Mike Gibbs: Only Chrome Waterfall
 * McCoy Tyner: Sama Layuca
 * Oregon: Winter Light
 * Billy Cobham: Total Eclipse
 * Hugh Masekela: I Am Not Afraid
 * Miles Davis: Get Up With It
 * Herbie Hancock: Thrust
 * Gene Ammons: Brasswind

Deaths

 * January
 * 10 – Eddie Safranski, American upright bassist (born 1918).
 * 23 – Don Fagerquist, American trumpeter (born 1927).
 * 26
 * Archie Semple, Scottish clarinetist (born 1928).
 * Joe Benjamin, American upright bassist. (born 1919).
 * 28 – Ed Allen, American jazz trumpeter and cornetist (born 1897).


 * February
 * 25 – Julian Dash, American tenor (born 1916).


 * March
 * 1 – Bobby Timmons, American pianist and composer (born 1935).
 * 9 – Floyd Bean, American jazz pianist (born 1904).
 * 22 – Sam Donahue, American tenor saxophonist, trumpeter and musical arranger (born 1918).
 * 27 – Lars Skoglund, Norwegian guitarist, drummer, and composer.


 * April
 * 11 – Fud Candrix, Belgian saxophonist and violinist (born 1908).


 * May
 * 4 – Geraldo, English bandleader and composer (born 1904).
 * 15 – Paul Gonsalves, American tenor saxophonist (born 1920).
 * 24 – Duke Ellington, American composer, pianist, and bandleader (born 1899).


 * August
 * 6 – Gene Ammons, American tenor saxophonist (born 1925).
 * 9 – Bill Chase, American trumpeter (born 1934).
 * 13 – Tina Brooks, American tenor saxophonist and composer (born 1932).
 * 21 – Marvin Ash, American pianist (born 1914).
 * 25 – Gus Viseur, Belgian-French button accordionist (born 1915).


 * October
 * 8 – Harry Carney, American saxophonist (born 1910).
 * 18 – John Anderson, American trumpeter (born 1921).


 * November
 * 19 – George Brunies, American trombonist (born 1902).

Births

 * January
 * 4
 * Hild Sofie Tafjord, Norwegian French hornist.
 * Sjur Miljeteig, Norwegian trumpeter, composer, and author.


 * February
 * 17 – Bernt Moen, Norwegian pianist, keyboarder, and composer.
 * 21 – Benjamin Koppel, Danish saxophonist.
 * 27 – Alexi Tuomarila, Finnish pianist and composer.


 * March
 * 27 – Lars Skoglund, Norwegian composer, guitarist, and drummer.


 * April
 * 10 – Beate S. Lech, Norwegian singer, composer, and lyricist.
 * 18 – Madeleine Peyroux, American singer-songwriter.
 * 24 – Niño Josele, Spanish guitarist and exponent of the New Flamenco style.
 * 29 – Børre Dalhaug, Norwegian drummer.
 * 30 – Aaron Goldberg, American pianist.


 * May
 * 29 – Coleman Mellett, American jazz guitarist (died 2009).
 * 30 – Nick Etwell, British trumpeter, The Filthy Six.


 * July
 * 7 – Kenneth Ekornes, Norwegian percussionist.
 * 10 – Kai Fagaschinski, German clarinetist and composer.
 * 17 – Laura Macdonald, Scottish alto and soprano saxophonist, composer and teacher.
 * 22 – Kåre Nymark, Norwegian trumpeter and composer.
 * 29 – Viktoria Tolstoy, Swedish singer.
 * 31 – Dafnis Prieto, Cuban-American drummer, composer, bandleader, and educator.


 * August
 * 13 – Magnus Lindgren, Swedish saxophonist, flautist, and clarinetist.


 * September
 * 10 – Lasse Marhaug, Norwegian electronic musician.
 * 24 – Miriam Aïda, Swedish singer.
 * 30 – Varre Vartiainen, Finnish guitarist.


 * October
 * 25 – Victor Kunonga, Zimbabwean singer and songwriter.


 * November
 * 4 – Simon Spillett, English tenor saxophonist.
 * 15 – Reuben Rogers, American bassist.
 * 23 – Frode Kjekstad, Norwegian guitarist.
 * 26 – Line Horntveth, Norwegian tubist, flautist, percussionist, and singer, Jaga Jazzist.


 * December
 * 6 – Stefan Pasborg, Danish drummer, composer, and bandleader.
 * 14 – Nate Smith, American drummer, songwriter, and producer.
 * 17 – Anders Aarum, Norwegian pianist and composer.
 * 18 – Miles Okazaki, American guitarist and composer.
 * 21 – Knut Aalefjær, Norwegian drummer.
 * 24
 * Sophie Alour, French saxophonist.
 * Paal Nilssen-Love, Norwegian drummer.
 * 26 – Chihiro Yamanaka, Japanese pianist and composer.


 * Unknown date
 * Biel Ballester, Spanish guitarist.
 * Jonathan Bratoeff, French guitarist.
 * Martin Tingvall, Swedish pianist, composer, and bandleader.