1980 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1980.

March

 * 28 – The 7th Vossajazz started in Voss, Norway (March 28 – 30).
 * Featured artists on Vossajazz was Cross Section, E`Olen, Elton Dean Quartet with Kenny Wheeler, Hariprasad Chaurasia Ensemble, Johnny Griffin Quartet, Kristian Bergheim / Andreas Skjold Sextet with Finn Otto Hansen, Kristiansen / Jørgensen Quintet, McCoy Tyner Sextett, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen / Rune Gustafsson Duo, Radka Toneff Quintet, and Stubø / Bjørklund Quartet.

May

 * 21 – 8th Nattjazz started in Bergen, Norway (May 21 – June 4).
 * 23 – 9th Moers Festival started in Moers, Germany (May 23 – 26).

June

 * 4 - The Bill Evans Trio starts a four-day stint at the Village Vanguard. It is released after his death in a 6-CD box set on Turn Out the Stars: The Final Village Vanguard Recordings in 1996.

July

 * 2 – The very first Montreal International Jazz Festival started in Montreal, Quebec, Canada (July 2 – 10).
 * 4 – The 14th Montreux Jazz Festival started in Montreux, Switzerland (July 4 – 20).
 * 11 – The 5th North Sea Jazz Festival started in The Hague, Netherlands (July 11 – 13).

September

 * 19 – The 23rd Monterey Jazz Festival started in Monterey, California (September 19 – 21).

Album releases

 * Chuck Mangione: Fun and Games
 * George Benson: Give Me the Night
 * Grover Washington Jr.: Winelight
 * Larsen Feyten Band: Larsen Feyten Band
 * James Ulmer: Are You Glad to Be in America?
 * Ronald Shannon Jackson: Eye on You
 * Michael Franks: One Bad Habit
 * Anthony Davis: Lady of the Mirrors
 * Rova Saxophone Quartet: Invisible Frames
 * Om: Cerberus
 * Pat Metheny: 80/81
 * Pat Metheny: As Falls Wichita, so Falls Wichita Falls
 * Billy Bang: Changing Seasons
 * Julius Hemphill: Flat-Out Jump Suite
 * Charles Noyes: Free Mammals
 * Steve Tibbetts: YR
 * World Saxophone Quartet: WSQ
 * David Murray: Ming
 * Ganelin Trio: Ancora da Capo
 * Joanne Brackeen: Ancient Dynasty
 * Ran Blake: Film Noir
 * Muhal Richard Abrams: Mama and Daddy
 * Derek Bailey: Aida
 * Evan Parker: Six of One
 * Steps Ahead: Step by Step
 * Steve Beresford: Double Indemnity
 * Music Revelation Ensemble: No Wave
 * Jan Garbarek: Eventyr
 * David Liebman: If They Only Knew
 * Tom Varner: Quartet
 * Harvie Swartz: Underneath It All
 * Paul Winter: Callings
 * World Saxophone Quartet: Revue
 * Chico Freeman: Peaceful Heart, Gentle Spirit
 * Jack DeJohnette: Tin Can Alley
 * Jay Clayton: All Out
 * Art Pepper: Winter Moon

Deaths

 * January
 * 6 – Poley McClintock, American singer (born 1900).
 * 22 – Ed Garland, American upright bassist (born 1895).
 * 23 – Babs Gonzales, American vocalist (born 1919).
 * 28 – Jimmy Crawford, American drummer (born 1910).
 * 29 – Jimmy Durante, American singer, pianist, comedian, and actor (born 1893).


 * February
 * 9 – Charles Fowlkes, American baritone saxophonist, Count Basie Orchestra (born 1916).
 * 12 – Norman Keenan, American upright bassist (born 1916).
 * 18 – Paul Howard, American saxophonist and clarinetist (born 1895).
 * 19 – Shorty Sherock, American trumpeter (born 1915).


 * March
 * 4 – Don Albert, American trumpeter and bandleader (born 1908).
 * 6 – Bobby Jones, American saxophonist (born 1928).


 * April
 * 20 – Ronnie Boykins, American upright bassist (born 1935).
 * 22 – Jane Froman, American singer and actress (born 1907).
 * 28 – Chino Pozo, Cuban drummer (born 1915).


 * May
 * 4 – Joe "Mr Piano" Henderson, British pianist (born 1920).
 * 31 – Sonny Burke, American musical arranger, composer, big band leader, and producer, Duke Ambassadors (born 1914).


 * June
 * 12 – Stu Martin, American drummer (born 1938).
 * 14 – Herman Autrey, American trumpeter (born 1904).
 * 27 – Barney Bigard, American clarinetist (born 1906).


 * July
 * 2 – Amos White, American trumpeter (born 1889).
 * 9 – Vinicius de Moraes, Brazilian singer, poet, lyricist, essayist, and playwright (born 1913).
 * Harlan Lattimore, African-American singer (born 1908).


 * August
 * 4
 * Duke Pearson, American pianist and composer (born 1932).
 * Pekka Pöyry, Finnish saxophonist and flutist (born 1939).
 * 26 – Jimmy Forrest, American tenor saxophonist (born 1920).


 * September
 * 5 – Don Banks, Australian composer (born 1923).
 * 15 – Bill Evans, American pianist and composer (born 1929).
 * 18 – Dick Stabile, American saxophonist and bandleader (born 1909).
 * 22 – Jimmy Bryant, American guitarist (born 1925).


 * October
 * 14 – Oscar Alemán, Argentine guitarist, singer, and dancer (born 1909).
 * 31
 * Chauncey Morehouse, American drummer (born 1902).
 * Jan Werich, Czech singer, actor, playwright, and writer (born 1905).


 * November
 * 22 – Uffe Baadh, Danish-American drummer (born 1923).


 * December
 * 16 – Keith Christie, English trombonist (born 1931).
 * 26 – Peck Kelley, American pianist (born 1898).
 * 29 – Lennie Felix, British pianist (born 1920).
 * 31 – Irmgard Österwall, Swedish singer (born 1914).


 * Unknown date
 * Aldo Rossi, Italian reedist and bandleader (born 1911).
 * Cosimo Di Ceglie, Italian guitarist (born 1913).

Births

 * January
 * 3 – David Arthur Skinner, British pianist and composer.
 * 12 – Dominic Lash, British upright bassist and composer.
 * 15 – Christoffer Andersen, Norwegian guitarist.
 * 22 – Lizz Wright, American singer.


 * February
 * 9 – Jackiem Joyner, American saxophonist.
 * 21 – Takuya Kuroda, Japanese trumpeter.
 * 27 – Federico Casagrande, Italian guitarist and composer.


 * March
 * 10 – Lars Horntveth, Norwegian saxophonist, clarinetist, percussionist, guitarist, composer, and band leader, Jaga Jazzist.
 * 22 – Jay Foote, American bassist and singer.
 * 31 – Sasha Dobson, American singer-songwriter.


 * April
 * 10 – Jimmy Rosenberg, Dutch guitarist.
 * 24
 * Jelle van Tongeren, Dutch violinist.
 * Vincent Peirani, French accordionist, vocalist, and composer.


 * May
 * 5 – Stian Omenås, Norwegian Jazz musician (trumpet), music conductor and composer
 * 28 – Benedikt Jahnel, German jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader.


 * June
 * 18 – Jasser Haj Youssef, Tunisian violinist.


 * July
 * 8
 * Kendrick Scott, American drummer, bandleader, and composer.
 * Tyshawn Sorey, American multi-instrumentalist, and composer.
 * 10 – Julie Crochetière, Canadian singer-songwriter and pianist.


 * August
 * 16 – Øystein Moen, Norwegian pianist, keyboarder, and composer, Jaga Jazzist.
 * 25 – Pål Hausken, Norwegian drummer, percussion, and composer, In The Country.


 * September
 * 2 – Mark Guiliana, American drummer, composer and bandleader.
 * 18 – Gustav Lundgren, Swedish guitarist, composer, and record label director.
 * 25 – Christina Bjordal, Norwegian singer.


 * October
 * 16 – Mary Halvorson, American guitarist.
 * 17
 * Alberto Porro Carmona, Spanish conductor, composer, author, music lecturer, teacher, and saxophonist.
 * Manuel Valera, Cuban pianist and composer.
 * 19
 * Morten Schantz, Danish pianist, composer, and band leader, JazzKamikaze.
 * Simin Tander, German singer, pianist, and composer.


 * November
 * 4 – Ruslan Sirota, Ukrainian pianist, composer, and producer.
 * 6 – Lena Nymark, Norwegian jazz singer.
 * 17 – Colin Vallon, Swiss pianist.


 * December
 * 5 – Ibrahim Maalouf, French-Lebanese trumpeter and composer.
 * 9 – Anton Eger, Norwegian-Swedish Jazz drummer, JazzKamikaze.
 * 28 – Andreas Amundsen, Norwegian bassist.


 * Unknown date
 * Brandi Disterheft, Canadian upright bassist and composer.
 * Elana Stone, Australian vocalist, songwriter, pianist, accordion player, and band leader.
 * Hannah Marshall, British cellist, vocalist, and composer.
 * Martin Blanes, Galician-Spanish guitarist.
 * Tim Giles, English drummer and composer.
 * Yasek Manzano Silva, Cuban trumpeter and composer