1990 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1990.

April

 * 6 – The 17th Vossajazz started in Voss, Norway (April 6 – 8).

May

 * 23 – The 18th Nattjazz started in Bergen, Norway (May 23 – June 3).

June

 * 1 – The 19th Moers Festival started in Moers, Germany (June 1 – 4).

July

 * 7 – 24th Montreux Jazz Festival started in Switzerland (July 7 – 22).
 * 12 – The 15th North Sea Jazz Festival started in The Hague (July 12 – 15).

August

 * 17 – The 7th Brecon Jazz Festival started in Brecon, Wales (April 17 – 19).

September

 * 21 – The 33rd Monterey Jazz Festival started in Monterey, California (September 21 – 23).

Unknown date

 * Eliane Elias and Randy Brecker were divorced.

Album releases

 * Ben Sidran: Cool Paradise
 * Bill Frisell: Is That You?
 * Bobby Previte: Empty Suits
 * Butch Morris: Dust To Dust
 * Charlie Haden: Dream Keeper
 * Danny Gottlieb: Brooklyn Blues
 * David Liebman: The Tree
 * David Ware: Great Bliss
 * Don Pullen: Random Thoughts
 * Egberto Gismondi: Infancia
 * Elements: Spirit River
 * Eric Reed: Soldier's Hymn
 * Eliane Elias: Eliane Elias Plays Jobim
 * Franz Koglmann: The Use of Memory
 * Geri Allen: The Nurturer
 * Gerry Hemingway: Down To The Wire
 * Gerry Hemingway: Special Detail
 * Hank Roberts: Birds Of Prey
 * ICP Orchestra: Bospaadje Konijnehol II
 * Jazz Passengers: Implement Yourself
 * John Pizzarelli: My Blue Heaven
 * John Zorn: Naked City
 * Keith Tippett: The Journey
 * Kenny Wheeler: Music for Large & Small Ensembles
 * Kenny Wheeler: Widow in the Window
 * Marilyn Crispell: Overlapping Hands: Eight Segments
 * Mark Helias: Attack the Future
 * Marty Ehrlich: Emergency Peace
 * Matthew Shipp: Circular Temple
 * Michael Formanek: Wide Open Spaces
 * Michael Franks: Blue Pacific
 * Muhal Richard Abrams: Blu Blu Blu
 * Music Revelation Ensemble: Elec Jazz
 * Myra Melford: Jump
 * Philip Catherine: I Remember You
 * Phil Woods: All Bird's Children
 * Ray Anderson: What Because
 * Terence Blanchard: Terence Blanchard
 * Tom Harrell: Form
 * Yellowjackets: Green House

Deaths



 * January
 * 3 – Peter van Steeden, Dutch-American composer (born 1904).
 * 8 – Georgie Auld, Canadian tenor saxophonist, clarinetist, and bandleader (born 1919).
 * 9 – Buschi Niebergall, German free jazz musician (born 1938).


 * February
 * 2 – Mel Lewis, American drummer and bandleader (born 1929).
 * 4 – Fritz Schulz-Reichel, German pianist (born 1912).
 * 5 – King Perry, American saxophonist, clarinetist, arranger, and bandleader (born 1914).
 * 21 – John Madrid, American trumpeter (born 1948).
 * 27 – Arthur Österwall, Swedish band leader, composer, vocalist, and upright bassist (born 1910).
 * 28 – Russell Jacquet, American trumpeter (born 1917).


 * March
 * 12 – Harry South, English pianist, composer, and arranger (born 1929).
 * 17 – Jack Noren, American drummer and vocalist (born 1929).
 * 23 – Al Sears, American tenor saxophonist and bandleader (born 1910).


 * April
 * 3 – Sarah Vaughan, American singer (born 1924).
 * 5 – Louis Nelson, American trombonist (born 1902).
 * 25 – Dexter Gordon, American tenor saxophonist (born 1923).


 * May
 * 4 – Emily Remler, American guitarist (born 1957).
 * 7 – Elizete Cardoso, Argentine singer and actress (born 1920).
 * 16 – Sammy Davis, Jr., American singer and entertainer (born 1925).
 * 17 – Frank Wright, American tenor saxophonist (born 1935).
 * 18
 * Eje Thelin, Swedish trombonist (born 1938).
 * Sing Miller, American pianist (born 1914).
 * 26 – Chris McGregor, South African pianist, bandleader, and composer (born 1936).


 * June
 * 2 – Walter Davis Jr., American pianist (born 1932).
 * 7 – Lou Blackburn, American trombonist (born 1922).
 * 10 – Hubert Rostaing, Algierian-French clarinetist and tenor saxophonist (born 1918).
 * 11 – Clyde McCoy, American trumpeter (born 1903).
 * 21 – June Christy, American singer (born 1925).
 * 28 – Howard Roberts, American guitarist (born 1929).
 * 30 – Dudu Pukwana, South African saxophonist, composer, and pianist (born 1938).


 * July
 * 21 – Joe Turner, American pianist (born 1907).
 * 31 – Lowell Davidson, American pianist (born 1941).


 * August
 * 12 – Harry Leahey, American guitarist (born 1935).
 * 14 – Chester Zardis, American upright bassist (born 1900).
 * 17 – Pearl Bailey, American actress and singer (born 1918).


 * September
 * 3 – Betty Glamann, American jazz harpist (born 1923).
 * 23 – George Desmond Hodnett, Irish composer, piano, trumpet, and zither player (born 1918).
 * 29 – Freddie Kohlman, American drummer, vocalist, and bandleader (born 1918).


 * October
 * 1 – Phil Napoleon, American trumpeter and bandleader (born 1901).
 * 5 – Sam Taylor, American tenor saxophonist (born 1916).
 * 6 – Asser Fagerström, Finnish pianist, composer, and actor ((born 1912).
 * 16 – Art Blakey, American drummer and bandleader, The Jazz Messengers (born 1919).
 * 25 – Major Holley, American upright bassist (born 1914).
 * 27 – Xavier Cugat, bandleader (born 1900).


 * November
 * 4 – William Leavitt, American guitarist and arranger (born 1925).
 * 16 – Lee Castle, American trumpeter and bandleader (born 1915).
 * 26
 * Dave Wilkins, Barbadian trumpeter (born 1914).
 * Rita Ora, British singer-songwriter and actor.


 * December
 * 5 – Bill Hardman, American trumpeter and flugelhornist (born 1933).
 * 18 – Bernard Addison, American guitarist (born 1905).


 * Unknown date
 * Francis Coppieters, Belgian pianist (born 1930).

Births

 * January
 * 17 – Diknu Schneeberger, Austrian guitarist.


 * February
 * 13 – Jonathan Chua, Singaporean drummer.


 * March
 * 27 – Kimbra Lee Johnson, New Zealand singer and actress.


 * April
 * 20 – Sebastian Nordström, Swedish bassist.


 * July
 * 11 – Ole Mofjell, Norwegian drummer.
 * 23 – Torgeir Standal, Norwegian guitarist.


 * August
 * 15 – Benjamin Kheng, Singaporean guitarist/pianist/composer and brony.


 * September
 * 15 – Laura Jurd, British trumpet and synthesizer player.


 * October
 * 25
 * Austin Peralta, American pianist. At age 15, a featured performer at the 2006 Tokyo Jazz Festival (died 2012).
 * Marthe Wang, Norwegian singer and songwriter.


 * November
 * 27 – Mette Henriette, Norwegian saxophonist, improviser, and autodidact composer.


 * December
 * 20 – Corrie Dick, Scottish drummer, percussionist, vocalist, and composer.
 * 25 – Sandra Riley Tang, Singaporean female double-bassist.


 * Unknown date
 * Alper Tuzcu, Turkish singer, composer, and music producer.
 * Charlotte Dos Santos, Norwegian vocalist, composer, and arranger.
 * Martin Masakowski, American bassist.