2012 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 2012.

January

 * 25 – The very first Bodø Jazz Open started in Bodø, Norway (January 25–28).

February

 * 3
 * April 30 is designated as International Jazz Day to celebrate Jazz music as a rich cultural heritage, a product of cultural collaboration and a universal language of tolerance and freedom, unanimously by the United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
 * The 14th Polarjazz Festival started in Longyearbyen, Svalbard (February 1–5).
 * 7 – The 7th Ice Music Festival started in Geilo, Norway (February 7 – 10).

March

 * 2 – The 8th Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival started in Jakarta, Indonesia (March 2–4).
 * 30 – The 39th Vossajazz started in Voss, Norway (March 30 - April 2).
 * 31
 * Sigrid Moldestad was awarded Vossajazzprisen 2012.
 * Karl Seglem performs the commissioned work Som Spor at Vossajazz.

April

 * 25 – The 18th SoddJazz started in Inderøy, Norway (April 25–29).
 * 27 – The 1st Torino Jazz Festival started in Turin (April 27 – May 1).
 * 30 – The International Jazz Day.

May

 * 5 – The Norwegian trumpeter Mathias Eick Quintet was recipient of the 2012 BMW Welt Jazz Award in Germany.
 * 23 – The 40th Nattjazz started in Bergen, Norway (May 23 – June 2)
 * 25 – The 41st Moers Festival started in Moers, Germany (May 25 – 28).

June

 * 17 – The 24th Jazz Fest Wien started in Vienna, Austria (June 17 – July 9).
 * 28 – The 32nd Montreal International Jazz Festival started in Montreal, Quebec, Canada (June 28 - July 7).
 * 29 – The 46th Montreux Jazz Festival started in Montreux, Switzerland (June 29 – July 14).

July

 * 4 – The 48th Kongsberg Jazzfestival started at Kongsberg, Norway (July 4–7).
 * 6
 * The 37th North Sea Jazz Festival started in The Hague, Netherlands (July 6 – 8).
 * The 34th Copenhagen Jazz Festival started in Copenhagen, Denmark (July 6 – 15).
 * 7 – Ola Kvernberg was recipient of the Kongsberg Jazz Award (DNB.prisen) 2012 at the Kongsberg Jazzfestival.
 * 8 – The 65th Nice Jazz Festival started in Nice, France (July 8 – 12).
 * 14 – The 47th Pori Jazz Festival started in Pori, Finland (July 14 – 21).
 * 16 – The 52nd Moldejazz started in Molde, Norway with Jon Balke as artist in residence (July 16–21).
 * 17
 * Mopti was awarded the JazzIntro 2012 at Moldejazz.
 * Anja Eline Skybakmoen was awarded the Jazztalent 2012 at Moldejazz.
 * Albatrosh was awarded the JazZtipendiat 2012 at Moldejazz.
 * 19 – The 47th San Sebastian Jazz Festival started in San Sebastian, Spain (July 19 – 23).

August

 * 3 – The 56th Newport Jazz Festival started in Newport, Rhode Island (August 3 – 5).
 * 8 – The 26th Sildajazz started in Haugesund, Norway (August 8–12).
 * 10
 * Marte Eberson was awarded the Sildajazzprisen 2012.
 * The 28th Brecon Jazz Festival started in Brecon, Wales (August 10 – 12).
 * 13
 * The 27th Oslo Jazzfestival started in Oslo, Norway (August 13–18).
 * Bugge Wesseltoft was recipient of the Ella-prisen 2012 at the Oslo Jazzfestival.

September

 * 3 – The 8th Punktfestivalen started in Kristiansand, Norway (September 3 – 5).
 * 16 – The 55th Monterey Jazz Festival started in Monterey, California (September 16 – 18).

October

 * 1 – The 29th Stockholm Jazz Festival started in Sweden (October 1 – 7).

November

 * 9 – 21st London Jazz Festival started in London, England (November 9 – 18).
 * November 19 - New jazz band GoGo Penguin is formed and releases their debut album

Unknown date
#

A
 * Andrea Kvintett by Andrea Kvintett.

B
 * Mari Kvien Brunvoll by Mari Kvien Brunvoll.

W
 * Spinnaker by Winther - Storm.

Deaths

 * January
 * 4 – Totti Bergh, Norwegian saxophonist (born 1935).
 * 9 – Ernie Carson, American cornetist, pianist, and singer (born 1937).
 * 18 – Keshav Sathe, Indian tabla player (born 1928).
 * 20
 * Etta James, American singer (born 1938).
 * John Levy, American upright-bassist (born 1912).
 * 21 – Herbie Harper, American trombonist (born 1920).
 * 26 – Clare Fischer, American keyboardist, composer, arranger, and bandleader (born 1928).
 * 27 – Kay Davis, American singer (born 1920).


 * February
 * 6
 * Billy Bean, American guitarist (born 1933).
 * Noel Kelehan, Irish musician and conductor, RTÉ Concert Orchestra (died 2012).
 * 22
 * Eivin One Pedersen, Norwegian accordionist and pianist (born 1956).
 * Mike Melvoin, American pianist, composer, and arranger (born 1937).
 * 24 – Bob Badgley, American upright bassist (born 1928).
 * 25 – Red Holloway, American tenor saxophonist (born 1927).


 * March
 * 1 – Lucio Dalla, Italian singer, clarinetist and actor (born 1943).
 * 3 – Frank Marocco, American piano-accordionist, arranger and composer (born 1916).
 * 11 – Leon Spencer, American organist (born 1945).


 * April
 * 11 – Hal McKusick, American alto saxophonist, clarinetist, and flutist (born 1924).
 * 12 – Rodgers Grant, American jazz pianist, composer, and lyricist (born 1936).
 * 16 – Teddy Charles, American vibraphonist, pianist, drummer, and composer (born 1928).
 * 20
 * Ayten Alpman, Turkish singer (born 1929).
 * Joe Muranyi, Hungarian-American clarinetist, producer, and critic (born 1928).
 * Virgil Jones, American trumpeter (born 1939).
 * 23 – Peter Boothman, Australian guitarist, composer and educator (born 1943).


 * May
 * 8 – Frank Parr, English trombonist and cricketer (born 1928).
 * 10 - Bernardo Sassetti, Portuguese pianist and composer (born 1970).
 * 11 – Roland Shaw, English composer, musical arranger, and orchestra leader (born 1920).
 * 30 – Pete Cosey, American guitarist (born 1943).


 * June
 * 3 – Andy Hamilton, Jamaican-British saxophonist and composer (born 1918).
 * 13 – Graeme Bell, Australian pianist, composer and band leader (born 1914).
 * 14 – Margie Hyams, American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, and arranger (born 1920).
 * 15 – Rune Gustafsson, Swedish guitarist and composer (born 1933).
 * 19 – Tale Ognenovski, Macedonian clarinetist and multi-instrumentalist (born 1922).


 * July
 * 1 – Fritz Pauer, Austrian pianist, composer, and bandleader (born 1943).
 * 4 – Larance Marable, American drummer (born 1929).
 * 8 – Lionel Batiste, American bass drummer and singer (born 1931).
 * 10 - Lol Coxhill, English saxophonist and raconteur (born 1932).
 * 13 – Harry Betts, American trombonist (born 1922).
 * 14 – Victor Gaskin, American bassist (born 1932).
 * 16 – Ed Lincoln, Brazilian pianist, upright bassist, Hammond organist, and composer (born 1932).
 * 26 – Don Bagley, American bassist (born 1927).


 * August
 * 2 – Tomasz Szukalski, Polish saxophonist, composer, and improviser (born 1947).
 * 11 – Von Freeman, American saxophonist (born 1923).
 * 21 – Flavio Ambrosetti, Swiss vibraphonist, saxophonist, and engineer (born 1919).
 * 23 – Byard Lancaster, American saxophonist and flutist (born 1942).


 * September
 * 2 – John C. Marshall, British guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter (born 1941).
 * 10 – Steven Springer, American guitarist, Trinidad Tripoli Steel Band (born 1951).
 * 27 – Eddie Bert, American trombonist (born 1922).
 * 28 – Jacky June, Belgian saxophonist, clarinetist, and bandleader (born 1924).


 * October
 * 8 – John Tchicai, Danish saxophonist and composer (born 1936).
 * 9 – Eddie Harvey, British pianist, trombonist, arranger, and educator (born 1925).
 * 12 – Erik Moseholm, Danish bassist, composer, and bandleader (born 1930).
 * 18
 * Borah Bergman, American pianist (born 1926).
 * David S. Ware, American saxophonist, composer, and bandleader (born 1949).
 * 20 – Candy Johnson, American singer and dancer (born 1944).
 * 26 – Carlos Azevedo, Portuguese composer and pianist (born 1949).


 * November
 * 4 – Ted Curson, American trumpeter (born 1935).
 * 15 – Frode Thingnæs, Norwegian jazz trombonist and bandleader (complications from a heart attack) (born 1940).
 * 18 – Stan Greig, Scottish pianist, drummer, and bandleader (born 1930).
 * 20 – Pete La Roca, American drummer (born 1938).
 * 21 – Austin Peralta, American pianist and composer (born 1990).
 * 27 – Mickey Baker, American guitarist (born 1925).


 * December
 * 5 – Dave Brubeck, American jazz pianist and composer (born 1920).
 * 6 – Ed Cassidy, American drummer (born 1923).
 * 22 – Frances Klein, American trumpeter (born 1915).