2015 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of jazz in the year 2015.

January

 * 21 – The 4th Bodø Jazz Open started in Bodø, Norway (January 21 – 24).
 * 23 – The 34th annual Djangofestival started on Cosmopolite in Oslo, Norway (January 23 – 24).

February

 * 5
 * The 17th Polarjazz Festival started in Longyearbyen, Svalbard (February 5 – 8).
 * The 10th Ice Music Festival started in Geilo, Norway (February 5 – 8).

March

 * 6 – The 11th Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival started in Jakarta, Indonesia (March 6 – 8).
 * 27 – The 42nd Vossajazz started in Voss, Norway (March 27 – 29).
 * 28
 * Thea Hjelmeland was awarded Vossajazzprisen 2015 for the album Solar Plexus.
 * Live Maria Roggen performs the commissioned work Apukaluptein at Vossajazz.

April

 * 2 - GoGo Penguin signs with Blue Note Records
 * 23 – The 21st SoddJazz started in Inderøy, Norway (April 23 – 27).
 * 30 – The International Jazz Day.

May

 * 5 – The 27th MaiJazz started in Stavanger, Norway (May 5 – 10).
 * 6 – The 11th AnJazz started in Hamar, Norway (May 6 – 9).
 * 7
 * Julie Dahle Aagård played at Uhørt in Oslo, Norway.
 * Lisa Ekdahl play at Rockefeller in Oslo, Norway.
 * Bergen Big Band with Gabriel Fliflet and Ole Hamre played at Sardinen USF in Bergen, Norway.
 * The 37th Trondheim Jazz Festival started in Trondheim, Norway (May 7 – 10).
 * 8
 * Per Mathisen Trio played at Draaben Bar in Sandefjord, Norway.
 * Hanna Paulsberg Concept / Soil Collectors / MOPO played at Victoria - Nasjonal Jazzscene Oslo, Norway.
 * 10 – Kampenjazz: Anja Eline Skybakmoen played at Cafeteatret Oslo, Norway.
 * 15 – Per Mathisen Trio played at Victoria - National Jazz Scene in Oslo, Norway.
 * 16 – Farmers Market played at Victoria - National Jazz Scene in Oslo, Norway.
 * 22
 * The 44th Moers Festival starts in Moers, Germany (May 22 – 25)
 * Eivind Opsvik Overseas played at Victoria - National Jazz Scene in Oslo, Norway.
 * 23 – Beady Belle played at Victoria - National Jazz Scene in Oslo, Norway.
 * 28
 * The 4th Torino Jazz Festival started in Turin (May 28 - June 2).
 * The 43rd Nattjazz 2015 started in Bergen, Norway (May 28 – June 6)
 * Bergen Big Band was the very first recipients of Olav Dale's Memorial Award at the opening of Nattjazz 2015.

June

 * 17 – The 27th Jazz Fest Wien started in Vienna, Austria (June 26 – July 11).
 * 26 – The 35th Montreal International Jazz Festival started in Montreal, Quebec, Canada (June 26 – July 5).

July

 * 1
 * The 51st Kongsberg Jazzfestival started at Kongsberg, Norway (July 1 – 4).
 * Ellen Andrea Wang was recipient of the Kongsberg Jazz Award or DNB.prisen 2015 at the Kongsberg Jazzfestival.
 * 2
 * The 15th Stavernfestivalen started in Stavern, Norway (July 2 – 4).
 * The 25th JazzBaltica starts in Schloss Salzau close to Kiel, Germany (July 2 – 5).
 * 3
 * The 37th Copenhagen Jazz Festival started in Copenhagen, Denmark (July 3 – 12).
 * The 49th Montreux Jazz Festival started in Montreux, Switzerland (July 3 – 18).
 * 7 – The 68th Nice Jazz Festival started in Nice, France (July 7 – 12).
 * 10 – The 40th North Sea Jazz Festival started in Rotterdam, Netherlands (July 10 – 12).
 * 11
 * The 27th Aarhus Jazz Festival started in Aarhus, Denmark (July 11 – 18).
 * The 50th Pori Jazz Festival started in Pori, Finland (July 11 – 19).
 * 13 – The 55th Moldejazz started in Molde, Norway with Mats Gustafsson as artist in residence (July 13 – 18).
 * 16 – Jan Ole Otnæs received the 2015 Molderosen at Moldejazz.
 * 22 – The 20th Canal Street started in Arendal, Norway (July 22 – 25).
 * 31 – The 59th Newport Jazz Festival started in Newport, Rhode Island (July 31 – August 2).

August

 * 5 – The 29th Sildajazz 2015 started in Haugesund, Norway (August 5 – 9).
 * 6 – The 21st Hemnesjazz 2015 started in Hemnesberget, Norway (August 6 – 9).
 * 8 – The 4th Kids in Jazz 2015 festival started in Oslo, Norway as part of the Oslo Jazzfestival (August 8 – 12).
 * 10 – The 30th Oslo Jazzfestival started in Oslo, Norway (August 10 – 15).
 * 11 – The 17th Øyafestivalen started in Oslo, Norway (August 11 – 15).
 * 12 – Anneli Drecker played at Øyafestivalen.

September

 * 3 – The 11th Punktfestivalen started in Kristiansand, Norway (September 3 – 5).
 * 18 – The 58th Monterey Jazz Festival started in Monterey, California (September 18 – 20).

October

 * 9 – The 32nd Stockholm Jazz Festival started in Stockholm, Sweden (October 9 – 18).
 * 10 - Miles Ahead, a documentary about the life of Miles Davis releases

November

 * 13 – The 24th London Jazz Festival started in London, England (November 13 – 22).

December

 * 29 – The 10th RIBBEjazz started in Lillestrøm, Norway.

Deaths

 * January
 * 1 – Jeff Golub, American guitarist (born 1955).
 * 3 – Ivan Jullien, French trumpeter (born 1934).
 * 4 – Pino Daniele, Italian singer, songwriter, and guitarist (born 1955).
 * 19 – Ward Swingle, American vocalist and pianist, The Swingle Singers (born 1927).


 * February
 * 3 – William Thomas McKinley, American composer and pianist (born 1938).
 * 12 – Richie Pratt, American drummer (born 1943).
 * 21 – Clark Terry, American trumpeter (born 1920).
 * 22 – Erik Amundsen, Norwegian upright bassist (born 1937).


 * March
 * 8 – Lew Soloff, American trumpeter, composer, and actor (born 1944).
 * 13 – Daevid Allen, Australian poet, guitarist, singer, composer, and performance artist, Soft Machine and Gong (born 1938).
 * 15
 * Bob Parlocha, American saxophonist and gourmet cook (born 1938).
 * Mike Porcaro, American bassist, Toto (born 1955).
 * 20 – Paul Jeffrey, American tenor saxophonist, arranger, and educator (born 1933).
 * 21 – Jørgen Ingmann, Danish guitarist (born 1925).
 * 26 – John Renbourn, English guitarist and songwriter (born 1944).
 * 27 – Johnny Helms, American trumpeter and bandleader (born 1935).
 * 31 – Ralph Sharon, Anglo-American pianist and arranger (born 1923).


 * April
 * 6 – Milton DeLugg, American pianoist, accordionist, and composer (born 1918).
 * 27 – Marty Napoleon, American pianist (born 1921).


 * May
 * 3 – Ben Aronov, American pianist (born 1932).
 * 6 – Jerome Cooper, American drummer (born 1946).
 * 14 – B.B. King, American guitarist (born 1925).
 * 20
 * Bob Belden, American saxophonist (born 1956).
 * Simon Flem Devold, Norwegian clarinetist and columnist (born 1927).
 * 23 – Marcus Belgrave, American trumpeter (born 1936).
 * 28 – Ray Kennedy, American pianist (born 1957).
 * 31 – Slim Richey, American guitarist (born 1938).


 * June
 * 8 – Paul Bacon, American musician and book and album cover designer (born 1923).
 * 9 – James Last, German composer and big band leader, James Last Orchestra (born 1929).
 * 11 – Ornette Coleman, American saxophonist (born 1930).
 * 12 – Monica Lewis, American singer and actress (born 1922).
 * 13 – Big Time Sarah, American singer (born 1953).
 * 19 – Harold Battiste, American saxophonist, pianist, and composer (born 1931).
 * 21 – Gunther Schuller, American composer, conductor, and horn player (born 1925).
 * 30 – Eddy Louiss, French Hammond organist, Les Double Six (born 1941).


 * July
 * 6 – Masabumi Kikuchi, Japanese jazz pianist and composer (born 1939).
 * 15 – Howard Rumsey, American upright bassist (born 1917).
 * 17 – John Taylor, British pianist and composer (born 1942).
 * 19 – Van Alexander, American bandleader, arranger, and composer (born 1915).


 * August
 * 13 – Harold Ousley, American tenor saxophonist and flautist (born 1929).
 * 14 – Jazz Summers, British music manager (lung cancer), Scissor Sisters, The Verve, and Snow Patrol (born 1944).
 * 30 – Hugo Rasmussen, Danish bassist (born 1941).


 * September
 * 27 – Wilton Felder, American saxophonist and bassist, The Crusaders (born 1940).
 * 29 – Phil Woods, American saxophonist, clarinetist, bandleader and composer (born 1931).


 * October
 * 3 – Dave Pike, American vibraphone and marimba player (born 1938).
 * 9 – Larry Rosen, American drummer, entrepreneur, and music producer (born 1940).
 * 20 – Don Rendell, English saxophonist, flautist, and clarinetist (born 1926).
 * 22 – Mark Murphy, American singer (born 1932).
 * 24 – Nat Peck, American trombonist (born 1925).


 * November
 * 5
 * Kjell Öhman, Swedish pianist, hammond organist, and accordionist (born 1943).
 * Nora Brockstedt, Norwegian singer (born 1923).
 * 9 – Andy White, Scottish drummer (born 1930).
 * 17 – Al Aarons, American trumpeter (born 1932).
 * 23
 * Bengt-Arne Wallin, Swedish composer, arrangeur, trumpeter, and flugelhornist (born 1926).
 * Cynthia Robinson, American trumpeter and vocalist, Sly and the Family Stone (born 1944).
 * 25 – Svein Christiansen, Norwegian drummer (born 1941).


 * December
 * 9 – Rusty Jones, American drummer (born 1942).
 * 28 – Joe Houston, American tenor saxophonist (born 1926).
 * 31
 * Natalie Cole, American singer, songwriter, and actress (congestive heart failure) (born 1950).
 * Dal Richards, Canadian big band leader (born 1918).