1925 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1925.
Musicians born that year included Art Pepper and Zoot Sims.

Events

Louis Armstrong leaves Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra, returns to Chicago, Illinois, and makes his first records under his own name, leading Louis Armstrong & His Hot Five.

Standards

In 1925 standards that were published included "Dinah" and "Squeeze Me".

Deaths

; January8 – Jimmy Palao, African-American Violinist, saxophonist, cornetist, mellophonist, and leader of the Original Creole Band.
; June16 – Emmett Hardy, New Orleans American cornet player.
; August16 – Edna Hicks, American singer.

Births

; January6

* Jane Harvey, American singer.
* Leon Abramson or Lee Abrams, American drummer.7 – Dave Schildkraut, American saxophonist.13 – Nat Peck, American trombonist.19 – Don Lang, English trombonist and singer.23 – Marty Paich, American pianist.25 – Barbara Carroll, American pianist.

; February4 – Jutta Hipp, German pianist and composer.14 – Elliot Lawrence, American pianist and bandleader.20 – Frank Isola, American drummer.26 – Dave Pell, American saxophonist.
; March5 – Jimmy Bryant, American guitarist.13 – Roy Haynes, American drummer and band leader.14 – Sonny Cohn, American trumpeter.21 – Harold Ashby, American saxophonist.25 – Elmer Dresslar Jr., American singer.26 – James Moody, American saxophonist.
; April1 – Kathy Stobart, English saxophonist.2 – Frank Holder, Guyanese singer and percussionist.11 – Emil Mangelsdorff, German saxophonist.14 – Gene Ammons, American tenor saxophonist.18 – Leo Parker, American saxophonist.20 – Henri Renaud, French pianist.21

* Carline Ray, American singer, pianist, and guitarist, International Sweethearts of Rhythm.
* Sonny Berman, American trumpeter.24 – Jiří Jirmal, Czech guitarist. 26 – Jørgen Ingmann, Danish guitarist.

; May5 – Sonny Parker, American singer and drummer.9 – Eddie Preston, American trumpeter.14 – Al Porcino, American trumpeter.
; June6 – Al Grey, American trombonist.23 – Sahib Shihab, American saxophonist.26 – Ken Moule, English pianist, composer, and arranger.29 – Hale Smith, American composer and pianist.30 – Wallace Davenport, American trumpeter.
; July16

* Cal Tjader, American vibraphonist and drummer.
* Nat Pierce, American pianist.17 – Jimmy Scott, American singer.27 – Kippie Moeketsi, South-African alto saxophonist.

; August3 – Dom Um Romão, Brazilian percussionist.12 – Earl Coleman, American singer.13 – Benny Bailey, American trumpeter.15

* George Morrow, American bassist.
* Oscar Peterson, Canadian pianist.16
* Amru Sani, Indian-Jamaican singer and actor.
* Mal Waldron, American pianist.27 – Tony Crombie, English drummer and pianist.

; September1 – Art Pepper, American saxophonist.2 – Sherwood Johnson, American jazz patron.13 – Mel Tormé, American singer.16

* B.B. King, American guitarist.
* Charlie Byrd, American guitarist.18 – Pia Beck, Dutch pianist and singer.22 – Russell Solomon, American entrepreneur, art collector, and founder of the Tower Records.

; October2 – Phil Urso, American saxophonist.3 – George Wein, American singer, pianist, and producer.5 – Bill Dixon, American trumpeter.7 – Alvin Stoller, American drummer.10 – Francisco Aguabella, Afro-Cuban percussionist.15 – Mickey Baker, American guitarist.18 – Boogie Woogie Red, American pianist.25 – Zena Latto, American clarinetist and saxophonist.29 – Zoot Sims, American saxophonist.30

* Errol Parker, French-Algerian pianist.
* Teo Macero, American saxophonist.31 – Tommy Watt, Scottish bandleader.

; November1 – Alonzo Levister, American pianist.11 – Bruno Martino, Italian singer and pianist.15 – Eddie Harvey, British pianist, trombonist, arranger, and educator.16 – Nick Travis, American trumpeter.20 – June Christy, American singer.22 – Gunther Schuller, American hornist.24 – Al Cohn, American saxophonist.25 – Matthew Gee, American trombonist.28 – Gigi Gryce, American saxophonist.
; December1 – Dick Johnson, American clarinetist.5 – Alvin Tyler, American saxophonist.6 – Bob Cooper, American saxophonist.8 – Sammy Davis Jr., American singer.12 – Dodo Marmarosa, American jazz pianist.15

* Billy Butler, American guitarist.
* Jimmy Nottingham, American trumpeter.23 – Janika Balázs, Serbian musician.25 – Chris Woods, American saxophonist.31 – Billy Taylor Jr., American upright bassist.

; Unknown date

Jim Aton, American bassist.