1985 in jazz


This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1985.

Events

March

29 – The 12th Vossajazz started in Vossavangen, Norway.

May

24 – 14th Moers Festival started in Moers, Germany.22 – 13th Nattjazz started in Bergen, Norway.

June

28 – The 6th Montreal International Jazz Festival started in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

July

4 – The 19th Montreux Jazz Festival started in Montreux, Switzerland.12 – The 10th North Sea Jazz Festival started in The Hague, Netherlands.

August

16 – The 2nd Brecon Jazz Festival started in Brecon, Wales.

September

20 – The 28th Monterey Jazz Festival started in Monterey, California.

Album releases

Deaths

; January7 – Johnny Guarnieri, American pianist.10 – Cie Frazier, American drummer.11 – Kenny Clare, English drummer.18 – Georgie Stoll, American musical director, conductor, composer, and violinist.26 – Kenny Clarke, American drummer and bandleader.
; February22 – Frank Traynor, Australian trombonist and entrepreneur.27 – Ray Ellington, English singer, drummer, and bandleader.
; March13 – Annette Hanshaw, American singer.23 – Zoot Sims, American saxophonist.30 – Shizuko Kasagi, Japanese singer.
; April21 – Irving Mills, American music publisher, musician, lyricist, and jazz artist promoter.
; May2 – Larry Clinton, American trumpeter, bandleader, and songwriter.24 – Joe Darensbourg, American clarinetist and saxophonist.27 – Skeeter Best, American guitarist.
; June15 – David "Buck" Wheat, American bassist, songwriter and recording artist.
; July1
; August1 – Sam Wooding, American pianist, arranger, and bandleader.11 – Nick Ceroli, American drummer.19 – Cedric Wallace, American upright bassist.30 – Philly Joe Jones, American drummer.
; September3 – Jo Jones, American drummer.6
; October12 – Blind John Davis, African American, blues, jazz and boogie-woogie pianist and singer.
; November4 – Richard Williams, American trumpeter.12 – Dicky Wells, American trombonist.13 – Max Miller, American pianist and vibraphonist.24 – Big Joe Turner, American blues shouter.
; December9
; Unknown date

Births

; January2
; February2 – Melody Gardot, American singer, writer and musician.8 – Dario Chiazzolino, Italian guitarist and composer.19 – Kristoffer Lo, Norwegian tubist, flugabonist, guitarist, and composer.
; March5 – Eyolf Dale, Norwegian pianist and composer.
; May3 – Louis Cato, American drummer, bassist, guitarist, singer, and composer.14 – Tore Sandbakken, Norwegian drummer and composer.
; June12 – Olivia Trummer, German pianist, vocalist, and composer.20 – Ellen Brekken, Norwegian upright bassist, guitar bassist, and tubist.
; July18 – Theo Croker, American trumpeter, singer, and bandleader from Leesburg, Florida.22 – Camila Meza, Chilean singer-songwriter and guitarist.25 – Tom Harrison, British alto saxophonist and flautist.31 – Aaron Weinstein, American violinist and mandolinist.
; August14 – David Six, Austrian pianist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist.22 – Kim Johannesen, Norwegian guitarist.30 – Rachael Price, American vocalist from Hendersonville, Tennessee.
; September10 – Live Foyn Friis, Norwegian singer and composer.22 – Aaron Diehl, American pianist.
; October7 – Alfredo Rodríguez, Cuban pianist and composer.15 – Øystein Skar, Norwegian pianist and composer.29 – Ximena Sariñana, Mexican singer-songwriter and actress
; December19 – Ine Hoem, Norwegian singer.29 – Alexa Ray Joel, American singer, songwriter and pianist.
; Unknown date