2012 in jazz

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

Events

January

25 – The very first Bodø Jazz Open started in Bodø, Norway.

February

* 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.
* The 14th Polarjazz Festival started in Longyearbyen, Svalbard.7 – The 7th Ice Music Festival started in Geilo, Norway.

March

2 – The 8th Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival started in Jakarta, Indonesia.30 – The 39th Vossajazz started in Voss, Norway.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.27 – The 1st Torino Jazz Festival started in Turin.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 25 – The 41st Moers Festival started in Moers, Germany.

8 – The 26th Sildajazz started in Haugesund, Norway.
10
* Marte Eberson was awarded the Sildajazzprisen 2012.
* The 28th Brecon Jazz Festival started in Brecon, Wales.13
* The 27th Oslo Jazzfestival started in Oslo, Norway.
* Bugge Wesseltoft was recipient of the Ella-prisen 2012 at the Oslo Jazzfestival.

September

3 – The 8th Punktfestivalen started in Kristiansand, Norway.16 – The 55th Monterey Jazz Festival started in Monterey, California.

October

1 – The 29th Stockholm Jazz Festival started in Sweden.

November

9 – 21st London Jazz Festival started in London, England.

November 19 - New jazz band GoGo Penguin is formed and releases their debut album

Deaths

; January4 – Totti Bergh, Norwegian saxophonist.9 – Ernie Carson, American cornetist, pianist, and singer.18 – Keshav Sathe, Indian tabla player.20

* Etta James, American singer.
* John Levy, American upright-bassist.21 – Herbie Harper, American trombonist.26 – Clare Fischer, American keyboardist, composer, arranger, and bandleader.27 – Kay Davis, American singer.

; February6

* Billy Bean, American guitarist.
* Noel Kelehan, Irish musician and conductor, RTÉ Concert Orchestra.22
* Eivin One Pedersen, Norwegian accordionist and pianist.
* Mike Melvoin, American pianist, composer, and arranger.24 – Bob Badgley, American upright bassist.25 – Red Holloway, American tenor saxophonist.

; March1 – Lucio Dalla, Italian singer, clarinetist and actor.3 – Frank Marocco, American piano-accordionist, arranger and composer.11 – Leon Spencer, American organist.
; April11 – Hal McKusick, American alto saxophonist, clarinetist, and flutist.12 – Rodgers Grant, American jazz pianist, composer, and lyricist.16 – Teddy Charles, American vibraphonist, pianist, drummer, and composer.20

* Ayten Alpman, Turkish singer.
* Joe Muranyi, Hungarian-American clarinetist, producer, and critic.
* Virgil Jones, American trumpeter.23 – Peter Boothman, Australian guitarist, composer and educator.

; May8 – Frank Parr, English trombonist and cricketer.10 - Bernardo Sassetti, Portuguese pianist and composer.11 – Roland Shaw, English composer, musical arranger, and orchestra leader.30 – Pete Cosey, American guitarist.
; June3 – Andy Hamilton, Jamaican-British saxophonist and composer.13 – Graeme Bell, Australian pianist, composer and band leader.14 – Margie Hyams, American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, and arranger.15 – Rune Gustafsson, Swedish guitarist and composer.19 – Tale Ognenovski, Macedonian clarinetist and multi-instrumentalist.
; July1 – Fritz Pauer, Austrian pianist, composer, and bandleader.4 – Larance Marable, American drummer.8 – Lionel Batiste, American bass drummer and singer.10 - Lol Coxhill, English saxophonist and raconteur.13 – Harry Betts, American trombonist.14 – Victor Gaskin, American bassist.16 – Ed Lincoln, Brazilian pianist, upright bassist, Hammond organist, and composer.26 – Don Bagley, American bassist.
; August2 – Tomasz Szukalski, Polish saxophonist, composer, and improviser.11 – Von Freeman, American saxophonist.21 – Flavio Ambrosetti, Swiss vibraphonist, saxophonist, and engineer.23 – Byard Lancaster, American saxophonist and flutist.
; September2 – John C. Marshall, British guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter.10 – Steven Springer, American guitarist, Trinidad Tripoli Steel Band.27 – Eddie Bert, American trombonist.28 – Jacky June, Belgian saxophonist, clarinetist, and bandleader.
; October8 – John Tchicai, Danish saxophonist and composer.9 – Eddie Harvey, British pianist, trombonist, arranger, and educator.12 – Erik Moseholm, Danish bassist, composer, and bandleader.18

* Borah Bergman, American pianist.
* David S. Ware, American saxophonist, composer, and bandleader.20 – Candy Johnson, American singer and dancer.26 – Carlos Azevedo, Portuguese composer and pianist.

; November4 – Ted Curson, American trumpeter.15 – Frode Thingnæs, Norwegian jazz trombonist and bandleader .18 – Stan Greig, Scottish pianist, drummer, and bandleader.20 – Pete La Roca, American drummer.21 – Austin Peralta, American pianist and composer.27 – Mickey Baker, American guitarist.
; December5 – Dave Brubeck, American jazz pianist and composer.6 – Ed Cassidy, American drummer.22 – Frances Klein, American trumpeter.