1951 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1951.

1951 in jazz
The Jazz band of Brazilian saxophonist Marinho de Oliveira Franco
Decade	1950s in jazz
Music	1951 in music
Standards	List of post-1950 jazz standards
See also	1950 in jazz – 1952 in jazz

List of years in jazz
… 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 …
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This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Events

• The first American Jazz festival takes place at Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania in the autumn. This festival precedes the first Newport Jazz Festival.
• The tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins, a Coleman Hawkins influenced player, joins the group of Miles Davis.

Album releases

• Stan Kenton: City of Glass
• Oscar Peterson: 1951
• Shorty Rogers: Modern Sounds
• Lester Young: Lester Young Trio

Standards

See also: List of post-1950 jazz standards

Deaths

Mildred Bailey

January

• 21 – R.Q. Dickerson, American trumpeter (born 1898).

February

• 7 – Shirley Clay, American trumpeter (born 1902).

March

• 25 – Sid Catlett, American swinging drummer (born 1910).

May

• 4 – Doc West, American drummer (born 1915).

August

• 17 – Ray Wetzel, American trumpeter (born 1924).

October

• 26 – Charlie Creath, American trumpeter, saxophonist, accordionist, and bandleader (born 1890).

December

• 3 – Cyril Blake, Trinidadian trumpeter (born 1900).
• 12 – Mildred Bailey, American singer (born 1903).
• 23 – Enrique Santos Discépolo, Argentine tango and milonga pianist, bandoneónist, and singer (born 1901).
• 26 – Vic Berton, American jazz drummer (born 1896).

Unknown date

• Valentin Parnakh, Russian poet, translator, historian, explorer, musician, choreographer, ballet master, best remembered as a founding father of Soviet jazz (born 1891).

Births

January

• 1 – Ashwin Batish, Indian sitar and tabla player.
• 4 – Håkan Rydin, Swedish pianist.
• 9 – Idris Ackamoor, American multi-instrumentalist.
• 12 – Earl Howard, American saxophonist, synthesizer player and multi-instrumentalist.
• 14 – Mark Egan, American bass guitarist and trumpeter.
• 18 – Steve Grossman, American saxophonist.
• 30
  • Phil Collins, English drummer, singer-songwriter, record producer, and actor.
  • Ralph Lalama, American saxophonist.

February

• 2 – Alphonso Johnson, American bassist.
• 20 – Anthony Davis, American pianist and composer.
• 21
  • Herb Robertson, American trumpeter and flugelhornist.
  • Warren Vache, American trumpeter, cornetist, and flugelhornist.
• 28 – Roseanna Vitro, American singer.

March

• 3 – Lindsay Cooper, English bassoon and oboe player, composer, and political activist (died 2013).
• 7 – Rocco Prestia, American bassist, Tower of Power.
• 8 – James Williams, American pianist (died 2004).
• 13
  • Geoff Eales, Welsh pianist, improviser, and composer.
  • Michael Jefry Stevens, American pianist.
• 18 – Bill Frisell, American guitarist and composer.
• 21 – Fred Sturm, American composer, arranger, and teacher (died 2014).
• 24 – Gregory B. Johnson, American pianist, Cameo.

April

• 3 – Mitch Woods, American pianist and singer.
• 7 – Bob Berg, American saxophonist (died 2002).
• 9 – Hugh Ragin, American trumpeter.
• 10 – Steve Lodder, British keyboardist, composer, and organist.
• 15 – Bill MacCormick, English bassist and vocalist.
• 26 – Billy Newton-Davis, Canadian singer-songwriter.
• 29 – Vinicius Cantuária, Brazilian singer, songwriter, guitarist, drummer, and percussionist.
• 30 – Alexander Zonjic, Canadian flutist.

May

• 3 – Krister Andersson, Swedish saxophonist and composer.
• 14 – Jay Beckenstein, American saxophonist, composer, and producer, Spyro Gyra.
• 28 – Richard Niles, American guitarist, composer, and record producer.
• 31 – Jimmy Nalls, American guitarist and singer, Sea Level (died 2017).

June

• 15 – Mark Hennen, American pianist.
• 19 – Karen Young, Canadian singer, lyricist, and composer.
• 20 – Peter Gordon, American composer and musician.
• 30 – Stanley Clarke, American bassist, Return to Forever.

July

• 7 – Sue Evans, American American percussionist and drummer.
• 16 – Bobby Previte, American drummer, composer, and bandleader.
• 21 – Pino Minafra, Italian trumpeter and flugelhornist.
• 22 – Richard Bennett, American guitarist and record producer.
• 29 – Charles Loos, Belgian pianist and composer.
• 31 – Howard Levy, American harmonica player and multi-instrumentalist.

August

• 1 – Tommy Bolin, American guitarist, Deep Purple (died 1976).
• 5 – Jemeel Moondoc, American saxophonist.
• 15
  • António Pinho Vargas, Portuguese composer and pianist.
  • Bobby Caldwell, American singer and songwriter.
• 19 – Roland Batik, Austrian pianist and composer.
• 22 – Edwin Birdsong, American keyboard/organ player.

September

• 3 – Todd Cochran, American pianist, keyboard and synthesizer player, Fuse One.
• 7 – Mark Isham, American trumpeter and synthesist.
• 12 – Joëlle Léandre, French upright bassist, vocalist, and composer.
• 15 – Carla White, American vocalist (died 2007).
• 17 – Theryl DeClouet, American singer, Galactic (died 2018).
• 18 – Steve Slagle, American saxophonist, flautist, and composer.
• 23 – Steven Springer, American guitarist, Trinidad Tripoli Steel Band (died 2012).

October

• 2 – Sting, American singer, bassist, and guitarist, the Police.
• 17 – Jukka Gustavson, Finnish organist, keyboarder, and composer.
• 30
  • Poncho Sanchez, Mexican-American conguero (conga player).
  • Trilok Gurtu, Indian percussionist and composer.

November

• 17 – Lisle Ellis, Canadian upright bassist and composer.
• 19 – Kenny Werner, American pianist and composer.
• 28
  • Dennis Irwin, American upright bassist (died 2008).
  • Diedre Murray, American cellist and composer.
  • Peter Malick, American guitarist and record producer.

December

• 1 – Jaco Pastorius, American bassist, Weather Report (died 1987).
• 3 – Barry Finnerty, American guitarist, keyboardist, singer, songwriter, and arranger.
• 14 – Nükhet Ruacan, Turkish singer and educator in musicology (died 2007).
• 16 – Robben Ford, American guitarist, L.A. Express.
• 20 – Brynjulf Blix, Norwegian pianist.
• 21 – Alex Blake, American upright bassist and bass guitarist.
• 26
  • Brooks Kerr, American pianist (died 2018).
  • John Scofield, American guitarist and composer.
• 28 – Rebecca Parris, American singer (died 2018).
• 31 – Jimmy Haslip, American bass guitarist, Yellowjackets.

Unknown date

• Jon Rose, British-Australian violinist.
• Judi Silvano, American singer and composer.
• Kit McClure, American trombonist, saxophonist, and bandleader.
• La Palabra, Cuban bandleader, singer-songwriter, pianist.
• Lars Jansson, Swedish pianist and composer.
• Tom Kubis, American saxophonist, flautist, and pianist.

See also

• 1950s in jazz
• List of years in jazz
• 1951 in music

Bibliography

• The New Real Book, Volume I. Sher Music. 1988. ISBN 0-9614701-4-3.
• The New Real Book, Volume II. Sher Music. 1991. ISBN 0-9614701-7-8.
• The New Real Book, Volume III. Sher Music. 1995. ISBN 1-883217-30-X.
• The Real Book, Volume I (6th ed.). Hal Leonard. 2004. ISBN 0-634-06038-4.
• The Real Book, Volume II (2nd ed.). Hal Leonard. 2007. ISBN 978-1-4234-2452-9.
• The Real Book, Volume III (2nd ed.). Hal Leonard. 2006. ISBN 0-634-06136-4.
• The Real Jazz Book. Warner Bros. ISBN 978-91-85041-36-7.
• The Real Vocal Book, Volume I. Hal Leonard. 2006. ISBN 0-634-06080-5.

External links

• History Of Jazz Timeline: 1951 at All About Jazz