1908 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1908.

Events

Trumpeter Freddie Keppard and his Creoles played more powerful Jazz in New Orleans than the Original Dixieland Jazz Band did in 1917. Keppard did not record any records until many years later. He was afraid of having his style stolen.

Births

; January1 – Bill Tapia, Portuguese-American singer and ukulele player.7 – Red Allen, American trumpeter and vocalist.14 – Russ Columbo, American baritone, songwriter, violinist, and actor.22 – Teddy McRae, American tenor saxophonist and arranger.26 – Stéphane Grappelli, French violinist, Quintette du Hot Club de France.27 – Hot Lips Page, American trumpeter, singer, and bandleader.
; February20 – Seymour Österwall, Swedish tenor saxophonist, bandleader, and composer.
; March6 – Bill Beason, American drummer.7 – Nat Gonella, trumpeter, bandleader and vocalistAmerican.15 – Spencer Clark, American bass saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist.31 – Red Norvo, American vibraphonist.
; April2 – Håkan von Eichwald, Finnish-Swedish bandleader and conductor.16 – Ray Ventura, French bandleader and pianist.20 – Lionel Hampton, American vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, bandleader, and actor.21 – Alfred Lion, German-American record executive, Blue Note Records.22 – Kid Howard, American trumpeter.
; June25 – Jean Robert, Belgian saxophonist.
; July13 – Ernst van 't Hoff, Dutch pianist and bandleader.17 – Fud Candrix, Belgian saxophonist and violinist.
; August1 – Elmer Crumbley, American trombonist.5 – Don Albert, American trumpeter and bandleader.11 – Russell Procope, American clarinettist and alto saxophonist.18 – Zinky Cohn, American pianist.30 – Willie Bryant, American bandleader, vocalist, and disc jockey.
; September7 – Max Kaminsky, American trumpeter and bandleader.10 – Raymond Scott, American composer, band leader, pianist, and electronic instrument inventor.13 – Chu Berry, American tenor saxophonist.14 – Charlie Beal, American pianist.15

* Kid Sheik, American trumpeter.
* Fred Adison, French vocalist, drummer, and bandleader.

; October6 – Sammy Price, American pianist and bandleader.9 – Lee Wiley, American singer.15 – Herman Chittison, American pianist.19 – Spike Hughes, British upright bassist, composer, and music journalist.
; November2 – Bunny Berigan, American trumpeter and bandleader.14 – Clancy Hayes, American vocalist, banjoist and guitarist.19 – Keg Johnson, American trombonist.25 – Harlan Lattimore, African-American singer.
; December31 – John Kirby, American upright bassist, trombonist, and tubist.
; Unknown date

Billy Banks, American singer.