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.