1909 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of jazz in the year 1909.

Events

Tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins started playing the piano at the age of five years.

Births

; January13

* Danny Barker, American guitarist, banjoist, vocalist, and author.
* Ed Burke, American violinist and trombonist.15 – Gene Krupa, American jazz and big band drummer, band leader, actor, and composer.22 – Mouse Randolph, American trumpeter.24 – Tiny Winters, English bassist and vocalist.

; February4 – Artie Bernstein, American upright bassist.20 – Oscar Alemán, Argentine guitarist, singer, and dancer.
; March2 – Narvin Kimball, American musician.3 – Booker Pittman, American clarinetist.9 – Herschel Evans, American tenor saxophonist.21 – Miff Görling, Swedish bandleader, trombonist, arranger, and composer.27 – Ben Webster, American tenor saxophonist.
; April15 – Wilbert Baranco, American pianist and bandleader.16 – Pippo Starnazza, Italian singer and actor.29 – Jacques Butler, American trumpeter and vocalist.
; May7 – Teddy Bunn, American guitarist, Spirits of Rhythm.29 – Dick Stabile, American saxophonist and bandleader.30 – Benny Goodman, American clarinetist and bandleader known as the "King of Swing".
; June8 – Henry Nemo, American musician, songwriter, and actor.13 – Garland Wilson, American pianist.27 – Leon Washington, American tenor saxophonist.
; July16 – Teddy Buckner, American trumpeter.22 – Cassino Simpson, American pianist.
; August8 – Rupert Cole, Trinidadian alto saxophonist and clarinetist.10 – Claude Thornhill, American pianist, arranger, composer, and bandleader.14 – Stuff Smith, American violinist.17 – Larry Clinton, American bandleader and songwriter.27 – Lester Young, American tenor saxophonist, clarinetist, composer, and bandleader.
; September26 – Gus Deloof, Belgian trumpeter, composer, and arranger.
; October4 – Buddy Featherstonhaugh, English saxophonist.13

* Art Tatum, American pianist.
* Scoville Browne, American reedist.17 – Cozy Cole, American drummer.

; December12 – Eddie Barefield, American saxophonist, clarinetist, and arranger.17 – Roy McCloud, American cornetist.31 – Jonah Jones, American trumpeter sometimes referred to as "King Louis II".
; Unknown date

Roger Chaput, French guitarist and visual artist, Quintette du Hot Club de France.
Rudy Williams, American jazz alto saxophonist.
Tiny Davis, American trumpeter and vocalist.