1929 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of jazz in 1929.
Jazz musicians born that year included Chet Baker and Joe Pass.

Standards

In 1929 the standards "Ain't Misbehavin'", "Black and Blue" and "Honeysuckle Rose" were published.

Deaths

; March15 – Pinetop Smith, American pianist.
; June2 – Don Murray, American clarinet and saxophone player.
; August19 – Chris Kelly, American trumpeter.
; December19 – Blind Lemon Jefferson, American singer, songwriter, and musician.

Births

; January1 – Arthur Prysock, American singer.4 – Al Dreares, American drummer.12 – Rich Matteson, American euphoniumist.13 – Joe Pass, American guitarist.16 – G. T. Hogan, American drummer.20 – Jimmy Cobb, American drummer.23 – Harold Ousley, American tenor saxophonist and flautist.25 – Benny Golson, American saxophonist.28 – Acker Bilk, English clarinettist and vocalist.29 – Ed Shaughnessy, American drummer.
; February7 – Dave Shepherd, English clarinettist.13 – Frankie Sakai, Japanese comedian, actor, and musician.25

* Sandy Brown, Scottish clarinettist.
* Tommy Newsom, American saxophonist.27 – Betty Loo Taylor, Hawaii-American pianist.

; March1 – Eddie Jones, American upright bassist.3 – Dupree Bolton, American trumpeter.17 – Simon Flem Devold, Norwegian clarinetist and columnist.19 – Gene Taylor, American dupright bassist.20 – Sonny Russo, American trombonist.22 – Fred Anderson, American tenor saxophonist.25 – Cecil Taylor, American pianist and poet.26 – Maurice Simon, American saxophonist.30 – Valdo Williams, Canadian pianist.
; April4 –Buster Cooper, American trombonist.6

* Art Taylor, American drummer.
* Edmund Percey, English architect and pianist.
* Guylaine Guy, Canadian singer and painter.8 – Eiji Kitamura, Japanese clarinetist.17 – James Last, German bassist, composer, and big band leader.18 – Walt Levinsky, American clarinetist.29 – Ray Barretto, American percussionist.

; May10 – Mel Lewis, American drummer.16 – Betty Carter, American singer and bandleader.17 – Karl Drewo, Austrian saxophonist.21 – Larance Marable, American drummer.23 – Julian Euell, American bassist.29 – Sandy Mosse, American saxophonist.
; June1 – Lennie Niehaus, American alto saxophonist, arranger, and composer.2 – Gildo Mahones, American pianist.8 – Kenny Clare, English drummer.14 – Cy Coleman, American composer and songwriter.
; July9 – Alex Welsh, Scottish singer, cornetist, and trumpeter.13 – Pedro Iturralde, Spanish saxophonist, saxophone teacher and composer.14 – Alan Dawson, American drummer.17 – Joe Morello, American drummer.23 – Danny Barcelona, Filipino-American drummer.26 – Charlie Persip, American drummer.
; August2 – Roy Crimmins, English trombonist and composer.5 – John Armatage, English drummer and arranger.6 – Mike Elliott, Jamaican saxophonist.14 – Lorez Alexandria, American singer.16 – Bill Evans, American pianist.23 – Pete King, British saxophonist.29 – Algia Mae Hinton, American guitarist and singer.
; September6 – Charles Moffett, American drummer.7 – Harry South, English pianist, composer, and arranger.10 – Prince Lasha, American saxophonist, flautist, and clarinetist.17 – Sil Austin, American saxophonist.18 – Teddi King, American singer.19 – Mel Stewart, American saxophonist and actor.20 – Joe Temperley, Scottish saxophonist.24 – John Carter, American clarinetist and saxophonist.27 – Calvin Jones, American trombonist, bassist, and composer.29 – Rolf Kühn, German clarinetist and saxophonist.
; October2 – Howard Roberts, American guitarist.10

* Ayten Alpman, Turkish singer.
* Ed Blackwell, American drummer.11 - Ludek Hulan, Czech upright bassist.19 – Jack Noren, American drummer.22 – Giorgio Gaslini, Italian pianist, composer, and conductor.24 – Dan Morgenstern, German-born American jazz historian.27 – Elmon Wright, American trumpeter.

; November1 – Gabe Baltazar, Asian-American alto saxophonist and woodwind doubler.25 – Rusty Bryant, American saxophonist.29 – Francy Boland, Belgian composer and pianist.
; December12 – Toshiko Akiyoshi, Japanese composer, bandleader, and pianist.15 – Barry Harris, American pianist and bandleader.18 – Nick Stabulas, American drummer.19 – Bob Brookmeyer, American trombonist, pianist, arranger, and bandleader.22 – Red Balaban, American tubist and sousaphonist.23 – Chet Baker, American trumpeter and singer.24 – Noel DaCosta, Nigerian-Jamaican composer and violinist.29

* Matt Murphy, American guitarist, The Blues Brothers.
* Susie Garrett, African-American singer and actress.

; Unknown date

Jacques Denjean, French composer and arranger, Les Double Six.
Yusuf Salim, American pianist and composer.