1943 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1943.

Events

The American Federation of Musicians recording ban, called by James Petrillo, continued through 1943. Django Reinhardt records "Cavalerie" on the 17 February 1943 in Paris after an aborted attempt at recording it in 1937.
The musical Early to Bed, with songs by Fats Waller, premieres at the Shubert Theatre in Boston on 24 May, before moving to the Broadhurst Theatre on 17 June.

Album releases

Duke Ellington: ''Black, Brown and Beige''

Deaths

; February17 – Armand J. Piron, American violinist, band leader, and composer.22 – Tamara Drasin, American singer and actress.
; April4 – Tiny Parham, Canadian-born bandleader and pianist.
; May28 – Vaughn De Leath, American singer.
; June8 – Min Leibrook, American tubist and bassist.
; August3 – Corky Cornelius, American trumpeter.
; October5 – Leon Roppolo, American clarinetist.23 – Ben Bernie, American violinist and radio personality.
; December15 – Fats Waller, American pianist, organist, composer, singer, and comedic entertainer.
; Unknown date

Zue Robertson, American trombonist.

Births

; January3 – Brian Hopper, British guitarist and saxophonist.6 – Barry Altschul, American drummer.16 – Gavin Bryars, English composer and upright bassist.17 – Billy Harper, American saxophonist.18 – Al Foster, American drummer.20 – Valery Ponomarev, Russian trumpeter.21

* Steve Gilmore, American upright bassist.
* Steve Potts, American saxophonist.22
* Didier Malherbe, French saxophonist, flautist and duduk player.
* Maarten Altena, Dutch composer and upright bassist.
* Michal Urbaniak, American musician and composer.
* Pete Minger, American trumpeter.
* Tony Campise, American saxophonist.23 – Gary Burton, American vibraphonist.26 – Leny Andrade, Brazilian singer and musician.

; February4 – Newman Taylor Baker, African-American drummer.6 – Calvin Keys, American guitarist.14 – Maceo Parker, American saxophonist.19 – Laurie Allan, English drummer, Delivery and Gong.21 – Duncan Swift, British pianist.25 – Howie Smith, American saxophonist, composer and educator.28 – Claudio Mattone, Italian composer, lyricist and music producer.
; March4 – Lucio Dalla, Italian singer, clarinetist and actor.9 – Mayuto Correa, Brazilian percussionist, guitarist, and composer.11 – Richie Pratt, American drummer.20 – Jon Christensen, Norwegian drummer and percussionist.21 – Vivian Stanshall, English singer-songwriter, musician, author, poet, and wit, Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band.22

* George Benson, American guitarist.
* Keith Relf, English singer and harmonica player, The Yardbirds.

; April2 – Larry Coryell, American guitarist.6

* Noah Howard, American alto saxophonist.
* Gerry Niewood, American saxophonist.8 – Phil Lee, English guitarist.18 – Clyde Stubblefield, American drummer best known for his work with James Brown .27 – Freddie Waits, American drummer.

; May8 – Jerry Rusch, American trumpeter.14 – Jack Bruce, Scottish musician and songwriter.20

* Bobby Enriquez, Filipino pianist.
* Terry Smith, British guitarist.23 – Felix Slováček, Czech clarinetist, conductor, film composer and saxophonist.24 – Gary Burghoff, American actor and singer.30 – Peter Lipa, Slovak singer, composer and promoter of jazz.

; June9 – Kenny Barron, American pianist.24 – Frank Lowe, American saxophonist and composer.26 – Georgie Fame, English singer and keyboard player.
; July4

* Conny Bauer, German trombonist.
* Fred Wesley, American trombonist.9 – Manfred Eicher, German record producer, ECM Records.

; August10

* Bjørn Krokfoss, Norwegian drummer.
* Michael Mantler, Austrian trumpeter and composer.14 – Ben Sidran, American pianist, organist, vocalist and writer.20 – Jiggs Whigham, American trombonist.23 – Pino Presti, Italian bassist, arranger, composer, and conductor.28 – Richard Wright, English keyboardist, composer, singer and songwriter.29
* Dick Halligan, American musician and composer.
* Edu Lobo, Brazilian singer, guitarist, and composer.

; September1 – Webster Lewis, American keyboardist.3 – Kjell Öhman, Swedish pianist, Hammond organist, and accordionist.10

* David Horler, English trombonist.
* Garrett List, American trombonist, vocalist and composer.14 – Marcos Valle, Brazilian singer, instrumentalist, and songwriter.

; October9 – Pete Cosey, American guitarist.14 – Fritz Pauer, Austrian pianist, composer, and bandleader.22 – Urszula Dudziak, Polish vocalist.27 – Weldon Irvine, American composer, playwright, poet, pianist and organist.
; November7 – Joni Mitchell, American singer and songwriter.12

* Claudio Slon, Brazilian drummer.
* Thorgeir Stubø, Norwegian guitarist.17
* Richard Anthony Hewson, English producer, arranger, conductor.
* Willie Murphy, American singer and pianist.22 – Ricky May, New Zealand musician.23 – Alan Lawrence Turnbull, Australian drummer.28 – Butch Thompson, American pianist and clarinetist.

; December12 – Grover Washington, Jr., American saxophonist.13 – Skip Prokop, Canadian rock and jazz fusion drummer in Lighthouse, The Paupers.24 – Volker Kriegel, German guitarist and composer.
; Unknown date

Fred Tompkins, American flautist and composer.
Peter Boothman, Australian guitarist, composer and educator.
Sven-Åke Johansson, Swedish drummer and composer.
Ted Milton, English poet and musician.
Winston Mankunku Ngozi, South African tenor saxophonist.