1945 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of jazz in the year 1945.

Events

Miles Davis has graduated from high school. He goes to New York and becomes a musician. He enrolls in Juilliard at his parents' request.
John Coltrane was drafted and plays clarinet with the Navy Band in Hawaii.

Album releases

Mary Lou Williams: Zodiac Suite
John Serry Sr.: Leone Jump for Sonora Records with the Biviano Accordion & Rhythm Sextette

Deaths

; March10 – Josef Taussig, Czech trombonist and journalist.
; April25 – Teddy Weatherford, American pianist, an accomplished stride pianist.
; August5 – Nat Jaffe, American pianist.
; October7 – Erhard Bauschke, German reedist and bandleader.14 – Pha Terrell, American singer.
; December8 – Richard M. Jones, American pianist, composer, band leader, and record producer.16 – Jack Jenney, American trombonist.29 – Bobby Stark, American trumpeter.

Births

; January2 – Terje Bjørklund, Norwegian pianist and composer.15 – Bob Maize, American upright bassist.27 – Henri Texier, French upright bassist.
; February3 – Bob Stewart, American tubist.4 – John Stubblefield, American saxophonist, flautist, and oboist.6 – Ernie Krivda, American saxophonist.13 – Keith Nichols, English multi-instrumentalist.15 – Edward Vesala, Finnish drummer.16 – Pete Christlieb, American tenor saxophonist.21 – Akira Sakata, Japanese saxophonist.24

* Kaj Backlund, Finnish trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader.
* Steve Berrios, American drummer and percussionist.

; March17 – Elis Regina, Brazilian singer.21 – Ed Soph, American drummer and educator.23 – David Grisman, American mandolinist.
; April1 – Bjørnar Andresen, Norwegian bassist.4 – Leszek Żądło, Polish saxophonist, flautist, composer, and university teacher.9 – Steve Gadd, American drummer.12 – Doug Riley, Canadian pianist.19 – Ole Kock Hansen, Danish pianist and composer.22 – Demetrio Stratos, Greek lyricist and multi-instrumentalist.25 – Halvard Kausland, Norwegian guitarist.27 – Dominic Duval, American bassist.29 – Hugh Hopper, British bass guitarist.
; May2 – Bob Rockwell, American saxophonist.4 – Bill Stapleton, American trumpeter and arranger.8 – Keith Jarrett, American pianist and composer.13 – Lou Marini, American saxophonist, arranger and composer.16 – Michael Moore, American bassist.24 – Terry Callier, American guitarist and singer-songwriter.
; June3 – Bjørn Alterhaug, Norwegian bassist, arranger, and composer.4 – Anthony Braxton, American composer, saxophonist, clarinettist, flautist, and pianist.6 – Tom Coppola, American pianist and arranger.9 – Mick Goodrick, American guitarist.28 – Magni Wentzel, Norwegian singer and guitarist.
; July3 – Thomas Mapfumo, Zimbabwean singer.11 – Vaughn Wiester, American musician and educator.12 – Bernard Lubat, French drummer, pianist, singer, percussionist, vibraphonist, and accordionist.13 – Josef Vejvoda, Czech composer, percussionist, conductor and bandleader.29 – Joe Beck, American guitarist.30 – David Sanborn, American alto saxophonist.
; August14 – Eliana Pittman, Brazilian singer.19 – Brian Godding, American guitarist.21 – Takehiro Honda, Japanese pianist.22 – Sylvia Vrethammar, Swedish singer.24 – Bryan Spring or Brian Spring, British drummer.28 – Victor Assis Brasil, Brazilian saxophonist.29 – Trevor Richards, English drummer.
; September2 – Svein Finnerud, Norwegian pianist.4 – Danny Gatton, American guitarist.10 – Harry Pepl, Austrian guitarist.27 – Peter Ecklund, American cornetist.28 – Murray Wall, Australian upright bassist.
; October5

* Geoff Leigh, English saxophonist and flautist.
* George Finola, American cornetist.8 – John Betsch, American drummer.14 – Colin Hodgkinson, British bass guitarist.19 – Carol Kidd, Scottish singer.23 – Ernie Watts, American saxophonist.27 – Arild Andersen, Norwegian upright bassist.28 – Elton Dean, English saxophonist.

; November3 – Mark Kramer, American pianist and composer.10 – John LaBarbera, American trumpeter and arranger.13 – Knut Riisnæs, Norwegian saxophonist.26 – Jim Mullen, Scottish guitarist.27 – Randy Brecker, American trumpeter and flugelhorn player, Brecker Brothers.30 – Johnny Dyani, South African upright bassist and pianist.
; December12 – Tony Williams, American drummer.15 – Kimiko Kasai, Japanese singer.21 – Cameron Brown, American upright bassist.28 – Daniel Carter, American saxophonist, flautist, clarinetist, and trumpeter.
; Unknown date

Johnny "Dandy" Rodriguez Jr, American percussionist.
Mongezi Feza, South African trumpeter and flautist.
Steve Gregory, English saxophonist, flautist, and composer.