1950 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1950.

Events

The owner of Café Society and Café Society Uptown, Barney Josephson, closed both locations after his brother, Leon Josephson, was found guilty of Contempt of Congress and the following bad press that linked Barney and Café Society to the Communist Party in the United States.
Dizzy Gillespie visited Clifford Brown at the hospital during his year long recovery after an automobile accident that almost killed him, and urges him to move forward with his musical career as a trumpeter.

Album releases

Deaths

; May2 – Leo Watson, American jazz vocalese singer, drummer, trombonist and tipple player.6 – Chelsea Quealey, American jazz trumpeter.
; July6 – Fats Navarro, American jazz trumpet player.26 – Freddy Gardner, British saxophonist.
; August1 – Alvin Burroughs, American swing jazz drummer.
; September5 – Al Killian, American jazz trumpeter and occasional bandleader.15 – Dol Dauber, Czech violinist, bandleader, composer, and music arranger.
; October23 – Al Jolson, American singer, comedian and actor.
; Unknown date

Lou Gold, Polish-American composer, pianist and band leader.
Ray Perry, American jazz violinist and saxophonist.

Births

; January4 – Robert Dick, American flutist, composer, and author.5 – Art Baron, American trombonist.6 – Safy Boutella, American bass guitar and synthesizer player.
; February5 – Natalie Cole, American singer and songwriter.18 – Cybill Shepherd, American actress and singer.20 – Walter Becker, American musician, songwriter and record producer.23 – John Greaves, British bass guitarist and composer, Henry Cow.
; March11 – Bobby McFerrin, American vocalist and conductor.19

* Curtis Fowlkes, American trombonist and singer.
* Steve Houben, Belgian saxophonist and flutist.20 – Fapy Lafertin, Belgian guitarist.25 – Chuck Greenberg, American musician, composer, and producer.30 – John D'earth, American trumpeter.

; April4

* Ndingo Johwa, Botswanan trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, guitarist, singer, and composer.
* Pip Pyle, English-born drummer.17 – Jean-Jacques Milteau, French harmonica player, singer, and songwriter.19 – Earl Gardner, American trumpeter.23 – Curtis Clark, American pianist25 – Bobbi Humphrey, American flautist and singer.28 – Willie Colón, American salsa musician.

; May2 – François Couturier, French pianist.3 – Dag Arnesen, Norwegian pianist and composer.12 – Ronnie Foster, American organist and record producer.16 – Pete Jacobsen, English pianist.20 – Victor Lewis, American drummer.27 – Dee Dee Bridgewater, American singer.
; June4 – Dagmar Krause, German singer, Henry Cow.23 – Luther Thomas, American alto saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist.27 – Glenn Ferris, American trombonist.28

* David Lanz, American pianist.
* Guttorm Guttormsen, Norwegian flautist and orchestra leader.

; July4 – Karl Ratzer, Austrian guitarist.15 – Tony Esposito, Italian drummer and percussionist.16 – Dee Bell, American singer.17 – Phoebe Snow, American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. 28 – Hal Crook, American trombonist.
; August6 – John Pål Inderberg, Norwegian saxophonist and composer.16 – Alvin Queen, American-Swiss drummer.25 – Charles Fambrough, American bassist, composer, and record producer.26 – Fred Lonzo, American trombonist
; September14

* Giacomo Gates, American singer.
* Paul Kossoff, English guitarist, Free.15 – Anthony Lacen, American tubist and band leader.21
* Gail Varina Gilmore, African-American singer.23 – George Garzone, American saxophonist and jazz educator.27 – Linda Lewis, English vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist.

; October1 – Mark Helias, American upright bassist and composer.3 – Ronnie Laws, American saxophonist.8 – Robert Bell, American singer-songwriter and musician.14 – Charlie Kosei, Japanese musician.
; November2 – Stephen Nachmanovitch, American violinist, author, computer artist, and educator.6 – Gil Goldstein, American pianist and synthesizer player.29 – Pocho La Pantera, Argentine cumbia singer.
; December1 – Armen Donelian, American pianist, composer, educator and author.4 – Bjørn Kjellemyr, Norwegian upright bassist.5 – Sveinung Hovensjø, Norwegian bassist.12 – Richard Galliano, French accordionist.15 – Stjepko Gut, Serbian musician.23 – Cyro Baptista, Brazilian musician.29 – Robert Popwell, American bass guitarist. 30 – Mont Campbell, British multi-instrumentalist and composer.
; Unknown date

Marvin Goldstein, American pianist.
Vincent Chancey, American hornist.