1952 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1952.

Events

The pianist John Lewis initiates the Modern Jazz Quartet together with vibraphonist Milt Jackson, bassist Percy Heath, and drummer Kenny Clarke.
Thelonious Monk starts making records for Prestige.
The young trumpeter Chet Baker play with Charlie Parker before he joines the quartet of Gerry Mulligan.
The health of guitarist Django Reinhardt is starting to fail. His fingers are getting stiff.
Les Paul introduces his new invention, the solid body guitar, when Gibson begins marketing the classic guitar which bears his name.

Album releases

Gerry Mulligan: Gerry Mulligan Quartet Volume 1
Johnny Smith: Moonlight in Vermont originally Jazz at NBC Series
Stan Kenton: New Concepts of Artistry in Rhythm
Nat King Cole: Penthouse Serenade
Duke Ellington: Ellington Uptown
Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie: Bird and Diz
Oscar Peterson: An Evening with Oscar Peterson
Oscar Peterson: Oscar Peterson Plays Duke Ellington
Dave Brubeck: The Dave Brubeck Quartet
Bud Powell: ''The Amazing Bud Powell''

Deaths

; January9 – Midge Williams, African-American singer.
; February23 – Herb Morand, American trumpeter.
; March27 – Cassino Simpson, American pianist.
; April26 – Zinky Cohn, American pianist.
; June14 – John Kirby, American upright bassist who also played trombone and tuba.
; November20 – Mal Hallett, American jazz violinist and bandleader.
; December29 – Fletcher Henderson, American pianist, bandleader, arranger and composer.31 – Mel Stitzel, German-born pianist best known for his work with the New Orleans Rhythm Kings.

Births

; January2 – Viatcheslav Nazarov, Russian trombonist, pianist, and vocalist.10 – William Parker, American bassist, poet, and composer.11 – Lee Ritenour, American guitarist.13 – Pekka Pohjola, Finnish multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer. 19 – Eric Leeds, American saxophonist.27 – Ray Obiedo, American contemporary jazz guitarist.
; February18 – Randy Crawford, American singer.20 – Uwe Kropinski, German guitarist.22 – Ken Pickering, Canadian jazz promotor, Vancouver Jazz Festival co-founder.
; March11 – Vince Giordano, American saxophonist, Nighthawks Orchestra.17 – Manolo Badrena, Puerto Rican percussionist, Weather Report.19 – Chris Brubeck, American bassist, bass trombonist, and pianist.21 – Carlo Actis Dato, Italian saxophonist and composer.22 – Bob Mover, American saxophonist and vocalist.26 – Paolo Damiani, Italian cellist and upright bassist.29 – Errol Dyers, South African guitarist and composer.
; April2 – Dave Buxton, English pianist and composer.6 – Richard Tabnik, American saxophonist.8 – Yildiz Ibrahimova, Bulgarian singer of Turkish ancestry.12 – Jeff Linsky, American guitarist.16 – Jukka Tolonen, Finnish guitarist.25 – Ketil Bjørnstad, Norwegian pianist, American composer and writer.28 – Leni Stern, German guitarist, singer, and n'goni player.29 – Dave Valentin, American flautist.
; May2 – Mari Natsuki, Japanese singer.8 – John Purcell, American saxophonist.24

* Dave DeFries, British trumpeter, flugelhornist, and percussionist.
* Pierre Van Dormael, Belgian musician and composer.29 – Hilton Ruiz, American pianist.

; June5 – Monnette Sudler, American guitarist.7 – Royce Campbell, American guitarist.12

* Bent Patey, Norwegian guitarist, composer, and writer.
* Jed Williams, Welsh jazz journalist and the founder of the Brecon Jazz Festival.13 – Clarence Banks, American trombonist, Count Basie Orchestra.16 – Gino Vannelli, Canadian singer, songwriter, musician and composer.19 – Sidsel Endresen, Norwegian vocalist, composer and actor. 20 – Gary Lucas, American guitarist, Gods and Monsters.23 – Anthony Jackson, American bassist.25 – Radka Toneff, Norwegian singer.28 – Alan Pasqua, American pianist.

; July1

* Ichiko Hashimoto, Japanese pianist, composer and singer.
* Leon "Ndugu" Chancler, American drummer.
* Timothy J. Tobias, American composer and pianist.7 – Sue Keller, American pianist and singer23 – Janis Siegel, American singer.26 – Christian Lauba, Tunisian born French composer and teacher.

; August11

* Finn Sletten, Norwegian drummer.
* Harry Tavitian, Romanian pianist and singer.14 – George E. Lewis, American composer, electronic performer, installation artist, and trombonist.19 – Bruce Katz, American pianist, organist, and bass guitarist.20 – John Clayton, American upright bassist.25
* Ben Brown, American upright bassist.
* Michael Marcus, American clarinetist and multi-woodwind player.26
* Michael Wolff, Austrian pianist, composer, and producer.
* Peter Wolf, Austrian composer, producer, songwriter, and arranger.

; September1 – Ed Neumeister, American trombonist.6 – Phil Markowitz, American pianist.9 – Per Jørgensen, Norwegian trumpeter, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist, JøKleBa.19

* Henry Kaiser, American guitarist and composer.
* Uffe Markussen, Danish reedist.22 – Oliver Mtukudzi, Zimbabwean guitarist.26 – Mark Dresser, American upright bassist and composer.29 – Roy Campbell, Jr., American trumpeter.

; October11 – Brian Jackson, American keyboardist, flautist, singer, composer, and producer.16 – Ray Anderson, American trombonist and trumpeter.21 – Ali Ryerson, American flautist.27 – Ken Filiano, American upright bassist.30 – Arlen Roth, American guitarist.
; November4 – Jeff Lorber, American keyboardist, composer, and record producer.8 – Carl Haakon Waadeland, Norwegian drummer.12 – Laurence Juber, English guitarist, Wings.16 – Lauren Newton, American singer and composer.28 – Ole Thomsen, Norwegian guitarist.30 – Chris Joris, Belgian percussionist, pianist, and composer.
; December2 – Rob Mounsey, American keyboarder, composer, and arranger.8

* Mathias Rüegg, Swiss pianist, composer, bandleader, director, Vienna Art Orchestra.
* Reynold Philipsek, American guitarist, singer-songwriter, and poet.
* Ric Sanders, English violinist.23 – Jay Azzolina, American guitarist, Spyro Gyra.24 – Chucho Merchán, Colombian bassist and guitarist.27 – David Knopfler, British singer-songwriter, guitarist, pianist, record producer, poet, and writer. 29 – Joe Lovano, American saxophonist, alto clarinetist, flautist, and drummer.

; Unknown date

Akio Sasajima, Japanese guitarist.
Brad Upton, American trumpeter.
Eugene Friesen, American cellist and composer.
Gordon Johnson, American upright bassist.
Roberto Perera, Uruguayan harpist.