1968 in jazz
This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1968.
Events
June
12 – The 2nd Montreux Jazz Festival started in Montreux, Switzerland.30 – The 15th Newport Jazz Festival started in Newport, Rhode Island.Unknown date
- The English avant-rock ensemble Henry Cow was founded at Cambridge University.
Album releases
- Peter Brötzmann: Machine Gun
- Don Cherry: Eternal Rhythm
- Chick Corea: Now He Sings, Now He Sobs
- Miles Davis: Filles de Kilimanjaro
- Bill Evans: Bill Evans at the Montreux Jazz Festival
- Milt Jackson: Milt Jackson and the Hip String Quartet
- Roland Kirk: Left & Right
- Michael Mantler: The Jazz Composer's Orchestra
- Hugh Masekela: The Promise of a Future
- Roscoe Mitchell: Congliptious
- Modern Jazz Quartet: Under the Jasmin Tree
- Sun Ra: Outer Spaceways Incorporated
- Horace Silver: Serenade to a Soul Sister
- Spontaneous Music Ensemble: Karyobin
- John Surman: John Surman
- McCoy Tyner: Tender Moments
- Kenny Wheeler: Windmill Tilter
- Gary Bartz: Another Earth
- Pat Martino: Baiyina (The Clear Evidence)
- Charles Tolliver: Paper Man
- Herbie Hancock: Speak Like a Child
- Miles Davis: Miles in the Sky
- Hugh Masekela: The Lasting Impression of Hugh Masekela
- Hugh Masekela: ''Africa '68''
Deaths
; February5 – Luckey Roberts, American composer and stride pianistr.15 – Little Walter, American singer and harmonica player.27 – Frankie Lymon, American singer .; March5 – Monk Hazel, American drummer.
; June15 – Wes Montgomery, American guitarist.26 – Ziggy Elman, American trumpeter.
; October18
- * Jack Bland, American banjoist and guitarist.
- * Eyvin Andersen, Danish organist, violinist, and composer.
; December31 – George Lewis, American clarinetist.
; Unknown date
- Jay Wilbur, British bandleader.
Births
; January19 – Jørn Øien, Norwegian pianist.21 – Frank Kvinge, Norwegian guitarist.; February4 – Tim Lefebvre, American bass guitarist.18 – Jukka Perko, Finnish saxophonist.19 – Stochelo Rosenberg, Dutch guitarist.22 – Rodney Whitaker, American upright bassist.
; March1 – Per Oddvar Johansen, Norwegian drummer.2 – Rune Brøndbo, Norwegian keyboardist and guitarist.6 – Jakob Dinesen, Danish saxophonist.21 – Vincent Courtois, French cellist.22 – Arve Henriksen, Norwegian trumpeter and multiinstrumentalist.24 – Sherman Irby, American alto saxophonist.
; April30 – Russ Nolan, American saxophonist.
; May1 – D'arcy Wretzky American bassist, The Smashing Pumpkins.9 – Anthony Wilson, American guitarist.19 – Kyle Eastwood, American bassist.
; June6 – Alan Licht, American guitarist, composer, and journalist, Run On.19 – John Hollenbeck, American drummer and composer, The Claudia Quintet.
; July10 – David Gald, Norwegian guitarist.16 – Finn Guttormsen, Norwegian bassist.17 – Julia Hülsmann, German pianist and composer.
; August4 – Eric Alexander, American saxophonist.18 – Ernie Hammes, Luxembourgian trumpeter, arranger, composer, and big band director.20 – Frode Barth, Norwegian guitarist.28 – Larry Goldings, American pianist, organist, and composer.30 – Vahagn Hayrapetyan, Armenian pianist, singer, and composer.
; September9 – David Sánchez, Puerto Rican tenor saxophonist.13 – Bernie Williams, Puerto Rican former professional baseball player and musician. 30 – Antonio Hart, American alto saxophonist.
; November14 – Ken Ford, American violinist.30 – Sylvie Courvoisier, Swiss composer, pianist, and improviser.
; December7 – Noël Akchoté, French guitarist.16 – Lalah Hathaway, American singer.
; Unknown date
- Jean David Blanc, French film producer, writer, and jazz musician.