1975 in jazz

Events

• January 24 – Jazz pianist Keith Jarrett plays the solo improvisation The Köln Concert at the Cologne Opera. The live recording becomes the best-selling piano recording in history.
• March 21 – The 2nd Vossajazz opens in Vossavangen, Norway, running until March 23.
• May 16 – The 4th Moers Festival opens in Moers, Germany, running until May 19.
• May 21 – The 3rd Nattjazz festival opens in Bergen, Norway, running until June 4.
• June 27 – – The 22nd Newport [Jazz Festival New York] opens in New York City, united states, running until July 6).
• July 3 – The 9th Montreux [Jazz Festival] started in Montreux, Switzerland, running until July 20.
• September 19 – The 18th Monterey Jazz Festival started in Monterey, California, United States, running until September 21.

Album releases

• Keith Jarrett: The Köln Concert
• Revolutionary Ensemble: The People's Republic
• Miles Davis: Agharta
• Evan Parker: Saxophone Solos
• Leroy Jenkins: For Players Only
• Air: Air Song
• Oliver Lake: Heavy Spirits
• Kenny Wheeler: Gnu High
• Om: Kirikuki
• Terje Rypdal: Odyssey
• Steve Lacy: Dreams
• Anthony Braxton: Five Pieces 1975
• Don Pullen: Solo Piano Album
• Dexter Gordon: Bouncin' with Dex
• Michael Mantler: Michael Mantler – Carla Bley
• Sonny Sharrock: Paradise
• Dudu Pukwana: Diamond Express
• George Finola: No Words, Just George
• Kenny Barron: Lucifer
• Frank Lowe: The Flam
• John Surman: S.O.S.
• Don Pullen: Healing Force
• Julius Hemphill: Coon Bid'ness
• Gateway Trio: Gateway
• Collin Walcott: Cloud Dance
• Don Moye: Sun Percussion
• Martial Solal: Nothing But Piano
• Eberhard Weber: Yellow Fields
• Don Pullen: Five to Go
• Charles Tolliver: Impact (1975 [Charles Tolliver album)|Impact]
• Lol Coxhill: Welfare State
• David Liebman: Forgotten Fantasies
• Joe McPhee: The Willisau Concert
• Yōsuke Yamashita: Chiasma
• Michael Mantler: The Hapless Child
• Dollar Brand: Soweto
• Don Pullen: Capricorn Rising
• Stanley Clarke: Journey to Love
• Enrico Rava: The Pilgrim and the Stars
• The Manhattan Transfer: The Manhattan Transfer
• Cortex: Troupeau Bleu
• Takeshi Shibuya: ''Dream''

Deaths

• 3 – René Thomas, Belgian guitarist.

• 5 – Åke Persson, Swedish trombonist.

• 4 – Cornel Chiriac, Romanian radio producer, record producer, and drummer.
• 15 – Sandy Brown, Scottish clarinetist and band leader.
• 16 – T-Bone Walker, American guitarist, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.
• 27 – Pete Clarke, British saxophonist and clarinetist.

• 12 – Josephine Baker, French singer, entertainer, activist, and Resistance agent.

• 11 – Benny Harris, American trumpeter and composer.
• 13 – Tubby Hall, American drummer.

• 18 – Earl Washington, American pianist.

• 14 – Zutty Singleton, American drummer.
• 16 – Pippo Starnazza, Italian singer and actor.
• 21 – Theodore Carpenter, American trumpet player, singer, and band leader.

• 8 – Cannonball Adderley, American alto saxophonist.

• 28 – Oliver Nelson, American saxophonist, clarinetist, arranger, composer, and bandleader.

• 14 – Artemi Ayvazyan, Soviet-Armenian composer, conductor, and founder of the Armenian State Jazz Orchestra.

• 11 – Lee Wiley, American singer.
• 14 – Mongezi Feza, South African trumpeter and flautist.
• 17
• * Fess Williams, American clarinetist and alto saxophonist.
• * Stan Wrightsman, American pianist.

• Trevor Koehler, American saxophonist.

Births

• 17 – Squarepusher or Tom Jenkinson, English electronic musician and composer.
• 18 – Géraldine Laurent, French alto saxophonist.
• 21 – Jason Moran, American pianist and composer.

• 7 – Kellylee Evans, Canadian singer.

• 4 – Mats Eilertsen, Norwegian upright bassist and composer, Food and Dingobats.
• 9 – Øyvind Storesund, Norwegian upright bassist, Cloroform and Kaizers Orchestra.
• 10 – Håvard Wiik, Norwegian pianist and composer, Atomic.
• 14 – Gianluca Petrella, Italian trombonist.
• 17 – Jairzinho Oliveira, Brazilian singer, songwriter, and composer.
• 18 – Sondre Meisfjord, Norwegian bassist, cellist, and composer, Come Shine.
• 22 – Steinar Raknes, Norwegian upright bassist, Urban Connection and The Core.
• 25 – David Braid, Canadian pianist and composer.
• 27 – Katja Toivola, Finnish trombonist.
• 28 – Orrin Evans, American pianist.

• 12 – Lars Andreas Haug, Norwegian tubist.
• 13 – Jan Harbeck, Danish saxophonist and composer.
• 23
• * Helge Lien, Norwegian pianist, composer, and band leader.
• * Rolf-Erik Nystrøm, Norwegian saxophonist and composer.
• 27
• * Fabrizio Sotti, Italian guitarist, composer, songwriter, and producer.
• * Jozef Dumoulin, Belgian keyboarder and composer.

• 1 – Aslak Hartberg, Norwegian rapper and bassist.
• 7 – Gunhild Carling, Swedish trombonist and multi-instrumentalist.
• 15 – Frode Haltli, Norwegian accordionist.

• 2 – Gisle Torvik, Norwegian guitarist, composer, and band leader.
• 16 – Jannike Kruse, Norwegian singer, artist and actor.

• 11 – Chris Gall, German pianist and composer.
• 22 – Erik Johannessen, Norwegian trombonist and composer, Jaga Jazzist and Trondheim Jazz Orchestra.
• 23 – Céline Bonacina, French saxophonist, composer, and bandleader.

• 1 – Håkon Mjåset Johansen, Norwegian drummer and composer, Trondheim Jazz Orchestra.
• 22 – Taylor Ho Bynum, American cornetist, flugelhornist, trumpeter, composer, educator, and writer.
• 24 – Michael Magalon, Belgian bassist, guitarist, and composer.

• 2 – Kåre Opheim, Norwegian drumMer, Real Ones.
• 12 – Espen Aalberg, Norwegian drummer.
• 26 – Ole Marius Sandberg, Norwegian bassist.

• 26 – Arne Jansen, German guitarist, composer, and band leader.
• 27 – Frode Nymo, Norwegian jazz musician, Trondheim Jazz Orchestra and Urban Connection.

• 5 – Søren Bebe, Danish pianist and composer.

• Jacob Anderskov, Danish pianist, composer and bandleader.
• Lionel Friedli, Swiss percussionist.
• Marcin Wasilewski, Polish pianist and composer.
• Matana Roberts, American sound experimentalist, visual artist, jazz saxophonist and clarinetist, and composer.
• Niki King, Scottish singer.
• Paul Harrison, English pianist, keyboarder, organist, and composer.