1980 in jazz

Events

March

• 28 – The 7th Vossajazz started in Vossavangen, Norway.
• * Featured artists on Vossajazz was Cross Section, E`Olen, Elton Dean Quartet with Kenny Wheeler, Hariprasad Chaurasia Ensemble, Johnny Griffin Quartet, Kristian Bergheim / Andreas Skjold Sextet with Finn Otto Hansen, Kristiansen / Jørgensen Quintet, McCoy Tyner Sextett, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen / Rune Gustafsson Duo, Radka Toneff Quintet, and Stubø / Bjørklund Quartet.

May

• 21 – 8th Nattjazz started in Bergen, Norway.
• 23 – 9th Moers Festival started in Moers, Germany.

June

• 4 - The Bill Evans Trio starts a four-day stint at the Village Vanguard. It is released after his death in a 6-CD box set on Turn Out the Stars: The Final [Village Vanguard Recordings] in 1996.

July

• 2 – The very first Montreal International [Jazz Festival] started in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
• 4 – The 14th Montreux Jazz Festival started in Montreux, Switzerland.
• 11 – The 5th North Sea Jazz Festival started in The Hague, Netherlands.

September

• 19 – The 23rd Monterey Jazz Festival started in Monterey, California.

Album releases

• Chuck Mangione: Fun and Games
• George Benson: Give Me the Night
• Grover Washington Jr.: Winelight
• Larsen Feyten Band: Larsen Feyten Band
• James Ulmer: Are You Glad to Be in America?
• Ronald Shannon Jackson: Eye on You
• Michael Franks: One Bad Habit
• Anthony Davis: Lady of the Mirrors
• Rova Saxophone Quartet: Invisible Frames
• Om: Cerberus
• Pat Metheny: 80/81
• Pat Metheny: As Falls Wichita, so Falls Wichita Falls
• Billy Bang: Changing Seasons
• Julius Hemphill: Flat-Out Jump Suite
• Charles Noyes: Free Mammals
• Steve Tibbetts: YR
• World Saxophone Quartet: WSQ
• David Murray: Ming
• Ganelin Trio: Ancora da Capo
• Joanne Brackeen: Ancient Dynasty
• Ran Blake: Film Noir
• Muhal Richard Abrams: Mama and Daddy
• Derek Bailey: Aida
• Evan Parker: Six of One
• Steps Ahead: Step by Step
• Steve Beresford: Double Indemnity
• Music Revelation Ensemble: No Wave
• Jan Garbarek: Eventyr
• David Liebman: If They Only Knew
• Tom Varner: Quartet
• Harvie Swartz: Underneath It All
• Paul Winter: Callings
• World Saxophone Quartet: Revue
• Chico Freeman: Peaceful Heart, Gentle Spirit
• Jack DeJohnette: Tin Can Alley
• Jay Clayton: All Out
• Art Pepper: Winter Moon
• Herbie Hancock: ''Mr. Hands''

Deaths

• 6 – Poley McClintock, American singer.
• 22 – Ed Garland, American upright bassist.
• 23 – Babs Gonzales, American vocalist.
• 28 – Jimmy Crawford, American drummer.
• 29 – Jimmy Durante, American singer, pianist, comedian, and actor.

• 9 – Charles Fowlkes, American baritone saxophonist, Count Basie Orchestra.
• 12 – Norman Keenan, American upright bassist.
• 18 – Paul Howard, American saxophonist and clarinetist.
• 19 – Shorty Sherock, American trumpeter.

• 4 – Don Albert, American trumpeter and bandleader.
• 6 – Bobby Jones, American saxophonist.

• 20 – Ronnie Boykins, American upright bassist.
• 22 – Jane Froman, American singer and actress.
• 28 – Chino Pozo, Cuban drummer.

• 31 – Sonny Burke, American musical arranger, composer, big band leader, and producer, Duke Ambassadors.

• 12 – Stu Martin, American drummer.
• 14 – Herman Autrey, American trumpeter.
• 27 – Barney Bigard, American clarinetist.

• 2 – Amos White, American trumpeter.
• 9 – Vinicius de Moraes, Brazilian singer, poet, lyricist, essayist, and playwright.
• Harlan Lattimore, African-American singer.

• 4
• * Duke Pearson, American pianist and composer.
• * Pekka Pöyry, Finnish saxophonist and flutist.
• 26 – Jimmy Forrest, American tenor saxophonist.

• 5 – Don Banks, Australian composer.
• 15 – Bill Evans, American pianist and composer.
• 18 – Dick Stabile, American saxophonist and bandleader.
• 22 – Jimmy Bryant, American guitarist.

• 14 – Oscar Alemán, Argentine guitarist, singer, and dancer.
• 31
• * Chauncey Morehouse, American drummer.
• * Jan Werich, Czech singer, actor, playwright, and writer.

• 22 – Uffe Baadh, Danish-American drummer.

• 16 – Keith Christie, English trombonist.
• 26 – Peck Kelley, American pianist.
• 29 – Lennie Felix, British pianist.
• 31 – Irmgard Österwall, Swedish singer.

• Aldo Rossi, Italian reedist and bandleader.
• Cosimo Di Ceglie, Italian guitarist.

Births

• 3 – David Arthur Skinner, British pianist and composer.
• 12 – Dominic Lash, British upright bassist and composer.
• 15 – Christoffer Andersen, Norwegian guitarist.
• 22 – Lizz Wright, American singer.

• 9 – Jackiem Joyner, American saxophonist.
• 21 – Takuya Kuroda, Japanese trumpeter.
• 27 – Federico Casagrande, Italian guitarist and composer.

• 10 – Lars Horntveth, Norwegian saxophonist, clarinetist, percussionist, guitarist, composer, and band leader, Jaga Jazzist.
• 22 – Jay Foote, American bassist and singer.
• 31 – Sasha Dobson, American singer-songwriter.

• 10 – Jimmy Rosenberg, Dutch guitarist.
• 24
• * Jelle van Tongeren, Dutch violinist.
• * Vincent Peirani, French accordionist, vocalist, and composer.

• 5 – Stian Omenås, Norwegian Jazz musician, music conductor and composer
• 28 – Benedikt Jahnel, German jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader.

• 18 – Jasser Haj Youssef, Tunisian violinist.

• 8
• * Kendrick Scott, American drummer, bandleader, and composer.
• * Tyshawn Sorey, American multi-instrumentalist, and composer.
• 10 – Julie Crochetière, Canadian singer-songwriter and pianist.

• 16 – Øystein Moen, Norwegian pianist, keyboarder, and composer, Jaga Jazzist.
• 25 – Pål Hausken, Norwegian drummer, percussion, and composer, In The Country.

• 2 – Mark Guiliana, American drummer, composer and bandleader.
• 18 – Gustav Lundgren, Swedish guitarist, composer, and record label director.
• 25 – Christina Bjordal, Norwegian singer.

• 16 – Mary Halvorson, American guitarist.
• 17
• * Alberto Porro Carmona, Spanish conductor, composer, author, music lecturer, teacher, and saxophonist.
• * Manuel Valera, Cuban pianist and composer.
• 19
• * Morten Schantz, Danish pianist, composer, and band leader, JazzKamikaze.
• * Simin Tander, German singer, pianist, and composer.

• 4 – Ruslan Sirota, Ukrainian pianist, composer, and producer.
• 6 – Lena Nymark, Norwegian jazz singer.
• 17 – Colin Vallon, Swiss pianist.

• 5 – Ibrahim Maalouf, French-Lebanese trumpeter and composer.
• 9 – Anton Eger, Norwegian-Swedish Jazz drummer, JazzKamikaze.
• 28 – Andreas Amundsen, Norwegian bassist.

• Brandi Disterheft, Canadian upright bassist and composer.
• Elana Stone, Australian vocalist, songwriter, pianist, accordion player, and band leader.
• Hannah Marshall, British cellist, vocalist, and composer.
• Martin Blanes, Galician-Spanish guitarist.
• Tim Giles, English drummer and composer.
• Yasek Manzano Silva, Cuban trumpeter and composer