1980 in jazz
This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1980.
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
; January6 – 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.; February9 – 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.
;March4 – Don Albert, American trumpeter and bandleader.6 – Bobby Jones, American saxophonist.
; April20 – Ronnie Boykins, American upright bassist.22 – Jane Froman, American singer and actress.28 – Chino Pozo, Cuban drummer.
; May31 – Sonny Burke, American musical arranger, composer, big band leader, and producer, Duke Ambassadors.
; June12 – Stu Martin, American drummer.14 – Herman Autrey, American trumpeter.27 – Barney Bigard, American clarinetist.
; July2 – Amos White, American trumpeter.9 – Vinicius de Moraes, Brazilian singer, poet, lyricist, essayist, and playwright.
- Harlan Lattimore, African-American singer.
- * Duke Pearson, American pianist and composer.
- * Pekka Pöyry, Finnish saxophonist and flutist.26 – Jimmy Forrest, American tenor saxophonist.
; October14 – Oscar Alemán, Argentine guitarist, singer, and dancer.31
- * Chauncey Morehouse, American drummer.
- * Jan Werich, Czech singer, actor, playwright, and writer.
; December16 – Keith Christie, English trombonist.26 – Peck Kelley, American pianist.29 – Lennie Felix, British pianist.31 – Irmgard Österwall, Swedish singer.
; Unknown date
- Aldo Rossi, Italian reedist and bandleader.
- Cosimo Di Ceglie, Italian guitarist.
Births
; January3 – 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.; February9 – Jackiem Joyner, American saxophonist.21 – Takuya Kuroda, Japanese trumpeter.27 – Federico Casagrande, Italian guitarist and composer.
; March10 – 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.
; April10 – Jimmy Rosenberg, Dutch guitarist.24
- * Jelle van Tongeren, Dutch violinist.
- * Vincent Peirani, French accordionist, vocalist, and composer.
; June18 – Jasser Haj Youssef, Tunisian violinist.
; July8
- * Kendrick Scott, American drummer, bandleader, and composer.
- * Tyshawn Sorey, American multi-instrumentalist, and composer.10 – Julie Crochetière, Canadian singer-songwriter and pianist.
; September2 – Mark Guiliana, American drummer, composer and bandleader.18 – Gustav Lundgren, Swedish guitarist, composer, and record label director.25 – Christina Bjordal, Norwegian singer.
; October16 – 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.
; December5 – Ibrahim Maalouf, French-Lebanese trumpeter and composer.9 – Anton Eger, Norwegian-Swedish Jazz drummer, JazzKamikaze.28 – Andreas Amundsen, Norwegian bassist.
; Unknown date
- 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