1985 in jazz

Events

March

• 29 – The 12th Vossajazz started in Vossavangen, Norway.

May

• 24 – 14th Moers Festival started in Moers, Germany.
• 22 – 13th Nattjazz started in Bergen, Norway.

June

• 28 – The 6th Montreal International [Jazz Festival] started in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

July

• 4 – The 19th Montreux Jazz Festival started in Montreux, Switzerland.
• 12 – The 10th North Sea Jazz Festival started in The Hague, Netherlands.

August

• 16 – The 2nd Brecon Jazz Festival started in Brecon, Wales.

September

• 20 – The 28th Monterey Jazz Festival started in Monterey, California.

Album releases

• Ornette Coleman and Prime Time: Opening the Caravan of Dreams
• Abdullah Ibrahim: Water From an Ancient Well
• Butch Morris: Current Trends In Racism
• Bobby Previte: Bump The Renaissance
• George Russell: The African Game
• Rova Saxophone Quartet: The Crowd
• Lyle Mays: Lyle Mays
• David Liebman: The Loneliness Of A Long-Distance Runner
• James Newton: Water Mystery
• Hank Robertson: Transparency
• David Torn: Best Laid Plans
• Borbetomagus: Borbeto Jam
• Mark Nauseef: Wun Wun
• Kip Hanrahan: Vertical Currency
• Patrick O'Hearn: Ancient Dreams
• Don Pullen: The [Sixth Sense (Don Pullen album)|The Sixth Sense]
• John Carter: Castles of Ghana
• Gerry Hemingway: Outerbridge Crossing
• Leni Stern: Clairvoyant
• Marc Johnson: Bass Desires
• Terje Rypdal: Chaser
• Tom Harrell: Moon Alley
• Wynton Marsalis: Black Codes (From the Underground)
• Wynton Marsalis: J Mood
• Paul Winter: Canyon
• Tony Williams: Civilization
• Michael Mantler: Alien
• Herbie Hancock: Village Life
• The Manhattan Transfer: Vocalese
• Michael Franks: Skin Dive
• Ben Sidran: On the Cool Side
• John Hicks Trio: Inc. 1
• Hugh Masekela: ''Waiting for the Rain''

Deaths

• 7 – Johnny Guarnieri, American pianist.
• 10 – Cie Frazier, American drummer.
• 11 – Kenny Clare, English drummer.
• 18 – Georgie Stoll, American musical director, conductor, composer, and violinist.
• 26 – Kenny Clarke, American drummer and bandleader.

• 22 – Frank Traynor, Australian trombonist and entrepreneur.
• 27 – Ray Ellington, English singer, drummer, and bandleader.

• 13 – Annette Hanshaw, American singer.
• 23 – Zoot Sims, American saxophonist.
• 30 – Shizuko Kasagi, Japanese singer.

• 21 – Irving Mills, American music publisher, musician, lyricist, and jazz artist promoter.

• 2 – Larry Clinton, American trumpeter, bandleader, and songwriter.
• 24 – Joe Darensbourg, American clarinetist and saxophonist.
• 27 – Skeeter Best, American guitarist.

• 15 – David "Buck" Wheat, American bassist, songwriter and recording artist.

• 1
• * Dick Vance, American trumpeter.
• * Lonnie Hillyer, American trumpeter.
• 4 – Chris Woods, American alto saxophonist.
• 11 – George Duvivier, American upright bassist.

• 1 – Sam Wooding, American pianist, arranger, and bandleader.
• 11 – Nick Ceroli, American drummer.
• 19 – Cedric Wallace, American upright bassist.
• 30 – Philly Joe Jones, American drummer.

• 3 – Jo Jones, American drummer.
• 6
• * Johnny Desmond, American singer.
• * Little Brother Montgomery, American pianist and singer.
• 15 – Cootie Williams, American trumpeter.
• 18 – Ed Lewis, American trumpeter.
• 19 – Charlie Holmes, American alto jazz saxophonist of the swing era.
• George Clarke, American tenor saxophonist.

• 12 – Blind John Davis, African American, blues, jazz and boogie-woogie pianist and singer.
• Nelson Boyd, American bassist.

• 4 – Richard Williams, American trumpeter.
• 12 – Dicky Wells, American trombonist.
• 13 – Max Miller, American pianist and vibraphonist.
• 24 – Big Joe Turner, American blues shouter.

• 9
• * Calvin Jackson, American jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader.
• * Charlie Munro, American reedist and flautist.
• 28 – Benny Morton, American trombonist most associated with the swing genre.

• Leon Prima, American trumpeter.

Births

• 2
• * André Roligheten, Norwegian saxophonist and composer.
• * Marius Neset, Norwegian saxophonist, composer, and bandleader.
• 11 – Newton Faulkner, English singer-songwriter and musician.
• 29 – Jon Rune Strøm, Norwegian upright bassist, and bass guitarist.

• 2 – Melody Gardot, American singer, writer and musician.
• 8 – Dario Chiazzolino, Italian guitarist and composer.
• 19 – Kristoffer Lo, Norwegian tubist, flugabonist, guitarist, and composer.

• 5 – Eyolf Dale, Norwegian pianist and composer.

• 3 – Louis Cato, American drummer, bassist, guitarist, singer, and composer.
• 14 – Tore Sandbakken, Norwegian drummer and composer.

• 12 – Olivia Trummer, German pianist, vocalist, and composer.
• 20 – Ellen Brekken, Norwegian upright bassist, guitar bassist, and tubist.

• 18 – Theo Croker, American trumpeter, singer, and bandleader from Leesburg, Florida.
• 22 – Camila Meza, Chilean singer-songwriter and guitarist.
• 25 – Tom Harrison, British alto saxophonist and flautist.
• 31 – Aaron Weinstein, American violinist and mandolinist.

• 14 – David Six, Austrian pianist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist.
• 22 – Kim Johannesen, Norwegian guitarist.
• 30 – Rachael Price, American vocalist from Hendersonville, Tennessee.

• 10 – Live Foyn Friis, Norwegian singer and composer.
• 22 – Aaron Diehl, American pianist.

• 7 – Alfredo Rodríguez, Cuban pianist and composer.
• 15 – Øystein Skar, Norwegian pianist and composer.
• 29 – Ximena Sariñana, Mexican singer-songwriter and actress

• 19 – Ine Hoem, Norwegian singer.
• 29 – Alexa Ray Joel, American singer, songwriter and pianist.

• Paul Carnegie-Jones, New Zealand pianist.
• Per Arne Ferner, Norwegian guitarist.