1990 in jazz

Events

April

• 6 – The 17th Vossajazz started in Vossavangen, Norway.

May

• 23 – The 18th Nattjazz started in Bergen, Norway.

June

• 1 – The 19th Moers Festival started in Moers, Germany.

June

• 1 – The 13th Atlanta [Jazz Festival] started in Atlanta, Georgia.

July

• 7 – 24th Montreux Jazz Festival started in Switzerland.
• 12 – The 15th North Sea Jazz Festival started in The Hague.

August

• 17 – The 7th Brecon Jazz Festival started in Brecon, Wales.

September

• 21 – The 33rd Monterey Jazz Festival started in Monterey, California.

Unknown date

• Eliane Elias and Randy Brecker were divorced.

Album releases

• Ben Sidran: Cool Paradise
• Bill Frisell: Is That You?
• Bobby Previte: Empty Suits
• Butch Morris: Dust To Dust
• Carol Sloane: The [Real Thing (Carol Sloane album)|The Real Thing]
• Charlie Haden: Dream Keeper
• Danny Gottlieb: Brooklyn Blues
• David Liebman: The Tree
• David Ware: Great Bliss
• Don Pullen: Random Thoughts
• Egberto Gismondi: Infancia
• Elements: Spirit River
• Eric Reed: Soldier's Hymn
• Eliane Elias: Eliane Elias Plays Jobim
• Franz Koglmann: The Use of Memory
• Geri Allen: The Nurturer
• Gerry Hemingway: Down To The Wire
• Gerry Hemingway: Special Detail
• Hank Roberts: Birds Of Prey
• ICP Orchestra: Bospaadje Konijnehol II
• Jazz Passengers: Implement Yourself
• John Pizzarelli: My [Blue Heaven (Pizzarelli)|My Blue Heaven]
• John Zorn: Naked City
• Keith Tippett: The Journey
• Kenny Wheeler: Music for Large & Small Ensembles
• Kenny Wheeler: Widow in the Window
• Marilyn Crispell: Overlapping Hands: Eight Segments
• Mark Helias: Attack the Future
• Marty Ehrlich: Emergency Peace
• Matthew Shipp: Circular Temple
• Michael Formanek: Wide Open Spaces
• Michael Franks: Blue Pacific
• Muhal Richard Abrams: Blu Blu Blu
• Music Revelation Ensemble: Elec Jazz
• Myra Melford: Jump
• Philip Catherine: I Remember You
• Phil Woods: All Bird's Children
• Ray Anderson: What Because
• Terence Blanchard: Terence Blanchard
• Tom Harrell: Form
• Yellowjackets: ''Green House''

Deaths

• 3 – Peter van Steeden, Dutch-American composer.
• 8 – Georgie Auld, Canadian tenor saxophonist, clarinetist, and bandleader.
• 9 – Buschi Niebergall, German free jazz musician.

• 2 – Mel Lewis, American drummer and bandleader.
• 4 – Fritz Schulz-Reichel, German pianist.
• 5 – King Perry, American saxophonist, clarinetist, arranger, and bandleader.
• 21 – John Madrid, American trumpeter .
• 27 – Arthur Österwall, Swedish band leader, composer, vocalist, and upright bassist.
• 28 – Russell Jacquet, American trumpeter.

• 12 – Harry South, English pianist, composer, and arranger.
• 17 – Jack Noren, American drummer and vocalist.
• 23 – Al Sears, American tenor saxophonist and bandleader.

• 3 – Sarah Vaughan, American singer.
• 5 – Louis Nelson, American trombonist.
• 25 – Dexter Gordon, American tenor saxophonist.

• 4 – Emily Remler, American guitarist.
• 7 – Elizete Cardoso, Argentine singer and actress.
• 16 – Sammy Davis Jr., American singer and entertainer.
• 17 – Frank Wright, American tenor saxophonist.
• 18
• * Eje Thelin, Swedish trombonist.
• * Sing Miller, American pianist.
• 26 – Chris McGregor, South African pianist, bandleader, and composer.

• 2 – Walter Davis Jr., American pianist.
• 7 – Lou Blackburn, American trombonist.
• 10 – Hubert Rostaing, Algierian-French clarinetist and tenor saxophonist.
• 11 – Clyde McCoy, American trumpeter.
• 21 – June Christy, American singer.
• 28 – Howard Roberts, American guitarist.
• 30 – Dudu Pukwana, South African saxophonist, composer, and pianist.

• 21 – Joe Turner, American pianist.
• 31 – Lowell Davidson, American pianist.

• 12 – Harry Leahey, American guitarist.
• 14 – Chester Zardis, American upright bassist.
• 17 – Pearl Bailey, American actress and singer.

• 3 – Betty Glamann, American jazz harpist.
• 23 – George Desmond Hodnett, Irish composer, piano, trumpet, and zither player.
• 29 – Freddie Kohlman, American drummer, vocalist, and bandleader.

• 1 – Phil Napoleon, American trumpeter and bandleader.
• 5 – Sam Taylor, American tenor saxophonist.
• 6 – Asser Fagerström, Finnish pianist, composer, and actor.
• 16 – Art Blakey, American drummer and bandleader, The Jazz Messengers.
• 25 – Major Holley, American upright bassist.
• 27 – Xavier Cugat, bandleader.

• 4 – William Leavitt, American guitarist and arranger.
• 16 – Lee Castle, American trumpeter and bandleader.
• 26
• * Dave Wilkins, Barbadian trumpeter.
• * Rita Ora, British singer-songwriter and actor.

• 5 – Bill Hardman, American trumpeter and flugelhornist.
• 18 – Bernard Addison, American guitarist.

• Francis Coppieters, Belgian pianist.

Births

• 17 – Diknu Schneeberger, Austrian guitarist.

• 13 – Jonathan Chua, Singaporean drummer.

• 27 – Kimbra Lee Johnson, New Zealand singer and actress.

• 20 – Sebastian Nordström, Swedish bassist.

• 11 – Ole Mofjell, Norwegian drummer.
• 23 – Torgeir Standal, Norwegian guitarist.

• 15 – Benjamin Kheng, Singaporean guitarist/pianist/composer and brony.

• 15 – Laura Jurd, British trumpet and synthesizer player.

• 25
• * Austin Peralta, American pianist. At age 15, a featured performer at the 2006 Tokyo Jazz Festival.
• * Marthe Wang, Norwegian singer and songwriter.

• 27 – Mette Henriette, Norwegian saxophonist, improviser, and autodidact composer.

• 20 – Corrie Dick, Scottish drummer, percussionist, vocalist, and composer.
• 25 – Sandra Riley Tang, Singaporean female double-bassist.

• Alper Tuzcu, Turkish singer, composer, and music producer.
• Charlotte Dos Santos, Norwegian vocalist, composer, and arranger.
• Martin Masakowski, American bassist.