1990 in jazz
This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1990.
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
- 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
- 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
; January3 – Peter van Steeden, Dutch-American composer.8 – Georgie Auld, Canadian tenor saxophonist, clarinetist, and bandleader.9 – Buschi Niebergall, German free jazz musician.; February2 – 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.
; March12 – Harry South, English pianist, composer, and arranger.17 – Jack Noren, American drummer and vocalist.23 – Al Sears, American tenor saxophonist and bandleader.
; April3 – Sarah Vaughan, American singer.5 – Louis Nelson, American trombonist.25 – Dexter Gordon, American tenor saxophonist.
; May4 – 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.
; July21 – Joe Turner, American pianist.31 – Lowell Davidson, American pianist.
; August12 – Harry Leahey, American guitarist.14 – Chester Zardis, American upright bassist.17 – Pearl Bailey, American actress and singer.
; September3 – Betty Glamann, American jazz harpist.23 – George Desmond Hodnett, Irish composer, piano, trumpet, and zither player.29 – Freddie Kohlman, American drummer, vocalist, and bandleader.
; October1 – 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.
; November4 – 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.
; Unknown date
- Francis Coppieters, Belgian pianist.
Births
; January17 – Diknu Schneeberger, Austrian guitarist.; February13 – Jonathan Chua, Singaporean drummer.
; March27 – Kimbra Lee Johnson, New Zealand singer and actress.
; April20 – Sebastian Nordström, Swedish bassist.
; July11 – Ole Mofjell, Norwegian drummer.23 – Torgeir Standal, Norwegian guitarist.
; August15 – Benjamin Kheng, Singaporean guitarist/pianist/composer and brony.
; September15 – Laura Jurd, British trumpet and synthesizer player.
; October25
- * Austin Peralta, American pianist. At age 15, a featured performer at the 2006 Tokyo Jazz Festival.
- * Marthe Wang, Norwegian singer and songwriter.
; December20 – Corrie Dick, Scottish drummer, percussionist, vocalist, and composer.25 – Sandra Riley Tang, Singaporean female double-bassist.
; Unknown date
- Alper Tuzcu, Turkish singer, composer, and music producer.
- Charlotte Dos Santos, Norwegian vocalist, composer, and arranger.
- Martin Masakowski, American bassist.