1996 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1996.

Events

Album releases

Matthew Shipp: By the Law of Music
Guillermo Gregorio: Approximately
Ivo Perelman: Seeds, Visions and Counterpoint
Michael Formanek: Nature of the Beast
David S. Ware: Wisdom of Uncertainty
Maria Schneider: Coming About
Zeena Parkins: Mouth=Maul=Betrayer
Kenny Wheeler: Siren's Song
Gerry Hemingway: Perfect World
Ivo Perelman: Sound Hierarchy
Bob Neill: Triptycal
Branford Marsalis: The Dark Keys
Carol Sloane: The Songs Sinatra Sang
Henry Threadgill: Where's Your Cup?
Evan Parker: Toward the Margins
Pat Metheny Group: Quartet
John Scofield: Quiet
Fred Anderson: Birdhouse
David S. Ware: Oblations and Blessings
David S. Ware: DAO
David S. Ware: Godspelized
William Parker: Compassion Seizes Bed-Stuy
Eliane Elias: The Three Americas
Charlie Haden: ''Now Is the Hour''

Deaths

; January2 – Viatcheslav Nazarov, American trombonist, pianist and vocalist.5 – Gus Bivona, American reedist.11 – Ike Isaacs, Burmese-English guitarist.13 – Morty Corb, American upright bassist.20 – Gerry Mulligan, American saxophonist, and clarinetist.28 – Pauline Braddy, African-American drummer, International Sweethearts of Rhythm.29 – Ray Leatherwood, American upright bassist.
; February7 – Tiny Winters, English bassist and vocalist.8 – Mercer Ellington, American trumpeter, composer, and arranger.12 – Alan Dawson, American drummer.
; March5 – Herb Hall, American clarinetist and saxophonist.27 – Howard Wyeth, American drummer and pianist
; May1 – Billy Byers, American trombonist and arranger.25 – Barney Wilen, American saxophonist and composer.27 – Pud Brown, American reedist.28 – Jimmy Rowles, American pianist, vocalist, and composer.
; June1 – Don Grolnick, American pianist and composer.6 – Norma Teagarden, American pianist.10 – Frankie Sakai, Japanese comedian, actor, and musician.15 – Ella Fitzgerald, American vocalist.16 – Gil Cuppini, Italian drummer and bandleader.
; July3 – Pim Jacobs, American trumpeter.17 – Amancio D'Silva, Indian guitarist and composer.
; August6 – Bobby Enriquez, Filipino pianist.24 – Carlos Vidal Bolado, American conga drum musician.25 – Fred Adison, French vocalist, drummer, and bandleader.31 – Milt Larkin, American trumpeter and bandleader.
; September20 – Paul Weston, American pianist, arranger, composer, and conductor.
; October11 – Johnny Costa, American pianist.
; November2 – Eva Cassidy, American vocalist and guitarist.4 – Ray Linn, American trumpeter.5 – Eddie Harris, American saxophonist.7

* Carmell Jones, American trumpet player.
* Kid Sheik, American trumpeter.12 – Alan Littlejohn, American trumpeter, flugelhornist, and bandleader.13 – Bill Doggett, American pianist and organist.23 – Art Porter Jr., American saxophonist.

; December19 – Bobby Cole, American singer and pianist.23 – Ronnie Scott, English tenor saxophonist and jazz club owner.26 – Oscar Valdambrini, Italian jazz trumpeter.

Births

; February2 – Dionne Bromfield, English singer and songwriter.4 – Connie Han, American pianist and composer.
; September8 – Alexander Bone, English saxophonist, pianist, producer, and composer.