2009 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 2009.

Events

* The 36th Vossajazz started at Voss, Norway.
* Kjetil Møster was awarded Vossajazzprisen 2009.19 – Solveig Slettahjell performs the commissioned work Tarpan Seasons for Vossajazz 2009.

April

22 – The 15th SoddJazz started in Inderøy, Norway.

May

20 – The 37th Nattjazz started in Bergen, Norway.29 – The 38th Moers Festival started in Moers, Germany.

June

29 – The 21st Jazz Fest Wien started in Vienna, Austria.30 – The 29th Montreal International Jazz Festival started in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

July

1 – The 45th Kongsberg Jazzfestival started in Kongsberg, Norway.3

* The 31st Copenhagen Jazz Festival started in Copenhagen, Denmark.
* The 43rd Montreux Jazz Festival started in Montreux, Switzerland.10
* The 34th North Sea Jazz Festival started in The Hague, Netherlands.
* The 44th Pori Jazz Festival started in Pori, Finland.13 – The 49th Moldejazz started in Molde, Norway.15 – The 26th Stockholm Jazz Festival started in Stockholm, Sweden.18
* The 44th San Sebastian Jazz Festival started in San Sebastian, Spain.
* The 62nd Nice Jazz Festival started in Nice, France.

August

7 – The 25th Brecon Jazz Festival started in Brecon, Wales.8 – The 53rd Newport Jazz Festival started in Newport, Rhode Island.9 – The 24th Oslo Jazzfestival started in Oslo, Norway.12 – The 23rd Sildajazz starts in Haugesund, Norway.

September

2 – The 5th Punktfestivalen started in Kristiansand, Norway.19 – The 52nd Monterey Jazz Festival started in Monterey, California.

November

13 – The 18th London Jazz Festival started in England.

Album released

August

Deaths

; January17 – Whitey Mitchell, American jazz bassist and television writer/producer.20 – David "Fathead" Newman, American saxophonist.24 – Leonard Gaskin, American bassist.29 – Hank Crawford, American alto saxophonist, arranger, and songwriter.
; February7 – Blossom Dearie, American jazz singer and pianist.9

* Vic Lewis, British guitarist.
* Orlando "Cachaito" López, Cuban bassist and composer.12
* Coleman Mellett, American jazz guitarist .
* Gerry Niewood, American jazz saxophonist .
* Mat Mathews, Dutch jazz accordionist.14 – Louie Bellson, American jazz drummer.15 – Joe Cuba, Puerto Rican jazz percussionist.18 – Snooks Eaglin, American guitarist and singer.19 – Harrison Ridley Jr., American jazz presenter.20 – Fats Sadi, Belgian jazz musician, vocalist and composer.25
* Ian Carr, Scottish trumpeter, composer, writer, and educator.
* Lyman Woodard, American organist.27 – William L. Fowler, American jazz guitarist and educator.28 – Arthur Jenkins, American keyboardist, composer, arranger, and percussionist.

; March11 – Lars Erstrand, Swedish vibraphonist.18

* Eddie Bo, American singer and pianist.
* Moultrie Patten, American pianist and actor.25 – Tito Alberti, Argentine drummer.

; April2 – Bud Shank, American alto saxophonist and flautist.3 – Charlie Kennedy, American alto saxophonist.7 – Gugge Hedrenius, Swedish pianist and bandleader.8 – Herbie Lovelle, American drummer.12 – Zeke Zarchy, American trumpeter.16 – Viktor Paskov, Bulgarian writer, singer, musicologist, and screenwriter.29 – Tom McGrath, Scottish playwright and pianist.
; May14 – Buddy Montgomery, American jazz vibraphonist and pianist.15 – Wayman Tisdale, American basketball player and bass guitarist.21 – Uli Trepte, German upright bassist.
; June3

* Koko Taylor, American singer.
* Sam Butera, American tenor saxophonist.7
* Hugh Hopper, British bass guitarist.
* Kenny Rankin, American singer and songwriter.10 – Jack Nimitz, American baritone saxophonist.11 – Jarmo Savolainen, Finnish pianist and composer.16
* Charlie Mariano, American saxophonist.
* Tina Marsh, American jazz singer and composer .22 – Eddie Preston, American jazz trumpeter.23 – Raymond Berthiaume, Canadian singer, producer, and composer.

; July4 – Jim Chapin, American drummer.22 – Sonny Dallas, American bassist and singer.27 – George Russell, American jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and theorist.
; August11 – Kitty White, American singer.12 – Rashied Ali, American drummer.13 – Les Paul, American jazz guitarist and inventor of solid-body electric guitar, and multi-track recording.24 – Joe Maneri, American composer, saxophonist, and clarinetist.29 – Chris Connor, American jazz singer.31 – Eddie Higgins, American pianist, composer, and orchestrator.
; September7 – Eddie Locke, American jazz drummer.8 – Luther Thomas, American alto saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist.14 – Bobby Graham, English session drummer, composer, arranger, and record producer.15 – Nunzio Rotondo, Italian trumpeter and bandleader.
; October8 – Abu Talib, African-American guitarist.10 – Sonny Bradshaw, Jamaican bandleader, trumpeter, broadcaster, and promoter.13

* Al Martino, American singer and actor.
* Winston Mankunku Ngozi, South African tenor saxophonist.14 – Jerry van Rooyen, Dutch trumpeter, conductor, and composer.21 – Sirone, American bassist and composer.

; November6 – Kjell Bartholdsen, Norwegian saxophonist .10 – Dick Katz, American pianist, arranger, and record producer.16 – Jeff Clyne, British bassist.20 – Billy James, American drummer.21 – Gerhard Aspheim, Norwegian trombonist.22 – Haydain Neale, Canadian singer-songwriter.24 – Hale Smith, American composer, pianist, educator, arranger, and editor.26 – Pia Beck, Dutch pianist and singer.
; December8 – Su Cruickshank, Australian singer, actress, and writer.16 – Terry Pollard, American pianist and vibraphonist.20 – Pete King, British tenor saxophonist.25 – Rusty Dedrick, American trumpeter and composer.
; Unknown date

Pocho Lapouble, Argentine drummer, composer and arranger.