1968 in jazz

Events

June

• 12 – The 2nd Montreux Jazz Festival started in Montreux, Switzerland (June 12 – 18).
• 30 – The 15th Newport Jazz Festival started in Newport, Rhode Island (June 30 – July 3).

Unknown date

• The English avant-rock ensemble Henry Cow was founded at Cambridge University.

Album releases

• Peter Brötzmann: Machine Gun
• Don Cherry: *Eternal Rhythm *
• Chick Corea: *Now He Sings, Now He Sobs *
• Miles Davis: *Filles de Kilimanjaro *
• Bill Evans: Bill Evans at the Montreux Jazz Festival
• Milt Jackson: Milt Jackson and the Hip String Quartet
• Roland Kirk: Left & Right
• Michael Mantler: The Jazz Composer's Orchestra
• Hugh Masekela: The Promise of a Future
• Roscoe Mitchell: *Congliptious *
• Modern Jazz Quartet: Under the Jasmin Tree
• Sun Ra: *Outer Spaceways Incorporated *
• Horace Silver: *Serenade to a Soul Sister *
• Spontaneous Music Ensemble: *Karyobin *
• John Surman: John Surman
• McCoy Tyner: Tender Moments
• Kenny Wheeler: *Windmill Tilter *
• Gary Bartz: *Another Earth *
• Pat Martino: Baiyina (The Clear Evidence)
• Charles Tolliver: Paper Man
• Herbie Hancock: Speak Like a Child
• Miles Davis: Miles in the Sky
• Hugh Masekela: The Lasting Impression of Hugh Masekela
• Hugh Masekela: Africa '68

Deaths

; February

• 5 – Luckey Roberts, American composer and stride pianistr (born 1887).
• 15 – Little Walter, American singer and harmonica player (born 1930).
• 27 – Frankie Lymon, American singer (heroin overdose) (born 1942).

; March

• 5 – Monk Hazel, American drummer (born 1903).

; June

• 15 – Wes Montgomery, American guitarist (born 1923).
• 26 – Ziggy Elman, American trumpeter (born 1914).

; October

• 18
  • Jack Bland, American banjoist and guitarist (born 1899).
  • Eyvin Andersen, Danish organist, violinist, and composer (born 1914).

; November

• 9 – Jan Johansson, Swedish pianist (born 1931)
• 23 – Reinhold Svensson, Swedish pianist, Hammond organist, and composer (born 1919).

; December

• 31 – George Lewis, American clarinetist (born 1900).

; Unknown date

• Jay Wilbur, British bandleader (born 1898).

Births

; January

• 19 – Jørn Øien, Norwegian pianist.
• 21 – Frank Kvinge, Norwegian guitarist.

; February

• 4 – Tim Lefebvre, American bass guitarist.
• 18 – Jukka Perko, Finnish saxophonist.
• 19 – Stochelo Rosenberg, Dutch guitarist.
• 22 – Rodney Whitaker, American upright bassist.

; March

• 1 – Per Oddvar Johansen, Norwegian drummer.
• 2 – Rune Brøndbo, Norwegian keyboardist and guitarist.
• 6 – Jakob Dinesen, Danish saxophonist.
• 21 – Vincent Courtois, French cellist.
• 22 – Arve Henriksen, Norwegian trumpeter and multiinstrumentalist.
• 24 – Sherman Irby, American alto saxophonist.

; April

• 30 – Russ Nolan, American saxophonist.

; May

• 1 – D'arcy Wretzky American bassist, The Smashing Pumpkins.
• 9 – Anthony Wilson, American guitarist.
• 19 – Kyle Eastwood, American bassist.

; June

• 6 – Alan Licht, American guitarist, composer, and journalist, Run On.
• 19 – John Hollenbeck, American drummer and composer, The Claudia Quintet.

; July

• 10 – David Gald, Norwegian guitarist.
• 16 – Finn Guttormsen, Norwegian bassist.
• 17 – Julia Hülsmann, German pianist and composer.

; August

• 4 – Eric Alexander, American saxophonist.
• 18 – Ernie Hammes, Luxembourgian trumpeter, arranger, composer, and big band director.
• 20 – Frode Barth, Norwegian guitarist.
• 28 – Larry Goldings, American pianist, organist, and composer.
• 30 – Vahagn Hayrapetyan, Armenian pianist, singer, and composer.

; September

• 9 – David Sánchez, Puerto Rican tenor saxophonist.
• 13 – Bernie Williams, Puerto Rican former professional baseball player and musician.
• 30 – Antonio Hart, American alto saxophonist.

; November

• 14 – Ken Ford, American violinist.
• 30 – Sylvie Courvoisier, Swiss composer, pianist, and improviser.

; December

• 7 – Noël Akchoté, French guitarist.
• 16 – Lalah Hathaway, American singer.

; Unknown date

• Jean David Blanc, French film producer, writer, and jazz musician.

References

References

1. "Montreux Jazz Festival 1968 Setlists". Setlist.fm.
2. "Newport Jazz Festival 1968 Poster". Rirocks.net.
3. "Eyvin Andersen (1914-1968)". Klassika.info.
4. (1996). "Cadence, volume 22". B. Rusch.