1978 in jazz

Events

March

• 17 – The 5th Vossajazz started in Vossavangen, Norway (March 17–19).

May

• 12 – The 7th Moers Festival started in Moers, Germany (May 12–15).
• 24 – The 6th Nattjazz started in Bergen, Norway (May 24 – June 7).

July

• 1 – The 25th Newport Jazz Festival started in Newport, Rhode Island (July 1–3).
• 7 – The 12th Montreux Jazz Festival started in Montreux, Switzerland (July 7–23).
• 14 – The 3rd North Sea Jazz Festival started in The Hague, Netherlands (July 14–16).
• 28 – The very first Jazz in Marciac started in Marciac, France (July 28 – August 17).

September

• 15 – The 21st Monterey Jazz Festival started in Monterey, California (September 15 – 17).

Album releases

• Chick Corea: The Mad Hatter
• Chick Corea: Secret Agent
• Chick Corea: Friends
• Air: Open Air Suit
• Herb Alpert and Hugh Masekela: Herb Alpert / Hugh Masekela
• Herb Alpert and Hugh Masekela: Main Event Live
• Fred Anderson: Another Place
• Art Ensemble of Chicago: Nice Guys
• Kenny Barron: Innocence
• Carla Bley: Musique Mecanique
• Arthur Blythe: Bush Baby
• Arthur Blythe: Lenox Avenue Breakdown
• Lester Bowie: African Children
• Anthony Braxton: For Four Orchestras
• Andrew Cyrille: Metamusicians' Stomp
• Anthony Davis: Of Blues and Dream
• Al Di Meola: Casino
• Joe Farrell: Night Dancing
• Michael Franks: Burchfield Nines
• Chico Freeman: The Outside Within
• Ganelin Trio: Concerto Grosso
• Egberto Gismonti: Solo
• Guenter Hampel: Freedom Of The Universe
• Guenter Hampel: Oasis
• Gerry Hemingway: Kwambe
• Ernie Krivda: The Alchemist
• Leroy Jenkins: The Legend of Ai Glatson
• Quincy Jones: Sounds...and Stuff Like That!!
• John Klemmer: Arabesque
• Oliver Lake: Life Dance of Is
• George Lewis: The Imaginary Suite
• David Liebman: Pendulum
• Chuck Mangione: Feels So Good
• John McLaughlin: Electric Guitarist
• Misha Mengelberg: Pech Onderweg
• Pat Metheny: Pat Metheny Group
• Roscoe Mitchell: L-R-G / The Maze / S II Examples
• John Oswald: Improvised
• Evan Parker: Monoceros
• Marvin Peterson: The Light
• Jean-Luc Ponty: Cosmic Messenger
• Don Pullen: Warriors
• Dewey Redman: Soundsigns
• Sam Rivers: Waves
• Max Roach & Anthony Braxton: Birth and Rebirth
• Rova Saxophone Quartet: Cinema Rovate
• Leo Smith: The Mass on the World
• Peter Sprague: Dance of the Universe
• Spyro Gyra: * Spyro Gyra*
• Sun Ra: Lanquidity
• Cecil Taylor: 3 Phasis
• Cecil Taylor: Cecil Taylor Unit
• Ralph Towner: Batik
• James Blood Ulmer: Tales of Captain Black
• Weather Report: Mr. Gone
• Paul Winter: Common Ground
• World Saxophone Quartet: Steppin' with the World Saxophone Quartet

Deaths

; January

• 23 – Terry Kath, American guitarist and vocalist (unintentional self-inflicted gunshot), Chicago (born 1946).
• 31 – Gregory Herbert, American saxophonist and flautist, Blood, Sweat & Tears (born 1947).

; February

• 26
  • Frances Wayne, American vocalist (born 1924).
  • Alix Combelle, French tenor saxophonist, clarinetist, and bandleader (born 1912).

; March

• 4 – Joe Marsala, Italian-American clarinetist and songwriter (born 1907).
• 21 – Louis Cottrell Jr., American clarinetist and tenor saxophonist (born 1911).
• 25 – Richard Plunket Greene, English musician and author, Bright Young Things (born 1901).
• 30 – Larry Young, American organist and occasional pianist (born 1940).

; April

• 3 – Ray Noble, English bandleader, composer, arranger, radio comedian, and actor (born 1903).

; May

• 19 – Teddy Hill, American big band leader and multi-instrumentalist (born 1909).
• 28
  • Marlowe Morris, American jazz pianist and organist (born 1915).
  • Money Johnson, American jazz trumpeter (born 1918).

; June

• Bud Brisbois, American trumpeter (born 1937).

; July

• 4 – Arne Hülphers, Swedish pianist and bandleader (born 1904).
• 14 – Lennie Hastings, English drummer (born 1927).
• 20 – Teddy Bunn, American guitarist, Spirits of Rhythm (born 1909).

; August

• 14 – Joe Venuti, Italian-American jazz violinist (born 1903).
• 15 – Irene Kral, American jazz singer (born 1932).
• 24 – Louis Prima, Italian-American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and trumpeter (born 1910).

; September

• 9 – Kaoru Abe, Japanese avant-garde alto saxophonist (born 1949).
• 30 – Beryl Booker, American pianist (born 1922).

; November

• 16 – Jimmy Nottingham, American jazz trumpeter (born 1925).
• 18 – Lennie Tristano, American pianist, composer, and arranger (born 1919).
• 26 – Frank Rosolino, American trombonist (born 1926).

; December

• 17 – Don Ellis, American big-bandleader, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and film composer (born 1934).
• 29 – Happy Caldwell, American clarinetist and tenor saxophonist (born 1903).

; Unknown date

• Bill Jennings, American guitarist and composer (born 1919).

Births

; January

• 3 – Susana Santos Silva, Portuguese trumpeter, flugelhornist, and flautist.
• 9 – China Moses, American singer.
• 10
  • Kekko Fornarelli, Italian pianist and composer.
  • Soweto Kinch, British saxophonist.

; February

• 9 – Clarice Assad, Brazilian-American composer, pianist, and singer.
• 12 – Masayuki Hiizumi, Japanese keyboardist and producer.
• 14 – Cem Tuncer, Turkish guitarist, composer, arranger, and producer.

; March

• 5 – Søren Kjærgaard, Danish pianist, composer, and bandleader.
• 18 – Videlina Mircheva, Bulgarian singer and songwriter.
• 24 – Andrew McCormack, British pianist.

; April

• 6 – Robert Glasper, American pianist and record producer.
• 11 – Jakob Bro, Danish guitarist.
• 15 – Susanne Alt, Dutch saxophonist and composer.

; May

• 7 – Antal Pusztai, Hungarian guitarist.
• 10 – Nils Janson, Swedish composer and trumpeter.
• 25 – Michael Wollny, German pianist.
• 29 – Sean Jones, American trumpeter and composer.

; June

• 10 – Jukka Eskola, Finnish trumpeter and flugelhornist.

; August

• 6 – Andreas Öberg, Swedish guitarist, songwriter, and music producer.
• 12 – Chris Jennings, Canadian upright bassist, composer, arranger, and educator.
• 27 – Susy Kane, English actress, comedy writer and musician.
• 31
  • Morten Qvenild, Norwegian jazz pianist, band leader and producer, Susanna and the Magical Orchestra.
  • Tineke Postma, Dutch saxophonist.

; June

• 17 – Esben Selvig, Norwegian rapper and singer.

; September

• 2 – Jonas Kullhammar, Swedish composer and saxophonist.
• 16
  • Ane Carmen Roggen, Norwegian singer, conductor, and arranger, Pitsj.
  • Ida Roggen, Norwegian singer, Pitsj.
• 23 – Valtteri Laurell Pöyhönen, Finnish guitarist, pianist, composer, bandleader and producer.
• 29 – Luca Gianquitto, Italian guitarist and composer.

; October

• 5 – Steinar Nickelsen, Norwegian Hammond organist, pianist, and composer.
• 8 – Mike Moreno, American guitarist and composer.
• 12 – Børge-Are Halvorsen, Norwegian saxophonist and flautist.
• 16 – Eva Kruse, German upright bassist and composer.

; November

• 1 – Rozina Pátkai, Hungarian singer, songwriter, and visual artist.
• 3 – Jonas Howden Sjøvaag, Norwegian jazz drummer.
• 5 – Marita Røstad, Norwegian singer-songwriter.
• 9 – Even Ormestad, Norwegian bass guitarist and music producer, Jaga Jazzist.
• 19
  • Matt Dusk, Canadian vocalist.
  • Janek Gwizdala, English bassist.

; December

• 28 – Terrace Martin, American saxophonist and producer.
• 30
  • Daniel Heløy Davidsen, Danish-Norwegian guitarist.
  • Julie Dahle Aagård, Norwegian vocalist, composer, and band leader.

; Unknown date

• Marc Demuth, Luxembourgian upright bassist, bass guitarist, and composer.
• Mikkel Ploug, Danish guitarist and composer.
• Niels Klein, German saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer.
• Robi Botos, Hungarian-Canadian pianist and composer.

References

References

1. "Vossajazz". [[Vossajazz]].
2. "Moers International New Jazz Festival : 12–15 May 1978". OneFinalNote.com.
3. "Nattjazz". [[Nattjazz]].
4. "Newport Jazz Festival 1978 Setlists". Setlist.fm.
5. "Montreux Jazz Festival 1978 Setlists". Setlist.fm.
6. "North Sea Jazz Festival 1978". [[North Sea Jazz Festival]].
7. "Jazz in Marciac – Depuis 1978". [[Jazz in Marciac]].
8. "Monterey Jazz Festival 1978 Poster". EarlNewmanPrints.com.