1985 in jazz

Events

March

• 29 – The 12th Vossajazz started in Vossavangen, Norway (March 29 – 31).

May

• 24 – 14th Moers Festival started in Moers, Germany (May 24 – 27).
• 22 – 13th Nattjazz started in Bergen, Norway (May 22 – June 5).

June

• 28 – The 6th Montreal International Jazz Festival started in Montreal, Quebec, Canada (June 28 – July 7).

July

• 4 – The 19th Montreux Jazz Festival started in Montreux, Switzerland (July 4 – 20).
• 12 – The 10th North Sea Jazz Festival started in The Hague, Netherlands (July 12 – 14).

August

• 16 – The 2nd Brecon Jazz Festival started in Brecon, Wales (April 16 – 18).

September

• 20 – The 28th Monterey Jazz Festival started in Monterey, California (September 20 – 22).

Album releases

• Ornette Coleman and Prime Time: Opening the Caravan of Dreams
• Abdullah Ibrahim: Water From an Ancient Well
• Butch Morris: Current Trends In Racism
• Bobby Previte: Bump The Renaissance
• George Russell: The African Game
• Rova Saxophone Quartet: The Crowd
• Lyle Mays: Lyle Mays
• David Liebman: The Loneliness Of A Long-Distance Runner
• James Newton: Water Mystery
• Hank Robertson: Transparency
• David Torn: Best Laid Plans
• Borbetomagus: Borbeto Jam
• Mark Nauseef: Wun Wun
• Kip Hanrahan: Vertical Currency
• Patrick O'Hearn: Ancient Dreams
• Don Pullen: The Sixth Sense
• John Carter: Castles of Ghana
• Gerry Hemingway: Outerbridge Crossing
• Leni Stern: Clairvoyant
• Marc Johnson: Bass Desires
• Terje Rypdal: Chaser
• Tom Harrell: Moon Alley
• Wynton Marsalis: Black Codes (From the Underground)
• Wynton Marsalis: J Mood
• Paul Winter: Canyon
• Tony Williams: Civilization
• Michael Mantler: Alien
• Herbie Hancock: Village Life
• The Manhattan Transfer: Vocalese
• Michael Franks: Skin Dive
• Ben Sidran: On the Cool Side
• John Hicks Trio: Inc. 1
• Hugh Masekela: Waiting for the Rain

Deaths

; January

• 7 – Johnny Guarnieri, American pianist (born 1917).
• 10 – Cie Frazier, American drummer (born 1904).
• 11 – Kenny Clare, English drummer (born 1929).
• 18 – Georgie Stoll, American musical director, conductor, composer, and violinist (born 1905).
• 26 – Kenny Clarke, American drummer and bandleader (born 1914).

; February

• 22 – Frank Traynor, Australian trombonist and entrepreneur (born 1927).
• 27 – Ray Ellington, English singer, drummer, and bandleader (born 1916).

; March

• 13 – Annette Hanshaw, American singer (born 1901).
• 23 – Zoot Sims, American saxophonist (born 1925).
• 30 – Shizuko Kasagi, Japanese singer (born 1914).

; April

• 21 – Irving Mills, American music publisher, musician, lyricist, and jazz artist promoter (born 1894).

; May

• 2 – Larry Clinton, American trumpeter, bandleader, and songwriter (born 1909).
• 24 – Joe Darensbourg, American clarinetist and saxophonist (born 1906).
• 27 – Skeeter Best, American guitarist (born 1914).

; June

• 15 – David "Buck" Wheat, American bassist, songwriter and recording artist (born 1922).

; July

• 1
  • Dick Vance, American trumpeter (born 1915).
  • Lonnie Hillyer, American trumpeter (born 1940).
• 4 – Chris Woods, American alto saxophonist (born 1925).
• 11 – George Duvivier, American upright bassist (born 1920).

; August

• 1 – Sam Wooding, American pianist, arranger, and bandleader (born 1895).
• 11 – Nick Ceroli, American drummer (born 1939).
• 19 – Cedric Wallace, American upright bassist (born 1909).
• 30 – Philly Joe Jones, American drummer (born 1923).

; September

• 3 – Jo Jones, American drummer (born 1911).
• 6
  • Johnny Desmond, American singer (born 1919).
  • Little Brother Montgomery, American pianist and singer (born 1906).
• 15 – Cootie Williams, American trumpeter (born 1911).
• 18 – Ed Lewis, American trumpeter (born 1909).
• 19 – Charlie Holmes, American alto jazz saxophonist of the swing era (born 1910).
• George Clarke, American tenor saxophonist (born 1911).

; October

• 12 – Blind John Davis, African American, blues, jazz and boogie-woogie pianist and singer (born 1913).
• Nelson Boyd, American bassist (born 1928).

; November

• 4 – Richard Williams, American trumpeter (born 1931).
• 12 – Dicky Wells, American trombonist (born 1907).
• 13 – Max Miller, American pianist and vibraphonist (born 1911).
• 24 – Big Joe Turner, American blues shouter (born 1911).

; December

• 9
  • Calvin Jackson, American jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader (born 1919).
  • Charlie Munro, American reedist and flautist (born 1917).
• 28 – Benny Morton, American trombonist most associated with the swing genre (born 1907).

; Unknown date

• Leon Prima, American trumpeter (born 1907).

Births

; January

• 2
  • André Roligheten, Norwegian saxophonist and composer.
  • Marius Neset, Norwegian saxophonist, composer, and bandleader.
• 11 – Newton Faulkner, English singer-songwriter and musician.
• 29 – Jon Rune Strøm, Norwegian upright bassist, and bass guitarist.

; February

• 2 – Melody Gardot, American singer, writer and musician.
• 8 – Dario Chiazzolino, Italian guitarist and composer.
• 19 – Kristoffer Lo, Norwegian tubist, flugabonist, guitarist, and composer.

; March

• 5 – Eyolf Dale, Norwegian pianist and composer.

; May

• 3 – Louis Cato, American drummer, bassist, guitarist, singer, and composer.

• 14 – Tore Sandbakken, Norwegian drummer and composer.

; June

• 12 – Olivia Trummer, German pianist, vocalist, and composer.
• 20 – Ellen Brekken, Norwegian upright bassist, guitar bassist, and tubist.

; July

• 18 – Theo Croker, American trumpeter, singer, and bandleader from Leesburg, Florida.
• 22 – Camila Meza, Chilean singer-songwriter and guitarist.
• 25 – Tom Harrison, British alto saxophonist and flautist.
• 31 – Aaron Weinstein, American violinist and mandolinist.

; August

• 14 – David Six, Austrian pianist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist.
• 22 – Kim Johannesen, Norwegian guitarist.
• 30 – Rachael Price, American vocalist from Hendersonville, Tennessee.

; September

• 10 – Live Foyn Friis, Norwegian singer and composer.
• 22 – Aaron Diehl, American pianist.

; October

• 7 – Alfredo Rodríguez, Cuban pianist and composer.
• 15 – Øystein Skar, Norwegian pianist and composer.
• 29 – Ximena Sariñana, Mexican singer-songwriter and actress

; December

• 19 – Ine Hoem, Norwegian singer.
• 29 – Alexa Ray Joel, American singer, songwriter and pianist.

; Unknown date

• Paul Carnegie-Jones, New Zealand pianist.
• Per Arne Ferner, Norwegian guitarist.

References

References

1. "Vossajazz". [[Vossajazz]].
2. "Moers Festival 1985". [[Moers Festival]].
3. "Nattjazz". [[Nattjazz]].
4. "Festival International de Jazz de Montréal 1985". [[Montreal International Jazz Festival]].
5. "Montreux Jazz Festival 1985 Setlists". Setlist.fm.
6. "North Sea Jazz Festival 1985". [[North Sea Jazz Festival]].
7. (March 2025). "Brecon Jazz Festival 1985". FriendsOfBreconJazz.com.
8. "Monterey Jazz Festival 1985". Instagram.com.