1981 in jazz
Max Roach American Jazz Drummer with saxohonistOdeon Pope atKeystone KornerSan Francisco Tuesday, February 22nd, 1981
Decade	1980s in jazz
Music	1981 in music
Standards	List of post-1950 jazz standards
See also	1980 in jazz –1982 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events ofJazz in the year 1981.

• 10 – The 8thVossajazz started inVoss, Norway (April 10 – 12).^[1]

• 20 – 9thNattjazz started inBergen, Norway (May 20 – June 3).^[2]

• 2 – The 2ndMontreal International Jazz Festival started inMontreal, Quebec, Canada (July 2 – 10).^[3]
• 5 – 10thMoers Festival started inMoers, Germany (June 5 – 8).^[4]

• 3 – The 15thMontreux Jazz Festival started inMontreux, Switzerland (July 3 – 19).^[5]
• 10 – The 6thNorth Sea Jazz Festival started inThe Hague, Netherlands (July 10 – 12).^[6]

• 18 – The 24thMonterey Jazz Festival started inMonterey, California (September 18 – 20).^[7]

January

• 9 –Cozy Cole, American drummer (born1909).
• 21 –Russell Procope, American clarinettist and alto saxophonist (born1908).

February

• 23 –Shep Fields, American bandleader, clarinetist, and tenor saxophonist (born1910).
• 28 –Jean Robert, Belgian saxophonist (born1908).

March

• 5 –Red Saunders, American drummer and bandleader (born1912).
• 20 –Sonny Red, American alto saxophonist (born1932).

April

• 3 –Polo Barnes, American clarinetist and saxophonist (born1901).
• 29 –Cat Anderson, American trumpeter (born1916).

May

• 12 –Frank Weir, British orchestra leader and saxophonist (born1911).
• 25 –Georg Malmstén, Finnish singer, musician, composer, orchestra conductor, and actor (born1902).
• 28 –Mary Lou Williams, African-American pianist and composer (born1910).

July

• 21 –Snub Mosley, American trombonist (born1905).

August

• 3 –Seymour Österwall, Swedish tenor saxophonist, bandleader, and composer (born1908).
• 4 –Tommy Turk, American trombonist (born1927).
• 24 –Bill Coleman, American trumpeter (born1904).

September

• 9
  • Fernand Coppieters, Belgian pianist and organist (born1905).
  • Helen Humes, American singer (born1913).
• 13 –Bob Bates, American upright bassist (born1923).

December

• 15 –Samuel Jones, American upright bassist, cellist and composer (born1924).
• 17 – Roy McCloud, American cornetist (born1909).
• 27 –Hoagy Carmichael, American composer, pianist, singer, actor, and bandleader (born 1899).

January

• 18 –Martin Taxt, Norwegian tubist.

February

• 18 –Kamasi Washington, American saxophonist, composer, producer, and bandleader.
• 20 –Chris Thile, American mandolinist, singer, songwriter, composer, and radio personality.
• 24 –Gwilym Simcock, British pianist and composer.

March

• 10
  • Elina Duni, Albanian singer and composer.
  • Lars Horntveth, Norwegian multi-instrumentalist, band leader, and composer.
• 13 –Ivo Neame, British pianist, saxophonist, and composer,Phronesis.

April

• 3 –Erik Nylander, Swedish drummer, improviser, and composer,Magic Pocket.
• 27 –Hilde Marie Kjersem, Norwegian singer and songwriter.

May

• 3 –Alexander Hawkins, British pianist, bandleader, and composer.
• 19 –Dan Forshaw, English saxophonist and educator.
• 20 –Carmen Souza, Portuguese singer and songwriter of Cape Verdean heritage.

June

• 3 –Sam Amidon, American singer and songwriter.
• 16 –Ola Kvernberg, Norwegian violinist and composer.

July

• 13
  • Olavi Louhivuori, Finnish drummer and composer.
  • Sigurd Hole, Norwegian upright bassist,Eple Trio.
• 21 –Paloma Faith, English singer, songwriter, and actress.

August

• 8 –Maria Ylipää, Finnish singer and actress.
• 14 –Thomas Morgan, American upright bassist and cellist.
• 16 –Øystein Moen, Norwegian pianist and keyboarder.
• 26 –Gwyneth Herbert, British singer-songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer.

September

• 3 –Jørgen Munkeby, Norwegian multi-instrumentalist and singer.

October

• 18 –Sarah Buechi, Swiss singer.
• 20 –Kaori Kobayashi, Japanese saxophonist and flautist.
• 24 –Fredrik Mikkelsen, Norwegian guitarist and composer.
• 26 –Erlend Slettevoll, Norwegian pianist,Grand General.

December

• 17 –Kim Myhr, Norwegian guitarist and composer,Trondheim Jazz Orchestra.
• 18 –Maciej Obara, Polish saxophonist.

Unknown date

• Anders Thorén, Swedish drummer.
• Andy Davies, Welsh trumpeter.
• Ivar Loe Bjørnstad, Norwegian drummer.

• 1980s in jazz
• List of years in jazz
• 1981 in music

• History Of Jazz Timeline: 1981 atAll About Jazz

This list of songs or music-related items isincomplete; you can help byadding missing items.(October 2021)

• 1981 in music
• Jazz by year

• CS1 Norwegian-language sources (no)
• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Dynamic lists
• Incomplete music lists
• Incomplete lists from October 2021