2015 in jazz

Events

January

• 21 – The 4th Bodø Jazz Open started in Bodø, Norway.
• 23 – The 34th annual Djangofestival started on Cosmopolite in Oslo, Norway.

  February

• 5
• * The 17th Polarjazz Festival started in Longyearbyen, Svalbard .
• * The 10th Ice Music Festival started in Geilo, Norway.

  March

• 6 – The 11th Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival started in Jakarta, Indonesia.
• 27 – The 42nd Vossajazz started in Voss, Norway.
• 28
• * Thea Hjelmeland was awarded Vossajazzprisen 2015 for the album Solar Plexus.
• * Live Maria Roggen performs the commissioned work Apukaluptein at Vossajazz.

  April

• 23 – The 21st SoddJazz started in Inderøy, Norway.
• 30 – The International Jazz Day.

  May

• 5 – The 27th MaiJazz started in Stavanger, Norway.
• 6 – The 11th AnJazz started in Hamar, Norway.
• 7
• * Julie Dahle Aagård played at Uhørt in Oslo, Norway.
• * Lisa Ekdahl play at Rockefeller in Oslo, Norway.
• * Bergen Big Band with Gabriel Fliflet and Ole Hamre played at Sardinen USF in Bergen, Norway.
• * The 37th Trondheim Jazz Festival started in Trondheim, Norway.
• 8
• * Per Mathisen Trio played at Draaben Bar in Sandefjord, Norway.
• * Hanna Paulsberg Concept / Soil Collectors / MOPO played at Victoria - Nasjonal Jazzscene Oslo, Norway.
• 10 – Kampenjazz: Anja Eline Skybakmoen played at Cafeteatret Oslo, Norway.
• 15 – Per Mathisen Trio played at Victoria - National Jazz Scene in Oslo, Norway.
• 16 – Farmers Market played at Victoria - National Jazz Scene in Oslo, Norway.
• 22
• * The 44th Moers Festival starts in Moers, Germany
• * Eivind Opsvik Overseas played at Victoria - National Jazz Scene in Oslo, Norway.
• 23 – Beady Belle played at Victoria - National Jazz Scene in Oslo, Norway.
• 28
• * The 4th Torino Jazz Festival started in Turin.
• * The 43rd Nattjazz 2015 started in Bergen, Norway
• * Bergen Big Band was the very first recipients of Olav Dale's Memorial Award at the opening of Nattjazz 2015.

  June

• 17 – The 27th Jazz Fest Wien started in Vienna, Austria.
• 26 – The 35th Montreal International Jazz Festival started in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

  July

• 1
• * The 51st Kongsberg Jazzfestival started at Kongsberg, Norway.
• * Ellen Andrea Wang was recipient of the Kongsberg Jazz Award or DNB.prisen 2015 at the Kongsberg Jazzfestival.
• 2
• * The 15th Stavernfestivalen started in Stavern, Norway.
• * The 25th JazzBaltica starts in Schloss Salzau close to Kiel, Germany.
• 3
• * The 37th Copenhagen Jazz Festival started in Copenhagen, Denmark.
• * The 49th Montreux Jazz Festival started in Montreux, Switzerland.
• 7 – The 68th Nice Jazz Festival started in Nice, France.
• 10 – The 40th North Sea Jazz Festival started in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
• 11
• * The 27th Aarhus Jazz Festival started in Aarhus, Denmark.
• * The 50th Pori Jazz Festival started in Pori, Finland.
• 13 – The 55th Moldejazz started in Molde, Norway with Mats Gustafsson as artist in residence.
• 16 – Jan Ole Otnæs received the 2015 Molderosen at Moldejazz.
• 22 – The 20th Canal Street started in Arendal, Norway.
• 31 – The 59th Newport Jazz Festival started in Newport, Rhode Island.

  August

• 5 – The 29th Sildajazz 2015 started in Haugesund, Norway.
• 6 – The 21st Hemnesjazz 2015 started in Hemnesberget, Norway.
• 8 – The 4th Kids in Jazz 2015 festival started in Oslo, Norway as part of the Oslo Jazzfestival.
• 10 – The 30th Oslo Jazzfestival started in Oslo, Norway.
• 11 – The 17th Øyafestivalen started in Oslo, Norway.
• 12 – Anneli Drecker played at Øyafestivalen.

  September

• 3 – The 11th Punktfestivalen started in Kristiansand, Norway.
• 18 – The 58th Monterey Jazz Festival started in Monterey, California.

  October

• 9 – The 32nd Stockholm Jazz Festival started in Stockholm, Sweden.

  November

• 13 – The 24th London Jazz Festival started in London, England.

  December

• 29 – The 10th RIBBEjazz started in Lillestrøm, Norway.

  Album released

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Deaths

• 1 – Jeff Golub, American guitarist.
• 3 – Ivan Jullien, French trumpeter.
• 4 – Pino Daniele, Italian singer, songwriter, and guitarist.
• 19 – Ward Swingle, American vocalist and pianist, The Swingle Singers.

• 3 – William Thomas McKinley, American composer and pianist.
• 12 – Richie Pratt, American drummer.
• 21 – Clark Terry, American trumpeter.
• 22 – Erik Amundsen, Norwegian upright bassist.

• 8 – Lew Soloff, American trumpeter, composer, and actor.
• 13 – Daevid Allen, Australian poet, guitarist, singer, composer, and performance artist, Soft Machine and Gong.
• 15
• * Bob Parlocha, American saxophonist and gourmet cook.
• * Mike Porcaro, American bassist, Toto.
• 20 – Paul Jeffrey, American tenor saxophonist, arranger, and educator.
• 21 – Jørgen Ingmann, Danish guitarist.
• 26 – John Renbourn, English guitarist and songwriter.
• 27 – Johnny Helms, American trumpeter and bandleader.
• 31 – Ralph Sharon, Anglo-American pianist and arranger.

• 6 – Milton DeLugg, American pianoist, accordionist, and composer.
• 27 – Marty Napoleon, American pianist.

• 3 – Ben Aronov, American pianist.
• 6 – Jerome Cooper, American drummer.
• 14 – B.B. King, American guitarist.
• 20
• * Bob Belden, American saxophonist.
• * Simon Flem Devold, Norwegian clarinetist and columnist.
• 23 – Marcus Belgrave, American trumpeter.
• 28 – Ray Kennedy, American pianist.
• 31 – Slim Richey, American guitarist.

• 8 – Paul Bacon, American musician and book and album cover designer.
• 9 – James Last, German composer and big band leader, James Last Orchestra.
• 11 – Ornette Coleman, American saxophonist.
• 12 – Monica Lewis, American singer and actress.
• 13 – Big Time Sarah, American singer.
• 19 – Harold Battiste, American saxophonist, pianist, and composer.
• 21 – Gunther Schuller, American composer, conductor, and horn player.
• 30 – Eddy Louiss, French Hammond organist, Les Double Six.

• 6 – Masabumi Kikuchi, Japanese jazz pianist and composer.
• 15 – Howard Rumsey, American upright bassist.
• 17 – John Taylor, British pianist and composer.
• 19 – Van Alexander, American bandleader, arranger, and composer.

• 13 – Harold Ousley, American tenor saxophonist and flautist.
• 14 – Jazz Summers, British music manager, Scissor Sisters, The Verve, and Snow Patrol.
• 30 – Hugo Rasmussen, Danish bassist.

• 27 – Wilton Felder, American saxophonist and bassist, The Crusaders.
• 29 – Phil Woods, American saxophonist, clarinetist, bandleader and composer.

• 3 – Dave Pike, American vibraphone and marimba player.
• 9 – Larry Rosen, American drummer, entrepreneur, and music producer.
• 20 – Don Rendell, English saxophonist, flautist, and clarinetist.
• 22 – Mark Murphy, American singer.
• 24 – Nat Peck, American trombonist.

• 5
• * Kjell Öhman, Swedish pianist, hammond organist, and accordionist.
• * Nora Brockstedt, Norwegian singer.
• 9 – Andy White, Scottish drummer.
• 17 – Al Aarons, American trumpeter.
• 23
• * Bengt-Arne Wallin, Swedish composer, arrangeur, trumpeter, and flugelhornist.
• * Cynthia Robinson, American trumpeter and vocalist, Sly and the Family Stone.
• 25 – Svein Christiansen, Norwegian drummer.

• 9 – Rusty Jones, American drummer.
• 28 – Joe Houston, American tenor saxophonist.
• 31
• * Natalie Cole, American singer, songwriter, and actress .
• * Dal Richards, Canadian big band leader.