# 1968 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1968.

## 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.