# 1985 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1985.

## Events
### March

* 29 – The 12th Vossajazz started in Voss, 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.