# 1994 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of jazz in the year 1994.

## Events
### March

* 25 – The 21st Vossajazz started in Voss, Norway (March 25 – 27).

### May

* 20 – The 23rd Moers Festival started in Moers, Germany (June 20 – 23).
* 26 – The 22nd Nattjazz started in Bergen, Norway (May 26 – June 5).

### July

* 1
** The 17th Copenhagen Jazz Festival started in Copenhagen, Denmark (July 1–10).
** The 4th Jazz Fest Wien started in Wien, Austria (July 1–15).
** The 15th Montreal International Jazz Festival started in Montreal, Quebec, Canada (July 1–16).
** The 28th Montreux Jazz Festival started in Montreux, Switzerland (July 1–16).
* 8 – The 19th North Sea Jazz Festival started in The Hague (July 8–10).
* 16 – The 29th Pori Jazz started in Pori, Finland (July 16–24).
* 18 – The 35th Moldejazz started in Molde, Norway (July 18–23).

### August

* 12 – The 11th Brecon Jazz Festival started in Brecon, Wales (August 12–14).

### September

* 16 – The 37th Monterey Jazz Festival started in Monterey, California (September 16–18).

## Album releases

* Myra Melford: Even the Sounds Shine
* Toshiko Akiyoshi: Desert Lady
* Matthew Shipp: Critical Mass
* Pat Metheny: Zero Tolerance for Silence
* Henry Threadgill: Carry the Day
* Ken Vandermark: Solid Action
* Steve Coleman: Def Trance Beat
* Chick Corea: Expressions
* Misha Mengelberg: Mix
* Bobby Previte: Slay the Suitors
* Joshua Redman: MoodSwing
* Franklin Kiermyer: Solomon's Daughter
* Mark Helias: Loopin' the Cool
* Jessica Williams: Momentum
* Fred Anderson: Vintage Duets
* David S. Ware: Earthquation
* Eliane Elias: Solos and Duets
* Hugh Masekela: Hope
* Ray Anderson, Han Bennink and Christy Doran: Azurety
* John Surman Quartet: Stranger Than Fiction
* Wallace Roney: Mistérios
* Peter Erskine: Time Being
* Louis Sclavis and Dominique Pifarély: Acoustic Quartet
* Edward Vesala with Sound & Fury: Nordic Gallery
* Red Sun and SamulNori: Then Comes The White Tiger
* Krakatau: Matinale
* John Abercrombie Trio: Speak of the Devil
* Trevor Watts and the Moire Music Ensemble: A Wider Embrace
* Jan Garbarek with Anouar Brahem and Ustad Shaukat Hussain: Madar
* Don Cherry with Bobo Stenson and Lennart Åberg: Dona Nostra
* Vincent Herring: The Days of Wine and Roses
* Michel Camilo: One More Once
* Marilyn Crispell: Stellar Pulsations / Three Composers
* Karl Berger: Conversations
* Charlie Haden's Quartet West: Always Say Goodbye
* European Music Orchestra: Guest

## Deaths
### January

* 1 – James Clay, American tenor saxophonist and flutist (born 1935).
* 30 – Tiny Davis, American trumpeter and vocalist (born 1909).

### February

* 8 – Raymond Scott, American composer, band leader, pianist, and electronic instrument inventor (born 1908).

### March

* 9 – Maurice Purtill or Moe Purtill, American drummer, Glenn Miller Orchestra (born 1916).
* 13 – Danny Barker, American guitarist, banjoist, vocalist, and author (born 1909).
* 19 – Rafig Babayev, Azerbaijani musician and composer (born 1937).
* 24 – Tommy Benford, American drummer (born 1905).

### April

* 2 – Rowland Greenberg, Norwegian trumpeter (born 1920).
* 6 – Dick Cary, American trumpeter, composer, and arranger (born 1916).
* 16 – Ralph Ellison, American novelist and literary critic (born 1913).
* 22 – Jack Bentley, English trombonist, journalist, and scriptwriter (born 1913).

### May

* 23 – Joe Pass, American guitarist of Sicilian descent (born 1929).
* 25 – Eric Gale, American guitarist (born 1938).
* 26
** Gil Fuller, American composer and arranger (born 1920).
** Sonny Sharrock, American guitarist (born 1940).
* 27 – Red Rodney, American trumpeter (born 1927).
* 29 – Oliver Jackson, American drummer (born 1933).
* 30 – Jean Omer, Belgian reedist and bandleader (born 1912).

### June

* 7 – Willie Humphrey, American clarinetist (born 1900).
* 14
** Henry Mancini, American composer, conductor, and arranger (born 1924).
** Lionel Grigson, British pianist, cornettist, trumpeter, and composer (born 1942).
* 21 – Dennis Berry, English saxophonist, composer, arranger, and producer (born 1921).

### July

* 11 – Lex Humphries, American drummer (born 1936).

### August

* 6 – Jacques Pelzer, Belgian alto saxophonist and flautist (born 1924).
* 12 – Gene Cherico, American upright bassist (born 1935).
* 18 – Charles Redland, Swedish saxophonist, bandleader, and composer (born 1911).

### September

* 5 – Billy Usselton, American jazz reed player (born 1926).
* 6 – Max Kaminsky, American trumpeter and bandleader (born 1908).
* 13 – John Stevens, English drummer, Spontaneous Music Ensemble (born 1940).
* 16 – Bernie Leighton, American pianist (born 1921).
* 20 – Jimmy Hamilton, American clarinetist, tenor saxophonist, and composer (born 1917).
* 22
** Bob Lively, American saxophonist (born 1923).
** Leonard Feather, British pianist, composer, and producer (born 1914).
* 29 – David van Kriedt, American composer, saxophonist, and music teacher (born 1922).

### October

* 3 – Scoville Browne, American reedist (born 1909).
* 4 – Danny Gatton, American guitarist (born 1945).
* 5 – Nini Rosso, Italian jazz trumpeter and composer (born 1926).
* 8 – John Neely, American tenor saxophonist and arranger (born 1930).
* 21
** Lanny Steele, American pianist and composer (born 1933).
** Thore Ehrling, Swedish trumpeter, composer, and bandleader (born 1912).

### November

* 4 – Jack Sharpe, English saxophonist and bandleader (born 1930).
* 7 – Shorty Rogers, American trumpeter and flugelhornist (born 1924).
* 10 – Carmen McRae, American singer, composer, pianist, and actress (born 1922).
* 18 – Cab Calloway, American singer and bandleader (born 1907).
* 28 – Al Levitt, American drummer (born 1932).
* 30 – Connie Kay, American drummer (born 1927).

### December

* 8 – Antonio Carlos Jobim, Brazilian composer, pianist, songwriter, arranger, and singer (born 1927).
* 14 – Mary Ann McCall, American singer (born 1919).
* 19
** Bill Douglass, American drummer (born 1923).
** Noel Pointer, American jazz violinist and record producer (born 1954).

## Births
### February

* 8 – Nikki Yanofsky, Canadian singer.

### March

* 23 – Gentle Bones, Singaporean singer and composer.

### April

* 9 – Jo David Meyer Lysne, Norwegian guitarist and composer.

### Unknown date

* Amalie Holt Kleive, Norwegian singer and composer.
* Billie Black, British singer.
* Veronica Swift, American singer.