# 1981 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1981.

## Events
### April

* 10 – The 8th Vossajazz started in Voss, Norway (April 10 – 12).

### May

* 20 – 9th Nattjazz started in Bergen, Norway (May 20 – June 3).

### June

* 2 – The 2nd Montreal International Jazz Festival started in Montreal, Quebec, Canada (July 2 – 10).
* 5 – 10th Moers Festival started in Moers, Germany (June 5 – 8).

### July

* 3 – The 15th Montreux Jazz Festival started in Montreux, Switzerland (July 3 – 19).
* 10 – The 6th North Sea Jazz Festival started in The Hague, Netherlands (July 10 – 12).

### September

* 18 – The 24th Monterey Jazz Festival started in Monterey, California (September 18 – 20).

## Album releases

* Stanley Clarke and George Duke: The Clarke/Duke Project
* Al Jarreau: Breakin' Away
* Lee Ritenour: Rit
* Ronald Shannon Jackson: Street Priest
* Jan Garbarek: Paths, Prints
* Anthony Davis: Episteme
* Joe McPhee: Topology
* Paul Motian: Psalm
* Rova Saxophone Quartet: As Was
* Marilyn Crispell: Spirit Music
* Muhal Richard Abrams: Blues Forever
* Henry Kaiser: Aloha
* Sergey Kuryokhin: The Ways of Freedom
* David Moss: Terrain
* David Murray: Home
* Frank Lowe: Skizoke
* Willem Breuker: In Holland
* Ronald Shannon Jackson: Nasty
* Billy Bang: Rainbow Gladiator
* Don Moye: Black Paladins
* Frederic Hand: Heart's Song
* Jaco Pastorius: Word of Mouth
* Joanne Brackeen: Special Identity
* Hal Russell: NRG Ensemble
* Marvin Peterson: The Angels of Atlanta
* Oscar Peterson: Nigerian Marketplace
* Saheb Sarbib: Aisha
* Steve Douglas: Rainbow Suite
* Steve Khan: Eyewitness
* Wynton Marsalis: Wynton Marsalis
* Keith Tippett: Mujician
* Larry Carlton: Strikes Twice
* Pharoah Sanders: Rejoice

## Deaths
### January

* 9 – Cozy Cole, American drummer (born 1909).
* 21 – Russell Procope, American clarinettist and alto saxophonist (born 1908).

### February

* 23 – Shep Fields, American bandleader, clarinetist, and tenor saxophonist (born 1910).
* 28 – Jean Robert, Belgian saxophonist (born 1908).

### March

* 5 – Red Saunders, American drummer and bandleader (born 1912).
* 20 – Sonny Red, American alto saxophonist (born 1932).

### April

* 3 – Polo Barnes, American clarinetist and saxophonist (born 1901).
* 29 – Cat Anderson, American trumpeter (born 1916).

### May

* 12 – Frank Weir, British orchestra leader and saxophonist (born 1911).
* 25 – Georg Malmstén, Finnish singer, musician, composer, orchestra conductor, and actor (born 1902).
* 28 – Mary Lou Williams, African-American pianist and composer (born 1910).

### July

* 21 – Snub Mosley, American trombonist (born 1905).

### August

* 3 – Seymour Österwall, Swedish tenor saxophonist, bandleader, and composer (born 1908).
* 4 – Tommy Turk, American trombonist (born 1927).
* 24 – Bill Coleman, American trumpeter (born 1904).

### September

* 9
** Fernand Coppieters, Belgian pianist and organist (born 1905).
** Helen Humes, American singer (born 1913).
* 13 – Bob Bates, American upright bassist (born 1923).

### December

* 15 – Samuel Jones, American upright bassist, cellist and composer (born 1924).
* 17 – Roy McCloud, American cornetist (born 1909).
* 27 – Hoagy Carmichael, American composer, pianist, singer, actor, and bandleader (born 1899).

## Births
### 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.