# 1952 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1952.

## Events

* The pianist John Lewis initiates the Modern Jazz Quartet together with vibraphonist Milt Jackson, bassist Percy Heath, and drummer Kenny Clarke.
* Thelonious Monk starts making records for Prestige.
* The young trumpeter Chet Baker play with Charlie Parker before he joines the quartet of Gerry Mulligan.
* The health of guitarist Django Reinhardt is starting to fail. His fingers are getting stiff.
* Les Paul introduces his new invention, the solid body guitar, when Gibson begins marketing the classic guitar which bears his name.

## Album releases

* Gerry Mulligan: Gerry Mulligan Quartet Volume 1 (Pacific Jazz)
* Johnny Smith: Moonlight in Vermont originally Jazz at NBC Series (Royal Roost)
* Stan Kenton: New Concepts of Artistry in Rhythm (Capitol)
* Nat King Cole: Penthouse Serenade (Capitol)
* Duke Ellington: Ellington Uptown (Columbia)
* Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie: Bird and Diz (Clef/Verve)
* Oscar Peterson: An Evening with Oscar Peterson (Clef Records)
* Oscar Peterson: Oscar Peterson Plays Duke Ellington (Clef Records)
* Dave Brubeck: The Dave Brubeck Quartet (Fantasy Records)
* Bud Powell: The Amazing Bud Powell (Blue Note)

## Deaths
### January

* 9 – Midge Williams, African-American singer (born 1915).

### February

* 23 – Herb Morand, American trumpeter (born 1905).

### March

* 27 – Cassino Simpson, American pianist (born 1909).

### April

* 26 – Zinky Cohn, American pianist (born 1908).

### June

* 14 – John Kirby, American upright bassist who also played trombone and tuba (born 1908).

### November

* 20 – Mal Hallett, American jazz violinist and bandleader (born 1893).

### December

* 29 – Fletcher Henderson, American pianist, bandleader, arranger and composer (born 1897).
* 31 – Mel Stitzel, German-born pianist best known for his work with the New Orleans Rhythm Kings (born 1902).

## Births
### January

* 2 – Viatcheslav Nazarov, Russian trombonist, pianist, and vocalist (died 1996).
* 10 – William Parker, American bassist, poet, and composer.
* 11 – Lee Ritenour, American guitarist.
* 13 – Pekka Pohjola, Finnish multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer (died 2008).
* 19 – Eric Leeds, American saxophonist.
* 27 – Ray Obiedo, American contemporary jazz guitarist.

### February

* 18 – Randy Crawford, American singer.
* 20 – Uwe Kropinski, German guitarist.
* 22 – Ken Pickering, Canadian jazz promotor, Vancouver Jazz Festival co-founder (died 2018).

### March

* 11 – Vince Giordano, American saxophonist, Nighthawks Orchestra.
* 17 – Manolo Badrena, Puerto Rican percussionist, Weather Report.
* 19 – Chris Brubeck, American bassist, bass trombonist, and pianist.
* 21 – Carlo Actis Dato, Italian saxophonist and composer.
* 22 – Bob Mover, American saxophonist and vocalist.
* 26 – Paolo Damiani, Italian cellist and upright bassist.
* 29 – Errol Dyers, South African guitarist and composer (died 2017).

### April

* 2 – Dave Buxton, English pianist and composer.
* 6 – Richard Tabnik, American saxophonist.
* 8 – Yildiz Ibrahimova, Bulgarian singer of Turkish ancestry.
* 12 – Jeff Linsky, American guitarist.
* 16 – Jukka Tolonen, Finnish guitarist.
* 25 – Ketil Bjørnstad, Norwegian pianist, American composer and writer.
* 28 – Leni Stern, German guitarist, singer, and n'goni (Malian banjo-guitar) player.
* 29 – Dave Valentin, American flautist (died 2017).

### May

* 2 – Mari Natsuki, Japanese singer.
* 8 – John Purcell, American saxophonist.
* 24
** Dave DeFries, British trumpeter, flugelhornist, and percussionist.
** Pierre Van Dormael, Belgian musician and composer (died 2008).
* 29 – Hilton Ruiz, American pianist (died 2006).

### June

* 5 – Monnette Sudler, American guitarist.
* 7 – Royce Campbell, American guitarist.
* 12
** Bent Patey, Norwegian guitarist, composer, and writer.
** Jed Williams, Welsh jazz journalist and the founder of the Brecon Jazz Festival (died 2003).
* 13 – Clarence Banks, American trombonist, Count Basie Orchestra.
* 16 – Gino Vannelli, Canadian singer, songwriter, musician and composer.
* 19 – Sidsel Endresen, Norwegian vocalist, composer and actor.
* 20 – Gary Lucas, American guitarist, Gods and Monsters.
* 23 – Anthony Jackson, American bassist.
* 25 – Radka Toneff, Norwegian singer (died 1982).
* 28 – Alan Pasqua, American pianist.

### July

* 1
** Ichiko Hashimoto, Japanese pianist, composer and singer.
** Leon "Ndugu" Chancler, American drummer (died 2018).
** Timothy J. Tobias, American composer and pianist (died 2006).
* 7 – Sue Keller, American pianist and singer
* 23 – Janis Siegel, American singer.
* 26 – Christian Lauba, Tunisian born French composer and teacher.

### August

* 11
** Finn Sletten, Norwegian drummer.
** Harry Tavitian, Romanian pianist and singer.
* 14 – George E. Lewis, American composer, electronic performer, installation artist, and trombonist.
* 19 – Bruce Katz, American pianist, organist, and bass guitarist.
* 20 – John Clayton, American upright bassist.
* 25
** Ben Brown, American upright bassist.
** Michael Marcus, American clarinetist and multi-woodwind player.
* 26
** Michael Wolff, Austrian pianist, composer, and producer.
** Peter Wolf, Austrian composer, producer, songwriter, and arranger.

### September

* 1 – Ed Neumeister, American trombonist.
* 6 – Phil Markowitz, American pianist.
* 9 – Per Jørgensen, Norwegian trumpeter, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist, JøKleBa.
* 19
** Henry Kaiser, American guitarist and composer.
** Uffe Markussen, Danish reedist.
* 22 – Oliver Mtukudzi, Zimbabwean guitarist (died 2019).
* 26 – Mark Dresser, American upright bassist and composer.
* 29 – Roy Campbell, Jr., American trumpeter (died 2014).

### October

* 11 – Brian Jackson, American keyboardist, flautist, singer, composer, and producer.
* 16 – Ray Anderson, American trombonist and trumpeter.
* 21 – Ali Ryerson, American flautist.
* 27 – Ken Filiano, American upright bassist.
* 30 – Arlen Roth, American guitarist.

### November

* 4 – Jeff Lorber, American keyboardist, composer, and record producer.
* 8 – Carl Haakon Waadeland, Norwegian drummer.
* 12 – Laurence Juber, English guitarist, Wings.
* 16 – Lauren Newton, American singer and composer.
* 28 – Ole Thomsen, Norwegian guitarist.
* 30 – Chris Joris, Belgian percussionist, pianist, and composer.

### December

* 2 – Rob Mounsey, American keyboarder, composer, and arranger.
* 8
** Mathias Rüegg, Swiss pianist, composer, bandleader, director, Vienna Art Orchestra.
** Reynold Philipsek, American guitarist, singer-songwriter, and poet.
** Ric Sanders, English violinist.
* 23 – Jay Azzolina, American guitarist, Spyro Gyra.
* 24 – Chucho Merchán, Colombian bassist and guitarist.
* 27 – David Knopfler, British singer-songwriter, guitarist, pianist, record producer, poet, and writer.
* 29 – Joe Lovano, American saxophonist, alto clarinetist, flautist, and drummer.

### Unknown date

* Akio Sasajima, Japanese guitarist.
* Brad Upton, American trumpeter.
* Eugene Friesen, American cellist and composer.
* Gordon Johnson, American upright bassist.
* Roberto Perera, Uruguayan harpist.