1985 in jazz

March • 29 – The 12th Vossajazz started in Vossavangen, 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). at Victoria during the 2015 Oslo Jazzfestival. ; 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==

2017 at Victoria, Nasjonal Jazzscene, Oslo. at the 2014 Odessa Jazz Festival. ; 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. ==See also==