1974 in jazz
Billy Cobham during his Crosswinds tour at Kongeberg Jazzfestival in July 1974
Decade	1970s in jazz
Music	1974 in music
Standards	List of post-1950 jazz standards
See also	1973 in jazz – 1975 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1974.

Events

April

• 5 – The very first Vossajazz started in Voss, Norway (April 5 – 7).^[1]

May

• 22 – The 2nd Nattjazz started in Bergen, Norway (May 22 – June 5).^[2]
• 31 – The 3rd Moers Festival started in Moers, Germany (May 31 – June 1).^[3]

June

• 28
  • The 21st Newport Jazz Festival started in Newport, Rhode Island (June 28 – July 7).^[4]
  • The 8th Montreux Jazz Festival started in Montreux, Switzerland (June 28 – July 7).^[5]

September

• 20 – The 17th Monterey Jazz Festival started in Monterey, California (September 20 – 22).^[6]

Unknown date

• The First International Boogie Woogie Festival at WDR Cologne, Germany, on Sept.14/15 1974, with Memphis Slim, Willie Mabon, Axel Zwingenberger, Bob Hall, Jo-Ann Kelly, Vince Weber among others, organized by Hans W. Ewert for Radio WDR

Album releases

Deaths

January

• 10 – Eddie Safranski, American upright bassist (born 1918).
• 23 – Don Fagerquist, American trumpeter (born 1927).
• 26
  • Archie Semple, Scottish clarinetist (born 1928).
  • Joe Benjamin, American upright bassist. (born 1919).
• 28 – Ed Allen, American jazz trumpeter and cornetist (born 1897).

February

• 25 – Julian Dash, American tenor (born 1916).

March

• 1 – Bobby Timmons, American pianist and composer (born 1935).
• 9 – Floyd Bean, American jazz pianist (born 1904).
• 22 – Sam Donahue, American tenor saxophonist, trumpeter and musical arranger (born 1918).
• 27 – Lars Skoglund, Norwegian guitarist, drummer, and composer.

April

• 11 – Fud Candrix, Belgian saxophonist and violinist (born 1908).

May

• 4 – Geraldo, English bandleader and composer (born 1904).
• 15 – Paul Gonsalves, American tenor saxophonist (born 1920).
• 24 – Duke Ellington, American composer, pianist, and bandleader (born 1899).

August

• 6 – Gene Ammons, American tenor saxophonist (born 1925).
• 9 – Bill Chase, American trumpeter (born 1934).
• 13 – Tina Brooks, American tenor saxophonist and composer (born 1932).
• 21 – Marvin Ash, American pianist (born 1914).
• 25 – Gus Viseur, Belgian-French button accordionist (born 1915).

October

• 8 – Harry Carney, American saxophonist (born 1910).
• 18 – John Anderson, American trumpeter (born 1921).

November

• 19 – George Brunies, American trombonist (born 1902).

Births

January

• 4
  • Hild Sofie Tafjord, Norwegian French hornist.
  • Sjur Miljeteig, Norwegian trumpeter, composer, and author.

February

• 17 – Bernt Moen, Norwegian pianist, keyboarder, and composer.
• 21 – Benjamin Koppel, Danish saxophonist.
• 27 – Alexi Tuomarila, Finnish pianist and composer.

March

• 27 – Lars Skoglund, Norwegian composer, guitarist, and drummer.

April

• 10 – Beate S. Lech, Norwegian singer, composer, and lyricist.
• 18 – Madeleine Peyroux, American singer-songwriter.
• 24 – Niño Josele, Spanish guitarist and exponent of the New Flamenco style.
• 29 – Børre Dalhaug, Norwegian drummer.
• 30 – Aaron Goldberg, American pianist.

May

• 29 – Coleman Mellett, American jazz guitarist (died 2009).
• 30 – Nick Etwell, British trumpeter, The Filthy Six.

July

• 7 – Kenneth Ekornes, Norwegian percussionist.
• 10 – Kai Fagaschinski, German clarinetist and composer.
• 17 – Laura Macdonald, Scottish alto and soprano saxophonist, composer and teacher.
• 22 – Kåre Nymark, Norwegian trumpeter and composer.
• 29 – Viktoria Tolstoy, Swedish singer.
• 31 – Dafnis Prieto, Cuban-American drummer, composer, bandleader, and educator.

August

• 13 – Magnus Lindgren, Swedish saxophonist, flautist, and clarinetist.

September

• 10 – Lasse Marhaug, Norwegian electronic musician.
• 24 – Miriam Aïda, Swedish singer.
• 30 – Varre Vartiainen, Finnish guitarist.

October

• 25 – Victor Kunonga, Zimbabwean singer and songwriter.

November

• 4 – Simon Spillett, English tenor saxophonist.
• 15 – Reuben Rogers, American bassist.
• 23 – Frode Kjekstad, Norwegian guitarist.
• 26 – Line Horntveth, Norwegian tubist, flautist, percussionist, and singer, Jaga Jazzist.

December

• 6 – Stefan Pasborg, Danish drummer, composer, and bandleader.
• 14 – Nate Smith, American drummer, songwriter, and producer.
• 17 – Anders Aarum, Norwegian pianist and composer.
• 18 – Miles Okazaki, American guitarist and composer.
• 21 – Knut Aalefjær, Norwegian drummer.
• 24
  • Sophie Alour, French saxophonist.
  • Paal Nilssen-Love, Norwegian drummer.
• 26 – Chihiro Yamanaka, Japanese pianist and composer.

Unknown date

• Biel Ballester, Spanish guitarist.
• Jonathan Bratoeff, French guitarist.
• Martin Tingvall, Swedish pianist, composer, and bandleader.