1981 in jazz
Max Roach American Jazz Drummer with saxohonist Odeon Pope at Keystone Korner San Francisco Tuesday, February 22nd, 1981
Decade	1980s in jazz
Music	1981 in music
Standards	List of post-1950 jazz standards
See also	1980 in jazz – 1982 in jazz

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

• 10 – The 8th Vossajazz started in Voss, Norway (April 10 – 12).^[1]

• 20 – 9th Nattjazz started in Bergen, Norway (May 20 – June 3).^[2]

• 2 – The 2nd Montreal International Jazz Festival started in Montreal, Quebec, Canada (July 2 – 10).^[3]
• 5 – 10th Moers Festival started in Moers, Germany (June 5 – 8).^[4]

• 3 – The 15th Montreux Jazz Festival started in Montreux, Switzerland (July 3 – 19).^[5]
• 10 – The 6th North Sea Jazz Festival started in The Hague, Netherlands (July 10 – 12).^[6]

• 18 – The 24th Monterey Jazz Festival started in Monterey, California (September 18 – 20).^[7]

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).

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.

• 1980s in jazz
• List of years in jazz
• 1981 in music

• History Of Jazz Timeline: 1981 at All About Jazz

This list of songs or music-related items is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (October 2021)