1994 in jazz
Ornette Coleman, 1994
Decade	1990s in jazz
Music	1994 in music
Standards	List of post-1950 jazz standards
See also	1993 in jazz – 1995 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of jazz in the year 1994.

• 25 – The 21st Vossajazz started in Voss, Norway (March 25 – 27).^[1]

• 20 – The 23rd Moers Festival started in Moers, Germany (June 20 – 23).^[2]
• 26 – The 22nd Nattjazz started in Bergen, Norway (May 26 – June 5).^[3]

• 1
  • The 17th Copenhagen Jazz Festival started in Copenhagen, Denmark (July 1–10).^[4]
  • The 4th Jazz Fest Wien started in Wien, Austria (July 1–15).^[5]
  • The 15th Montreal International Jazz Festival started in Montreal, Quebec, Canada (July 1–16).^[6]
  • The 28th Montreux Jazz Festival started in Montreux, Switzerland (July 1–16).^[7]
• 8 – The 19th North Sea Jazz Festival started in The Hague (July 8–10).^[8]
• 16 – The 29th Pori Jazz started in Pori, Finland (July 16–24).^[9]
• 18 – The 35th Moldejazz started in Molde, Norway (July 18–23).^[10]

• 12 – The 11th Brecon Jazz Festival started in Brecon, Wales (August 12–14).^[11]

• 16 – The 37th Monterey Jazz Festival started in Monterey, California (September 16–18).^[12]

January

• 1 – James Clay, American tenor saxophonist and flutist (born 1935).
• 30 – Tiny Davis, American trumpeter and vocalist (born 1909).

February

• 8 – Raymond Scott, American composer, band leader, pianist, and electronic instrument inventor (born 1908).

March

• 9 – Maurice Purtill or Moe Purtill, American drummer, Glenn Miller Orchestra (born 1916).
• 13 – Danny Barker, American guitarist, banjoist, vocalist, and author (born 1909).
• 19 – Rafig Babayev, Azerbaijani musician and composer (born 1937).
• 24 – Tommy Benford, American drummer (born 1905).

April

• 2 – Rowland Greenberg, Norwegian trumpeter (born 1920).
• 6 – Dick Cary, American trumpeter, composer, and arranger (born 1916).
• 16 – Ralph Ellison, American novelist and literary critic (born 1913).
• 22 – Jack Bentley, English trombonist, journalist, and scriptwriter (born 1913).

May

• 23 – Joe Pass, American guitarist of Sicilian descent (born 1929).
• 25 – Eric Gale, American guitarist (born 1938).
• 26
  • Gil Fuller, American composer and arranger (born 1920).
  • Sonny Sharrock, American guitarist (born 1940).
• 27 – Red Rodney, American trumpeter (born 1927).
• 29 – Oliver Jackson, American drummer (born 1933).
• 30 – Jean Omer, Belgian reedist and bandleader (born 1912).

June

• 7 – Willie Humphrey, American clarinetist (born 1900).^[13]
• 14
  • Henry Mancini, American composer, conductor, and arranger (born 1924).
  • Lionel Grigson, British pianist, cornettist, trumpeter, and composer (born 1942).
• 21 – Dennis Berry, English saxophonist, composer, arranger, and producer (born 1921).

July

• 11 – Lex Humphries, American drummer (born 1936).

August

• 6 – Jacques Pelzer, Belgian alto saxophonist and flautist (born 1924).^[14]
• 12 – Gene Cherico, American upright bassist (born 1935).
• 18 – Charles Redland, Swedish saxophonist, bandleader, and composer (born 1911).

September

• 5 – Billy Usselton, American jazz reed player (born 1926).
• 6 – Max Kaminsky, American trumpeter and bandleader (born 1908).^[15]
• 13 – John Stevens, English drummer, Spontaneous Music Ensemble (born 1940).
• 16 – Bernie Leighton, American pianist (born 1921).
• 20 – Jimmy Hamilton, American clarinetist, tenor saxophonist, and composer (born 1917).
• 22
  • Bob Lively, American saxophonist (born 1923).
  • Leonard Feather, British pianist, composer, and producer (born 1914).
• 29 – David van Kriedt, American composer, saxophonist, and music teacher (born 1922).

October

• 3 – Scoville Browne, American reedist (born 1909).
• 4 – Danny Gatton, American guitarist (born 1945).
• 5 – Nini Rosso, Italian jazz trumpeter and composer (born 1926).
• 8 – John Neely, American tenor saxophonist and arranger (born 1930).
• 21
  • Lanny Steele, American pianist and composer (born 1933).
  • Thore Ehrling, Swedish trumpeter, composer, and bandleader (born 1912).

November

• 4 – Jack Sharpe, English saxophonist and bandleader (born 1930).
• 7 – Shorty Rogers, American trumpeter and flugelhornist (born 1924).
• 10 – Carmen McRae, American singer, composer, pianist, and actress (born 1922).
• 18 – Cab Calloway, American singer and bandleader (born 1907).
• 28 – Al Levitt, American drummer (born 1932).
• 30 – Connie Kay, American drummer (born 1927).

December

• 8 – Antonio Carlos Jobim, Brazilian composer, pianist, songwriter, arranger, and singer (born 1927).
• 14 – Mary Ann McCall, American singer (born 1919).
• 19
  • Bill Douglass, American drummer (born 1923).
  • Noel Pointer, American jazz violinist and record producer (born 1954).

February

• 8 – Nikki Yanofsky, Canadian singer.

March

• 23 – Gentle Bones, Singaporean singer and composer.

April

• 9 – Jo David Meyer Lysne, Norwegian guitarist and composer.

May

Unknown date

• Amalie Holt Kleive, Norwegian singer and composer.
• Billie Black, British singer.
• Veronica Swift, American singer.

• 1990s in jazz
• List of years in jazz
• 1994 in music

• History Of Jazz Timeline: 1994 at All About Jazz

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