1945 in jazz

Events

• Miles Davis from high school and goes to New York and becomes a musician. He enrolls in Juilliard at his parents request.
• John Coltrane was drafted and plays clarinet with the Navy Band in Hawaii.

  Standards

Album releases

• Mary Lou Williams: Zodiac Suite
• John Serry Sr.: Leone Jump for Sonora Records with the Biviano Accordion & Rhythm Sextette

  Deaths

• 10 – Josef Taussig, Czech trombonist and journalist.

• 25 – Teddy Weatherford, American pianist, an accomplished stride pianist.

• 5 – Nat Jaffe, American pianist.

• 7 – Erhard Bauschke, German reedist and bandleader.
• 14 – Pha Terrell, American singer.

• 8 – Richard M. Jones, American pianist, composer, band leader, and record producer.
• 16 – Jack Jenney, American trombonist.
• 29 – Bobby Stark, American trumpeter.

  Births

• 2 – Terje Bjørklund, Norwegian pianist and composer.
• 15 – Bob Maize, American upright bassist.
• 27 – Henri Texier, French upright bassist.

• 3 – Bob Stewart, American tubist.
• 4 – John Stubblefield, American saxophonist, flautist, and oboist.
• 6 – Ernie Krivda, American saxophonist.
• 13 – Keith Nichols, English multi-instrumentalist.
• 15 – Edward Vesala, Finnish drummer.
• 16 – Pete Christlieb, American tenor saxophonist.
• 21 – Akira Sakata, Japanese saxophonist.
• 24
• * Kaj Backlund, Finnish trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader.
• * Steve Berrios, American drummer and percussionist.

• 17 – Elis Regina, Brazilian singer.
• 21 – Ed Soph, American drummer and educator.
• 23 – David Grisman, American mandolinist.

• 1 – Bjørnar Andresen, Norwegian bassist.
• 4 – Leszek Żądło, Polish saxophonist, flautist, composer, and university teacher.
• 9 – Steve Gadd, American drummer.
• 12 – Doug Riley, Canadian pianist.
• 19 – Ole Kock Hansen, Danish pianist and composer.
• 22 – Demetrio Stratos, Greek lyricist and multi-instrumentalist.
• 25 – Halvard Kausland, Norwegian guitarist.
• 27 – Dominic Duval, American bassist.
• 29 – Hugh Hopper, British bass guitarist.

• 2 – Bob Rockwell, American saxophonist.
• 4 – Bill Stapleton, American trumpeter and arranger.
• 8 – Keith Jarrett, American pianist and composer.
• 13 – Lou Marini, American saxophonist, arranger and composer.
• 16 – Michael Moore, American bassist.
• 24 – Terry Callier, American guitarist and singer-songwriter.

• 3 – Bjørn Alterhaug, Norwegian bassist, arranger, and composer.
• 4 – Anthony Braxton, American composer, saxophonist, clarinettist, flautist, and pianist.
• 6 – Tom Coppola, American pianist and arranger.
• 9 – Mick Goodrick, American guitarist.
• 28 – Magni Wentzel, Norwegian singer and guitarist.

• 3 – Thomas Mapfumo, Zimbabwean singer.
• 11 – Vaughn Wiester, American musician and educator.
• 12 – Bernard Lubat, French drummer, pianist, singer, percussionist, vibraphonist, and accordionist.
• 13 – Josef Vejvoda, Czech composer, percussionist, conductor and bandleader.
• 29 – Joe Beck, American guitarist.
• 30 – David Sanborn, American alto saxophonist.

• 14 – Eliana Pittman, Brazilian singer.
• 19 – Brian Godding, American guitarist.
• 21 – Takehiro Honda, Japanese pianist.
• 22 – Sylvia Vrethammar, Swedish singer.
• 24 – Bryan Spring or Brian Spring, British drummer.
• 28 – Victor Assis Brasil, Brazilian saxophonist.
• 29 – Trevor Richards, English drummer.

• 2 – Svein Finnerud, Norwegian pianist.
• 4 – Danny Gatton, American guitarist.
• 10 – Harry Pepl, Austrian guitarist.
• 27 – Peter Ecklund, American cornetist.
• 28 – Murray Wall, Australian upright bassist.

• 5
• * Geoff Leigh, English saxophonist and flautist.
• * George Finola, American cornetist.
• 8 – John Betsch, American drummer.
• 14 – Colin Hodgkinson, British bass guitarist.
• 19 – Carol Kidd, Scottish singer.
• 23 – Ernie Watts, American saxophonist.
• 27 – Arild Andersen, Norwegian upright bassist.
• 28 – Elton Dean, English saxophonist.

• 3 – Mark Kramer, American pianist and composer.
• 10 – John LaBarbera, American trumpeter and arranger.
• 13 – Knut Riisnæs, Norwegian saxophonist.
• 26 – Jim Mullen, Scottish guitarist.
• 27 – Randy Brecker, American trumpeter and flugelhorn player, Brecker Brothers.
• 30 – Johnny Dyani, South African upright bassist and pianist.

• 12 – Tony Williams, American drummer.
• 15 – Kimiko Kasai, Japanese singer.
• 21 – Cameron Brown, American upright bassist.
• 28 – Daniel Carter, American saxophonist, flautist, clarinetist, and trumpeter.

• Johnny "Dandy" Rodriguez Jr, American percussionist.
• Mongezi Feza, South African trumpeter and flautist.
• Steve Gregory, English saxophonist, flautist, and composer.