{{short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see WP:SDNONE --> {{Year in music|1981}} {{Year in jazz |image = Max Roach American Jazz Drummer with Odeon Pope saxophone in Keystone Korner photo by Jon Hammond 1981.jpg|Max Roach American Jazz Drummer with Odeon Pope saxophone in Keystone Korner photo by Jon Hammond 1981 |caption = Max Roach American Jazz Drummer with saxohonist Odeon Pope at Keystone Korner San Francisco Tuesday, February 22nd, 1981 |standards = post-1950 |prioryear = 1980 |afteryear = 1982 }} {{Year nav topic5|1981|jazz}} {{Dynamic list}} This is a timeline documenting events of '''Jazz in the year 1981'''.
==Events==
===April=== * '''10''' – The 8th Vossajazz started in Vossavangen, Norway (April 10 – 12).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://vossajazz.no | title=Vossajazz | publisher=Vossajazz | accessdate=2016-04-30}}</ref>
===May=== * '''20''' – 9th Nattjazz started in Bergen, Norway (May 20 – June 3).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nattjazz.no/historie/index.php?ID=Alle |title=Nattjazz |language=Norwegian |publisher=Nattjazz |accessdate=2016-04-30 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322193111/http://www.nattjazz.no/historie/index.php?ID=Alle |archivedate=2016-03-22 }}</ref>
===June=== * '''2''' – The 2nd Montreal International Jazz Festival started in Montreal, Quebec, Canada (July 2 – 10).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.montrealjazzfest.com/flipbooks/programmes/Default.aspx?annee=1981&lang=en | title=Festival International de Jazz de Montréal 1981 | publisher=Montreal International Jazz Festival | accessdate=2016-04-30 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160610132644/http://www.montrealjazzfest.com/flipbooks/programmes/Default.aspx?annee=1981&lang=en | archive-date=2016-06-10 | url-status=dead }}</ref> * '''5''' – 10th Moers Festival started in Moers, Germany (June 5 – 8).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.moers-festival.de/archive-2012.html?L=1 | title=Moers Festival 1982 | publisher=Moers Festival | accessdate=2016-04-30 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314024317/http://www.moers-festival.de/archive-2012.html?L=1 | archive-date=2016-03-14 | url-status=dead }}</ref>
===July=== * '''3''' – The 15th Montreux Jazz Festival started in Montreux, Switzerland (July 3 – 19).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.setlist.fm/festival/1981/montreux-jazz-festival-1981-5bd6b318.html | title=Montreux Jazz Festival 1981 Setlists | publisher=Setlist.fm | accessdate=2016-04-30}}</ref> * '''10''' – The 6th North Sea Jazz Festival started in The Hague, Netherlands (July 10 – 12).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.northseajazz.com/en/program/1981 | title=North Sea Jazz Festival 1981 | publisher=North Sea Jazz Festival | accessdate=2016-04-30}}</ref>
===September=== * '''18''' – The 24th Monterey Jazz Festival started in Monterey, California (September 18 – 20).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.earlnewmanprints.com/1980s_Monterey_Jazz_Festival_Posters.html | title=Monterey Jazz Festival 1981 Poster | publisher=EarlNewmanPrints.com | accessdate=2016-04-30}}</ref>
==Album releases== {{div col|colwidth=30em}} *Stanley Clarke and George Duke: ''The Clarke/Duke Project'' *Al Jarreau: ''Breakin' Away'' *Lee Ritenour: ''Rit'' *Ronald Shannon Jackson: ''Street Priest'' *Jan Garbarek: ''Paths, Prints'' *Anthony Davis: ''Episteme'' *Joe McPhee: ''Topology'' *Paul Motian: ''Psalm'' *Rova Saxophone Quartet: ''As Was'' *Marilyn Crispell: ''Spirit Music'' *Muhal Richard Abrams: ''Blues Forever'' *Henry Kaiser: ''Aloha'' *Sergey Kuryokhin: ''The Ways of Freedom'' *David Moss: ''Terrain'' *David Murray: ''Home'' *Frank Lowe: ''Skizoke'' *Willem Breuker: ''In Holland'' *Ronald Shannon Jackson: ''Nasty'' *Billy Bang: ''Rainbow Gladiator'' *Don Moye: ''Black Paladins'' *Frederic Hand: ''Heart's Song'' *Jaco Pastorius: ''Word of Mouth'' *Joanne Brackeen: ''Special Identity'' *Hal Russell: ''NRG Ensemble'' *Marvin Peterson: ''The Angels of Atlanta'' *Oscar Peterson: ''Nigerian Marketplace'' *Saheb Sarbib: ''Aisha'' *Steve Douglas: ''Rainbow Suite'' *Steve Khan: ''Eyewitness'' *Wynton Marsalis: ''Wynton Marsalis'' *Keith Tippett: ''Mujician'' *Larry Carlton: ''Strikes Twice'' *Pharoah Sanders: ''Rejoice'' {{div col end}}
==Deaths==
; 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).
==Births==
; 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.
==See also== {{Portal|1980s|Jazz}} * 1980s in jazz * List of years in jazz * 1981 in music
==References== {{reflist}}
== External links == * [https://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/timeline_year.php?pg=87 History Of Jazz Timeline: 1981] at All About Jazz
{{inc-musong|date=October 2021}} {{Jazz}}
Jazz Category:Jazz by year