1978 in jazz
Pharoah Sanders, Reggie Workman, and unidentified drummer, c. 1978
Decade	1970s in jazz
Music	1978 in music
Standards	List of post-1950 jazz standards
See also	1977 in jazz – 1979 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1978.

• 17 – The 5th Vossajazz started in Voss, Norway (March 17–19).^[1]

• 12 – The 7th Moers Festival started in Moers, Germany (May 12–15).^[2]
• 24 – The 6th Nattjazz started in Bergen, Norway (May 24 – June 7).^[3]

• 1 – The 25th Newport Jazz Festival started in Newport, Rhode Island (July 1–3).^[4]
• 7 – The 12th Montreux Jazz Festival started in Montreux, Switzerland (July 7–23).^[5]
• 14 – The 3rd North Sea Jazz Festival started in The Hague, Netherlands (July 14–16).^[6]
• 28 – The very first Jazz in Marciac started in Marciac, France (July 28 – August 17).^[7]

• 15 – The 21st Monterey Jazz Festival started in Monterey, California (September 15 – 17).^[8]

January

• 23 – Terry Kath, American guitarist and vocalist (unintentional self-inflicted gunshot), Chicago (born 1946).
• 31 – Gregory Herbert, American saxophonist and flautist, Blood, Sweat & Tears (born 1947).

February

• 26
  • Frances Wayne, American vocalist (born 1924).
  • Alix Combelle, French tenor saxophonist, clarinetist, and bandleader (born 1912).

March

• 4 – Joe Marsala, Italian-American clarinetist and songwriter (born 1907).
• 21 – Louis Cottrell Jr., American clarinetist and tenor saxophonist (born 1911).
• 25 – Richard Plunket Greene, English musician and author, Bright Young Things (born 1901).
• 30 – Larry Young, American organist and occasional pianist (born 1940).

April

• 3 – Ray Noble, English bandleader, composer, arranger, radio comedian, and actor (born 1903).

May

• 19 – Teddy Hill, American big band leader and multi-instrumentalist (born 1909).
• 28
  • Marlowe Morris, American jazz pianist and organist (born 1915).
  • Money Johnson, American jazz trumpeter (born 1918).

June

• Bud Brisbois, American trumpeter (born 1937).

July

• 4 – Arne Hülphers, Swedish pianist and bandleader (born 1904).
• 14 – Lennie Hastings, English drummer (born 1927).
• 20 – Teddy Bunn, American guitarist, Spirits of Rhythm (born 1909).

August

• 14 – Joe Venuti, Italian-American jazz violinist (born 1903).
• 15 – Irene Kral, American jazz singer (born 1932).
• 24 – Louis Prima, Italian-American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and trumpeter (born 1910).

September

• 9 – Kaoru Abe, Japanese avant-garde alto saxophonist (born 1949).
• 30 – Beryl Booker, American pianist (born 1922).

November

• 16 – Jimmy Nottingham, American jazz trumpeter (born 1925).
• 18 – Lennie Tristano, American pianist, composer, and arranger (born 1919).
• 26 – Frank Rosolino, American trombonist (born 1926).

December

• 17 – Don Ellis, American big-bandleader, trumpeter, composer, arranger, and film composer (born 1934).
• 29 – Happy Caldwell, American clarinetist and tenor saxophonist (born 1903).

Unknown date

• Bill Jennings, American guitarist and composer (born 1919).

January

• 3 – Susana Santos Silva, Portuguese trumpeter, flugelhornist, and flautist.
• 9 – China Moses, American singer.
• 10
  • Kekko Fornarelli, Italian pianist and composer.
  • Soweto Kinch, British saxophonist.

February

• 9 – Clarice Assad, Brazilian-American composer, pianist, and singer.
• 12 – Masayuki Hiizumi, Japanese keyboardist and producer.
• 14 – Cem Tuncer, Turkish guitarist, composer, arranger, and producer.

March

• 5 – Søren Kjærgaard, Danish pianist, composer, and bandleader.
• 18 – Videlina Mircheva, Bulgarian singer and songwriter.
• 24 – Andrew McCormack, British pianist.

April

• 6 – Robert Glasper, American pianist and record producer.
• 11 – Jakob Bro, Danish guitarist.
• 15 – Susanne Alt, Dutch saxophonist and composer.

May

• 7 – Antal Pusztai, Hungarian guitarist.
• 10 – Nils Janson, Swedish composer and trumpeter.
• 25 – Michael Wollny, German pianist.
• 29 – Sean Jones, American trumpeter and composer.

June

• 10 – Jukka Eskola, Finnish trumpeter and flugelhornist.

August

• 6 – Andreas Öberg, Swedish guitarist, songwriter, and music producer.
• 12 – Chris Jennings, Canadian upright bassist, composer, arranger, and educator.
• 27 – Susy Kane, English actress, comedy writer and musician.
• 31
  • Morten Qvenild, Norwegian jazz pianist, band leader and producer, Susanna and the Magical Orchestra.
  • Tineke Postma, Dutch saxophonist.

June

• 17 – Esben Selvig, Norwegian rapper and singer.

September

• 2 – Jonas Kullhammar, Swedish composer and saxophonist.
• 16
  • Ane Carmen Roggen, Norwegian singer, conductor, and arranger, Pitsj.
  • Ida Roggen, Norwegian singer, Pitsj.
• 23 – Valtteri Laurell Pöyhönen, Finnish guitarist, pianist, composer, bandleader and producer.
• 29 – Luca Gianquitto, Italian guitarist and composer.

October

• 5 – Steinar Nickelsen, Norwegian Hammond organist, pianist, and composer.
• 8 – Mike Moreno, American guitarist and composer.
• 12 – Børge-Are Halvorsen, Norwegian saxophonist and flautist.
• 16 – Eva Kruse, German upright bassist and composer.

November

• 1 – Rozina Pátkai, Hungarian singer, songwriter, and visual artist.
• 3 – Jonas Howden Sjøvaag, Norwegian jazz drummer.
• 5 – Marita Røstad, Norwegian singer-songwriter.
• 9 – Even Ormestad, Norwegian bass guitarist and music producer, Jaga Jazzist.
• 19
  • Matt Dusk, Canadian vocalist.
  • Janek Gwizdala, English bassist.

December

• 28 – Terrace Martin, American saxophonist and producer.
• 30
  • Daniel Heløy Davidsen, Danish-Norwegian guitarist.
  • Julie Dahle Aagård, Norwegian vocalist, composer, and band leader.

Unknown date

• Marc Demuth, Luxembourgian upright bassist, bass guitarist, and composer.
• Mikkel Ploug, Danish guitarist and composer.
• Niels Klein, German saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer.
• Robi Botos, Hungarian-Canadian pianist and composer.

• 1970s in jazz
• List of years in jazz
• 1978 in music

• History Of Jazz Timeline: 1978 at All About Jazz

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