1951 in music
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List of albums released

1951 in jazz
The Jazz band of Brazilian saxophonist Marinho de Oliveira Franco
Decade	1950s in jazz
Music	1951 in music
Standards	List of post-1950 jazz standards
See also	1950 in jazz – 1952 in jazz

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This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1951.

Events

The first American Jazz festival takes place at Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania in the autumn. This festival precedes the first Newport Jazz Festival.^[1]
The tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins, a Coleman Hawkins influenced player, joins the group of Miles Davis.^[1]

Album releases

Standards

Deaths

January

21 – R.Q. Dickerson, American trumpeter (born 1898).

February

7 – Shirley Clay, American trumpeter (born 1902).

March

25 – Sid Catlett, American swinging drummer (born 1910).

May

4 – Doc West, American drummer (born 1915).

August

17 – Ray Wetzel, American trumpeter (born 1924).

October

26 – Charlie Creath, American trumpeter, saxophonist, accordionist, and bandleader (born 1890).

December

3 – Cyril Blake, Trinidadian trumpeter (born 1900).
12 – Mildred Bailey, American singer (born 1903).^[2]
23 – Enrique Santos Discépolo, Argentine tango and milonga pianist, bandoneónist, and singer (born 1901).
26 – Vic Berton, American jazz drummer (born 1896).

Unknown date

Valentin Parnakh, Russian poet, translator, historian, explorer, musician, choreographer, ballet master, best remembered as a founding father of Soviet jazz (born 1891).

Births

January

1 – Ashwin Batish, Indian sitar and tabla player.
4 – Håkan Rydin, Swedish pianist.
9 – Idris Ackamoor, American multi-instrumentalist.
12 – Earl Howard, American saxophonist, synthesizer player and multi-instrumentalist.
14 – Mark Egan, American bass guitarist and trumpeter.
18 – Steve Grossman, American saxophonist.
30
- Phil Collins, English drummer, singer-songwriter, record producer, and actor.
- Ralph Lalama, American saxophonist.

February

2 – Alphonso Johnson, American bassist.
20 – Anthony Davis, American pianist and composer.
21
- Herb Robertson, American trumpeter and flugelhornist.
- Warren Vache, American trumpeter, cornetist, and flugelhornist.
28 – Roseanna Vitro, American singer.

March

3 – Lindsay Cooper, English bassoon and oboe player, composer, and political activist (died 2013).
7 – Rocco Prestia, American bassist, Tower of Power.
8 – James Williams, American pianist (died 2004).
13
- Geoff Eales, Welsh pianist, improviser, and composer.
- Michael Jefry Stevens, American pianist.
18 – Bill Frisell, American guitarist and composer.
21 – Fred Sturm, American composer, arranger, and teacher (died 2014).
24 – Gregory B. Johnson, American pianist, Cameo.

April

3 – Mitch Woods, American pianist and singer.
7 – Bob Berg, American saxophonist (died 2002).
9 – Hugh Ragin, American trumpeter.
10 – Steve Lodder, British keyboardist, composer, and organist.
15 – Bill MacCormick, English bassist and vocalist.
26 – Billy Newton-Davis, Canadian singer-songwriter.
29 – Vinicius Cantuária, Brazilian singer, songwriter, guitarist, drummer, and percussionist.
30 – Alexander Zonjic, Canadian flutist.

May

3 – Krister Andersson, Swedish saxophonist and composer.
14 – Jay Beckenstein, American saxophonist, composer, and producer, Spyro Gyra.
28 – Richard Niles, American guitarist, composer, and record producer.
31 – Jimmy Nalls, American guitarist and singer, Sea Level (died 2017).

June

15 – Mark Hennen, American pianist.
19 – Karen Young, Canadian singer, lyricist, and composer.
20 – Peter Gordon, American composer and musician.
30 – Stanley Clarke, American bassist, Return to Forever.

July

7 – Sue Evans, American American percussionist and drummer.
16 – Bobby Previte, American drummer, composer, and bandleader.
21 – Pino Minafra, Italian trumpeter and flugelhornist.
22 – Richard Bennett, American guitarist and record producer.
29 – Charles Loos, Belgian pianist and composer.
31 – Howard Levy, American harmonica player and multi-instrumentalist.

August

1 – Tommy Bolin, American guitarist, Deep Purple (died 1976).
5 – Jemeel Moondoc, American saxophonist.
15
- António Pinho Vargas, Portuguese composer and pianist.
- Bobby Caldwell, American singer and songwriter.
19 – Roland Batik, Austrian pianist and composer.
22 – Edwin Birdsong, American keyboard/organ player.

September

3 – Todd Cochran, American pianist, keyboard and synthesizer player, Fuse One.
7 – Mark Isham, American trumpeter and synthesist.
12 – Joëlle Léandre, French upright bassist, vocalist, and composer.
15 – Carla White, American vocalist (died 2007).
17 – Theryl DeClouet, American singer, Galactic (died 2018).^[3]
18 – Steve Slagle, American saxophonist, flautist, and composer.
23 – Steven Springer, American guitarist, Trinidad Tripoli Steel Band (died 2012).

October

2 – Sting, American singer, bassist, and guitarist, the Police.
17 – Jukka Gustavson, Finnish organist, keyboarder, and composer.
30
- Poncho Sanchez, Mexican-American conguero (conga player).
- Trilok Gurtu, Indian percussionist and composer.

November

17 – Lisle Ellis, Canadian upright bassist and composer.
19 – Kenny Werner, American pianist and composer.
28
- Dennis Irwin, American upright bassist (died 2008).
- Diedre Murray, American cellist and composer.
- Peter Malick, American guitarist and record producer.

December

1 – Jaco Pastorius, American bassist, Weather Report (died 1987).
3 – Barry Finnerty, American guitarist, keyboardist, singer, songwriter, and arranger.
14 – Nükhet Ruacan, Turkish singer and educator in musicology (died 2007).
16 – Robben Ford, American guitarist, L.A. Express.
20 – Brynjulf Blix, Norwegian pianist.
21 – Alex Blake, American upright bassist and bass guitarist.
26
- Brooks Kerr, American pianist (died 2018).
- John Scofield, American guitarist and composer.
28 – Rebecca Parris, American singer (died 2018).
31 – Jimmy Haslip, American bass guitarist, Yellowjackets.