This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1954. Events July 17 – The very first Newport Jazz Festival started in Newport, Rhode Island (July 17 – 18). The 1st day featured Dizzy Gillespie Quintet, Billie Holiday, and Oscar Peterson The 2nd day featured Ella Fitzgerald, Gene Krupa Trio, and Erroll Garner November 8 – Following the release of Jazz Goes to College, Dave Brubeck is featured on the cover of Time magazine, with the accompanying article describing Brubeck as "the most exciting new jazz artist at work today". Album releases Dave Brubeck Quartet: Jazz Goes to College Sarah Vaughan: Sarah Vaughan Chet Baker: Sextet Tal Farlow: The Tal Farlow Quartet Tal Farlow: The Tal Farlow Album John Serry Sr.: RCA Thesaurus Stan Kenton: Kenton Showcase Standards Deaths February 7 – Alfred Burt, American composer and trumpeter (born 1920). March 11 – William Frank Newton, American trumpeter (born 1906). April 14 – Lil Green, American singer and songwriter (born 1919). May 31 – Garland Wilson, American pianist (born 1909). September 8 – Brad Gowans, American trombonist and reedist (born 1903). November 5 – Hot Lips Page, American trumpeter, singer, and bandleader (born 1908). 29 – Dink Johnson, dixieland pianist, clarinetist, and drummer (born 1892). December 7 – Austin Wylie, American bandleader (born 1893). 15 – Papa Celestin, American jazz bandleader, trumpeter, cornetist, and vocalist (born 1884). 16 – Lee Morse, American singer and songwriter (born 1897). Unknown date Rudy Williams, American jazz alto saxophonist (born 1909). Births January 14 – Gunnar Andreas Berg, Norwegian guitarist, music teacher, and record label manager. 18 – Tina Marsh, American vocalist and composer (died 2009). 20 – Steve Rochinski, American guitarist and teacher. 23 – David Bloom, American guitarist, flautist, and composer. 28 – Henry Johnson, American guitarist. February 9 – Don Mumford, American drummer (died 2007). 13 – John Wolf Brennan, Irish pianist, organist, melodica player. 16 Jeff Clayton, American alto saxophonist and flautist. Torbjørn Sunde, Norwegian trombonist, composer, and band leader. March 1 – Carles Benavent, Spanish bassist. 4 – Ricky Ford, American tenor saxophonist. 11 Jon Jang, American pianist, composer, and bandleader. Judy Niemack, American vocalist. 13 – Simon James, English guitarist, Acoustic Alchemy. 14 – Nick Webb, English guitarist and composer, Acoustic Alchemy (died 1998). 16 – Brian Torff, American upright bassist and composer. 18 Andy Narell, American steelpan player and composer. Harry Sokal, Austrian jazz saxophonist.