1952 in jazz
Introduction This is a timeline documenting events of '''Jazz in the year 1952'''.
Events * The pianist John Lewis initiates the Modern Jazz Quartet together with vibraphonist Milt Jackson, bassist Percy Heath, and drummer Kenny Clarke. * Thelonious Monk starts making records for Prestige. * The young trumpeter Chet Baker play with Charlie Parker before he joines the quartet of Gerry Mulligan. * The health of guitarist Django Reinhardt is starting to fail. His fingers are getting stiff. * Les Paul introduces his new invention, the solid body guitar, when Gibson begins marketing the classic guitar which bears his name.
Album releases * Gerry Mulligan: ''Gerry Mulligan Quartet Volume 1'' (Pacific Jazz)* Johnny Smith: ''Moonlight in Vermont'' originally ''Jazz at NBC Series'' (Royal Roost)* Stan Kenton: ''New Concepts of Artistry in Rhythm'' (Capitol)* Nat King Cole: ''Penthouse Serenade'' (Capitol)* Duke Ellington: ''Ellington Uptown'' (Columbia)*  Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie: ''Bird and Diz'' (Clef/Verve)* Oscar Peterson: ''An Evening with Oscar Peterson'' (Clef Records)* Oscar Peterson: ''Oscar Peterson Plays Duke Ellington'' (Clef Records)* Dave Brubeck: ''The Dave Brubeck Quartet'' (Fantasy Records)* Bud Powell: ''The Amazing Bud Powell'' (Blue Note)
Standards
Deaths John Kirby and Buster Bailey, Washington D.C., May 1946; January* '''9''' – Midge Williams, African-American singer (born 1915). ; February* '''23''' – Herb Morand, American trumpeter (born 1905). ; March* '''27''' – Cassino Simpson, American pianist (born 1909). ; April* '''26''' – Zinky Cohn, American pianist (born 1908). ; June* '''14''' – John Kirby, American upright bassist who also played trombone and tuba (born 1908). ; November* '''20''' – Mal Hallett, American jazz violinist and bandleader (born 1893). ; December* '''29''' – Fletcher Henderson, American pianist, bandleader, arranger and composer (born 1897). * '''31''' – Mel Stitzel, German-born pianist best known for his work with the New Orleans Rhythm Kings (born 1902).
Births ; January* '''2''' – Viatcheslav Nazarov, Russian trombonist, pianist, and vocalist (died 1996). * '''10''' – William Parker, American bassist, poet, and composer. * '''11''' – Lee Ritenour, American guitarist. * '''13''' – Pekka Pohjola, Finnish multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer (died 2008). * '''19''' – Eric Leeds, American saxophonist. * '''27''' – Ray Obiedo, American contemporary jazz guitarist. ; February* '''18''' – Randy Crawford, American singer. * '''20''' – Uwe Kropinski, German guitarist. * '''22''' –  Ken Pickering, Canadian jazz promotor, Vancouver Jazz Festival co-founder (died 2018). ; March* '''11''' – Vince Giordano, American saxophonist, Nighthawks Orchestra. * '''17''' – Manolo Badrena, Puerto Rican percussionist, Weather Report. * '''19''' – Chris Brubeck, American bassist, bass trombonist, and pianist. * '''21''' – Carlo Actis Dato, Italian saxophonist and composer. * '''22''' – Bob Mover, American saxophonist and vocalist. * '''26''' – Paolo Damiani, Italian cellist and upright bassist. * '''29''' – Errol Dyers, South African guitarist and composer (died 2017). ; April* '''2''' – Dave Buxton, English pianist and composer. * '''6''' – Richard Tabnik, American saxophonist. * '''8''' – Yildiz Ibrahimova, Bulgarian singer of Turkish ancestry. * '''12''' – Jeff Linsky, American guitarist. * '''16''' – Jukka Tolonen, Finnish guitarist. * '''25''' – Ketil Bjørnstad, Norwegian pianist, American composer and writer. * '''28''' – Leni Stern, German guitarist, singer, and n'goni (Malian banjo-guitar) player. * '''29''' – Dave Valentin, American flautist (died 2017). ; May* '''2''' – Mari Natsuki, Japanese singer. * '''8''' – John Purcell, American saxophonist. * '''24'''** Dave DeFries, British trumpeter, flugelhornist, and percussionist. ** Pierre Van Dormael, Belgian musician and composer (died 2008). * '''29''' – Hilton Ruiz, American pianist (died 2006). ; June* '''5''' – Monnette Sudler, American guitarist. * '''7''' – Royce Campbell, American guitarist. * '''12'''** Bent Patey, Norwegian guitarist, composer, and writer. ** Jed Williams, Welsh jazz journalist and the founder of the Brecon Jazz Festival (died 2003). * '''13''' – Clarence Banks, American trombonist, Count Basie Orchestra. * '''16''' – Gino Vannelli, Canadian singer, songwriter, musician and composer. * '''19''' – Sidsel Endresen, Norwegian vocalist, composer and actor. * '''20''' – Gary Lucas, American guitarist, Gods and Monsters. * '''23''' – Anthony Jackson, American bassist. * '''25''' – Radka Toneff, Norwegian singer (died 1982). * '''28''' – Alan Pasqua, American pianist. ; July* '''1'''** Ichiko Hashimoto, Japanese pianist, composer and singer. ** Leon "Ndugu" Chancler, American drummer (died 2018). ** Timothy J. Tobias, American composer and pianist (died 2006). * '''7''' – Sue Keller, American pianist and singer* '''23''' – Janis Siegel, American singer. * '''26''' – Christian Lauba, Tunisian born French composer and teacher. ; August* '''11'''** Finn Sletten, Norwegian drummer. ** Harry Tavitian, Romanian pianist and singer. * '''14''' – George E. Lewis, American composer, electronic performer, installation artist, and trombonist. * '''19''' – Bruce Katz, American pianist, organist, and bass guitarist. * '''20''' – John Clayton, American upright bassist. * '''25'''** Ben Brown, American upright bassist. ** Michael Marcus, American clarinetist and multi-woodwind player. * '''26'''** Michael Wolff, Austrian pianist, composer, and producer. ** Peter Wolf, Austrian composer, producer, songwriter, and arranger. ; September* '''1''' – Ed Neumeister, American trombonist. * '''6''' – Phil Markowitz, American pianist. * '''9''' – Per Jørgensen, Norwegian trumpeter, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist, JøKleBa. * '''19'''** Henry Kaiser, American guitarist and composer. ** Uffe Markussen, Danish reedist. * '''22''' – Oliver Mtukudzi, Zimbabwean guitarist (died 2019). * '''26''' – Mark Dresser, American upright bassist and composer. * '''29''' – Roy Campbell, Jr., American trumpeter (died 2014). ; October* '''11''' – Brian Jackson, American keyboardist, flautist, singer, composer, and producer. * '''16''' – Ray Anderson, American trombonist and trumpeter. * '''21''' – Ali Ryerson, American flautist. * '''27''' – Ken Filiano, American upright bassist. * '''30''' – Arlen Roth, American guitarist. ; November* '''4''' – Jeff Lorber, American keyboardist, composer, and record producer. * '''8''' – Carl Haakon Waadeland, Norwegian drummer. * '''12''' – Laurence Juber, English guitarist, Wings. * '''16''' – Lauren Newton, American singer and composer. * '''28''' – Ole Thomsen, Norwegian guitarist. * '''30''' – Chris Joris, Belgian percussionist, pianist, and composer. ; December* '''2''' – Rob Mounsey, American keyboarder, composer, and arranger. * '''8'''** Mathias Rüegg, Swiss pianist, composer, bandleader, director, Vienna Art Orchestra. ** Reynold Philipsek, American guitarist, singer-songwriter, and poet. ** Ric Sanders, English violinist. * '''23''' – Jay Azzolina, American guitarist, Spyro Gyra. * '''24''' – Chucho Merchán, Colombian bassist and guitarist. * '''27''' – David Knopfler, British singer-songwriter, guitarist, pianist, record producer, poet, and writer. * '''29''' – Joe Lovano, American saxophonist, alto clarinetist, flautist, and drummer. ; Unknown date* Akio Sasajima, Japanese guitarist. * Brad Upton, American trumpeter. * Eugene Friesen, American cellist and composer. * Gordon Johnson, American upright bassist. * Roberto Perera, Uruguayan harpist.
See also * 1950s in jazz* List of years in jazz* 1952 in music
References
Bibliography ********
External links *  History Of Jazz Timeline: 1952 at All About Jazz