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

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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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• 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]

• Stan Kenton: City of Glass
• Oscar Peterson: 1951
• Shorty Rogers: Modern Sounds
• Lester Young: Lester Young Trio

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).

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.

Unknown date

• Jon Rose, British-Australian violinist.
• Judi Silvano, American singer and composer.
• Kit McClure, American trombonist, saxophonist, and bandleader.
• La Palabra, Cuban bandleader, singer-songwriter, pianist.
• Lars Jansson, Swedish pianist and composer.
• Tom Kubis, American saxophonist, flautist, and pianist.

• 1950s in jazz
• List of years in jazz
• 1951 in music