This is a timeline documenting jazz events in the year 2016.
Events
January
February
March
Blue Note Entertainment Group expands into China, opening a location in Beijing
April
April 15-April 24 - The 2016 Coachella event occurs. Jazz musicians in attendance include Kamasi Washington, and GoGo Penguin
May
June
July
August
September
24-26 - The Joy of Jazz Festival, one of the premiere Jazz festivals in South Africa, occurs
October
November
December
Albums
January
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Unknown date
#
A
Quiet Revolution (Newvelle) by Ben Allison solo piano (vinyl LP).
D
Return (Newvelle) by Jack DeJohnette solo piano (vinyl LP).
F
Strength and Sanity (Newvelle) by Don Friedman Piano Trio (vinyl LP).
K
Meantime (Newvelle) by Frank Kimbrough (vinyl LP).
P
Some Other Time (Newvelle) by Noah Preminger (vinyl LP).
Deaths
January
3 – Paul Bley, Canadian pianist (born 1932). 4 – Long John Hunter, American guitarist and singer-songwriter (born 1931). 6 – Alfredo "Chocolate" Armenteros, Cuban trumpeter(born 1928). 7 – Alan Haven, English organist (born 1935). 16 – Hubert Giraud, French composer and lyricist (born 1920). 31 – Janusz Muniak, Polish saxophonist, flautist, arranger, and composer (born 1941).
February
4 – Maurice White, American singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, and bandleader, Earth, Wind & Fire (born 1941). 19 – Harald Devold, Norwegian saxophonist (cancer) (born 1964. 25 – John Chilton, British trumpeter and writer (born 1932).
March
9 – Naná Vasconcelos, Brazilian percussionist (born 1944). 10 Ernestine Anderson, American jazz and blues singer (born 1928). Keith Emerson, English pianist and keyboardist (suicide), Emerson, Lake & Palmer (born 1944). 11 – Joe Ascione, American drummer (born 1961). 15 – Ryo Fukui, Japanese pianist (born 1948). 16 – Frank Sinatra Jr., American singer, songwriter, and conductor (born 1944). 22 – Selçuk Sun, Turkish upright bassist and composer (born 1934). 24 – Roger Cicero, German singer and songwriter (born 1970). 26 – David Baker, American symphonic jazz composer (born 1931).
April
2 – Gato Barbieri, Argentine saxophonist (born 1932). 3 Bill Henderson, American singer and actor (born 1926). Don Francks, Canadian singer and actor (born 1932). 4 – Getatchew Mekurya, Ethiopian saxophonist (born 1935). 5 – Zena Latto, American clarinetist and saxophonist (born 1925). 6 – Dennis Davis, American drummer (cancer) (born 1949). 13 Jeremy Steig, American flautist (born 1942). Mariano Mores, Argentine tango composer and pianist (born 1918). Pete Yellin, American saxophonist and educator (born 1941). 21 – Prince Rogers Nelson, American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer (born 1958). 24 Billy Paul, Congolese singer and musician (born 1934). Papa Wemba, American soul singer (born 1949).
May
1 – Doug Raney, American guitarist (born 1956). 6 Candye Kane, American singer and entertainer (pancreatic cancer) (born 1961). Johannes Bauer, German trombonist (born 1954). 11 – Joe Temperley, Scottish saxophonist (born 1929). 13 – Buster Cooper, American trombonist (born 1929). 16 – Fredrik Norén, Swedish drummer and band leader (born 1941).
June
8 – Terje Fjærn, orchestra conductor ("La det swinge") (born 1942). 16 – Charles Thompson, American swing and bebop pianist, and organist, composer (born 1918). 17 – Willy Andresen, Norwegian pianist and band leader (born 1921). 21 – Pat Friday, American singer (born 1921). 23 – Shelley Moore, English-born American singer (born 1932). 24 – Bernie Worrell, American keyboarder and composer, Parliament-Funkadelic (born 1944). 26 – Mike Pedicin, American saxophonist and bandleader (born 1917). 30 – Don Friedman, American pianist (born 1935).
July
15
Charles Davis, American saxophonist and composer (born 1933). Roland Prince, Antiguan guitarist (born 1946). 16 – Claude Williamson, American pianist (born 1926). 167 – Peter Appleyard, British–Canadian vibraphonist, percussionist, and composer (born 1928). 22 – Dominic Duval, American free jazz bassist (born 1944). 31 – Jon Klette, Norwegian saxophonist (born 1962).