1935 in jazz

This is a timeline documenting events of jazz in the year 1935

• The beginning of the “Swing Era”.
• Ella Fitzgerald won a one-week performance at the Harlem Opera House.^[1]

January

• 31 – Edwin Swayze, American jazz trumpeter and composer (born 1906).

May

• 3 – Cecil Irwin, American jazz reed player and arranger (born 1902).

July

• 21 – Honoré Dutrey, dixieland jazz trombonist (born 1894).

April

• 2 – Bennie Moten, American jazz pianist and band leader (born 1894).

November

• 27 – Charlie Green, jazz trombonists, and the soloist in the Fletcher Henderson orchestra (born 1893).

January

• 5 – Chuck Flores, American drummer (died 2016).
• 6 – Nino Tempo, American musician, singer, and actor.
• 7
  • Kenny Davern, American clarinetist (died 2006).
  • Sam Woodyard, American drummer (died 1988).
• 18 – Rodgers Grant, American pianist (died 2012).
• 30 – Tubby Hayes, English saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist (died 1973).

February

• 10 – Johnny Helms, American trumpeter (died 2015).
• 14 – Rob McConnell, Canadian trombonist (died 2010).
• 20 – Orlando Marin, American band leader and timbales player.

March

• 8 – George Coleman, American saxophonist.
• 12 – Hugh Lawson, American pianist (died 1997).
• 14 – Getatchew Mekurya, Ethiopian saxophonist (died 2016).^[2]
• 16 – Emil Mijares, Filipino vibist and pianist (died 2007).
• 30 – Karl Berger, German pianist, composer and educator (died 2023).
• 31 – Herb Alpert, American trumpeter and record executive.

April

• 1 – Alan Haven, English organist (died 2016).
• 9 – Reuben Wilson, American organist (died 2023).
• 10 – Jerzy Milian, Polish vibraphonist (died 2018).^[3]
• 15 – Gene Cherico, American upright bassist (died 1994).
• 19 – Dudley Moore, English pianist and actor (died 2002).
• 20
  • Herbie Phillips, American trumpeter (died 1995).
  • Ran Blake, American pianist, composer, and educator.
• 22 – Paul Chambers, American upright bassist (died 1969).
• 23 – Milton Banana, Brazilian drummer (died 1998).
• 24 – Allan Jaffe, American jazz tubist (died 1987).

May

• 1
  • Henry Grimes, American upright bassist, violinist, and poet (died 2020).
  • Heraldo do Monte, Brazilian guitarist.
• 4 – Don Friedman, American pianist (died 2016).
• 5 – Kidd Jordan, American saxophonist (died 2023).
• 10
  • George Golla, Australian guitarist.
  • Julius Wechter, American vibraphonist and percussionist (died 1999).
• 12 – Gary Peacock, American upright bassist (died 2020).
• 19
  • Cecil McBee, American upright bassist.
  • Tore Jensen, Norwegian trumpeter.
• 20 – Dino Saluzzi, Argentinian bandoneon player.
• 21 – Terry Lightfoot, British clarinetist and bandleader (died 2013).
• 22
  • Barry Rogers, American trombonist (died 1991).
  • Giuseppi Logan, American saxophonist (died 2020).
• 24 – Valerie Capers, American pianist and composer.
• 27 – Ramsey Lewis, American composer, pianist, and radio personality (died 2022).
• 31 – Albert Heath, American drummer.

June

• 3
  • Enzo Jannacci, Italian singer-songwriter, pianist, actor, and stand-up comedian (died 2013).
  • Ted Curson, American trumpeter (died 2012).
• 5 – Misha Mengelberg, Dutch pianist and composer (died 2017).
• 6 – Grant Green, American guitarist and composer (died 1979).
• 15 – François Jeanneau, French saxophonist, flautist, and composer.

July

• 1
  • James Cotton, American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter (died 2017).^[4]
  • Rashied Ali, American drummer (died 2009).
• 3 – Enrico Intra, Italian pianist, composer, conductor.
• 9 – Frank Wright, American saxophonist and singer (died 1990).
• 12 – John Patton, American pianist (died 2002).
• 13 – Pete Escovedo, Mexican-American percussionist.
• 29 – Julian Priester, American trombonist.

August

• 3 – Vic Vogel, Canadian pianist and trombonist (died 2019).
• 7 – Rahsaan Roland Kirk, American saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist (died 1977).
• 28 – Stan McDonald, American clarinetist and saxophonist (died 2021).

September

• 1 – Harry Beckett, British trumpeter (died 2010).
• 3 – Dorothy Masuka, South African singer (died 2019).
• 8 – James Clay, American saxophonist and flautist (died 1994).
• 9 – Fred Stone, Canadian flugelhornist, trumpeter, and pianist (died 1986).
• 16 – Gordon Beck, English pianist (died 2011).
• 23 – Les McCann, American pianist and singer.
• 25
  • Bjarne Liller, Danish banjoist and singer (died 1993).
  • Roland Alexander, American saxophonist and pianist (died 2006).
• 28 – Bent Jædig, Danish saxophonist (died 2004).
• 30 – Johnny Mathis, American singer.

October

• 3 – Judy Bailey, New Zealand-born pianist and composer.
• 12 – Paul Humphrey, American drummer (died 2014).
• 21
  • Bobby Few, American pianist and singer (died 2021).
  • Don Rader, American trumpeter.
• 23 – Frank Hewitt, American pianist (died 2002).
• 27 – Charlie Tagawa, Japanese-American banjoist (died 2017).

November

• 3 – Harry Leahey, American guitarist (died 1990).
• 9 – Jimmy D'Aquisto, Italian-American luthier|guitar maker (died 1995).
• 17 – Roswell Rudd, American trombonist and composer (died 2017).
• 23 – Alvin Fielder, American drummer (died 2019).^[5]
• 27 – Michel Portal, French composer, saxophonist, and clarinetist.

December

• 1 – Woody Allen, American filmmaker and clarinetist.
• 2 – Ronnie Mathews, American pianist (died 2008).
• 5 – Totti Bergh, Norwegian saxophonist (died 2012).
• 12 – Juhani Aaltonen, Finnish saxophonist and flautist.
• 17 – Ronnie Boykins, American bassist (died 1980).
• 19 – Bobby Timmons, American pianist and composer (died 1974).
• 22 – Joe Lee Wilson, American singer (died 2011).
• 23 – Esther Phillips, American singer (died 1984).
• 26 – Noel Kelehan, Irish musician and conductor, RTÉ Concert Orchestra (died 2012).
• 31 – Peter Herbolzheimer, German trombonist and bandleader (died 2010).

Unknown date

• Eddie Khan, American upright bassist (died 1980s).
• Trevor Koehler, American saxophonist (died 1975).
• Tülay German, Turkish singer.
• Yasunao Tone, Japanese artist.

• History Of Jazz Timeline: 1935 at All About Jazz