This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1941.

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1941 in jazz
Danish bandleader Teddy Petersen (1892-1991) with his orchestra
Decade	1940s in jazz
Music	1941 in music
Standards	List of 1940s jazz standards
See also	1940 in jazz – 1942 in jazz

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• Cab Calloway is struck by a spitball during a concert in Hartford, Connecticut. He then fights Dizzy Gillespie. Dizzy is consequently fired.^[1]

February

• 24 – David Plunket Greene, English musician, Bright Young Things (suicide) (born 1904).

March

• 8 – Ken Snakehips Johnson, band leader and dancer, originally from British Guiana (born 1914).
• 9 – Casper Reardon, American harpist (born 1907).

July

• 10 – Jelly Roll Morton, American pianist, bandleader and composer (born 1890).

September

• 1 – Frank Melrose, American pianist (born 1907).

October

• 25 – Nisse Lind, Swedish accordionist and pianist (born 1904).
• 30 – Chu Berry, American tenor saxophonist (born 1908).

November

• 24 – Dick Wilson, American tenor saxophonist (born 1911).

Unknown date

• Steve Lewis, New Orleans pianist and composer (born 1896).

January

• 3 – Roger Neumann, American saxophonist, flutist, and composer (died 2018).
• 12 – Olu Dara, American cornetist, guitarist and singer.
• 13 – Frankie Armstrong, English singer and voice teacher, Feminist Improvising Group.
• 15 – Captain Beefheart, American singer (died 2010).^[2]
• 16 – Aldo Romano, Italian drummer.
• 19
  • Putter Smith, American bassist.
  • R. Winston Morris, American tubist.
• 27 – Bobby Hutcherson, American vibraphone and marimba player (died 2016).

February

• 5 – Rick Laird, American bassist (died 2021).
• 6 – Palle Mikkelborg, Danish trumpeter.
• 11
  • Louis Banks, Indian keyboardist, singer composer, and record producer.
  • Sérgio Mendes, Brazilian musician.
• 16 – Jim Richardson, British bassist and session musician.
• 17 – Herbie Lewis, American upright bassist (died 2007).
• 18 – Lajos Dudas, German-Hungarian clarinetist and composer.
• 23 – Barry Martyn, English born drummer and bandleader (died 2023).

March

• 4 – Bobby Shew, American trumpet and flugelhorn player.
• 6 – Peter Brötzmann, German saxophonist and clarinetist (died 2023).
• 8 – Franco D'Andrea, Italian pianist and composer.
• 22 – Hugo Rasmussen, Danish upright bassist (died 2015).
• 23 – Carola Standertskjöld, Finnish singer (died 1997).
• 28 – Meredith D'Ambrosio, American singer.^[3]

April

• 5 – Michael Moriarty, American-Canadian actor and musician.
• 17 – John C. Marshall, British guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter (died 2012).
• 21
  • Alfred "Pee Wee" Ellis, American saxophonist, composer, and arranger (died 2021).
  • Fredrik Norén, Swedish drummer (died 2016).
• 22 – Don Grusin, American songwriter, producer, and keyboardist.
• 25 – Harry Miller, South African upright bassist (died 1983).
• 28 – Mickey Tucker, American pianist and organist.

May

• 2
  • Connie Crothers, American pianist (died 2016).^[4]
  • Eddy Louiss, French Hammon organist and singer (died 2015).
• 5 – Stanley Cowell, American pianist and founder of Strata-East Records (died 2020).
• 7 – Lars Sjösten, Swedish pianist and composer (died 2011).
• 8 – Cornel Chiriac, Romanian journalist, producer, and drummer (died 1975).
• 11 – Eric Burdon, English singer.
• 12 – Trevor Tomkins, English drummer (died 2022).
• 13
  • John Von Ohlen, American drummer, Blue Wisp Big Band (died 2018).
  • Miles Kington, British journalist, musician, and broadcaster (died 2008).
• 20 – Gia Maione, American singer (died 2013).
• 24 – Charles Earland, American composer, organist, and saxophonist (died 1999).
• 27 – Teppo Hauta-aho, Finnish upright bassist and composer (died 2021).

June

• 2
  • Charlie Watts, English drummer, The Rolling Stones (died 2021).
  • Irène Schweizer, Swiss pianist, Feminist Improvising Group.
• 3 – Janusz Muniak, Polish saxophonist, flautist, arranger, and composer (died 2016).
• 12 – Chick Corea, American pianist, keyboardist, and composer (died 2021).
• 18 – Jim Pepper, American saxophonist and singer (died 1992).
• 25 – David T. Walker, American guitarist.
• 26 – Wayne Dockery, American upright bassist (died 2018).

July

• 1 – Robertinho Silva, Brazilian drummer.
• 18 – Pete Yellin, American saxophonist and educator (died 2016).
• 19 – Phil Upchurch, American guitarist and bassist.
• 24 – Bobby Matos, American percussionist (died 2017).
• 28 – Jim Riggs, American saxophonist.

August

• 5
  • Airto Moreira, Brazilian drummer and percussionist.
  • Lenny Breau, American guitarist and music educator (died 1984).
• 6 – Svein Christiansen, Norwegian drummer (died 2015).^[5]
• 7 – Howard Johnson, American tubist and saxophonist (died 2021).
• 15 – Eddie Gale, American trumpeter (died 2020).
• 20 – Milford Graves, American drummer and percussionist (died 2021).
• 21 – Tom Coster, American keyboardist and composer.
• 26 – Clifford Jarvis, American drummer (died 1999).
• 27
  • Anders Linder, Swedish actor and musician.
  • Cesária Évora, Cape Verdean singer (died 2011).^[6]
• 28 – John Marshall, English drummer, Nucleus.
• 30 – Carmen Fanzone, American horn players.

September

• 8 – Phillip Wilson, American percussionist (died 1992).
• 13 - Knut Kiesewetter, German musician, singer, and songwriter (died 2016).
• 20 – Jim Cullum Jr., American cornetist (died 2019).
• 23 – Norma Winstone, British singer and lyricist.
• 26 – Terry Rosen, American jazz guitarist, concert promoter, and radio DJ. (died 1999).
• 27 – Uli Trepte, German bassist (died 2009).
• 28 – Mike Osborne, English alto saxophonist, pianist, and clarinetist (died 2007).

October

• 1 – LaMont Johnson, American pianist (died 1999).
• 6 – Masahiko Satoh, Japanese pianist, composer, and arranger.
• 9 – Chucho Valdés, Cuban pianist, bandleader, and composer.
• 11 – Lester Bowie, American trumpet player and composer (died 1999).
• 19
  • Eddie Daniels, American clarinetist, saxophonist, and composer.
  • Jonas Gwangwa, South African trombone player (died 2021).
• 28
  • Glen Moore, American bassist.
  • Hank Marvin, English guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter.
  • Jay Clayton, American vocalist and jazz educator.

November

• 7 – Gary Windo, American tenor saxophonist (died 1992).
• 22 – Ron McClure, American bassist.
• 25 – Eleni Karaindrou, Greek pianist and composer.
• 28
  • Adelhard Roidinger, Austrian bassist, electronic musician, composer, and computer graphic designer (died 2022).
  • Jesper Thilo, Danish tenor saxophonist, alto saxophonist, and clarinetist.

December

• 2 – P. J. Perry, Canadian saxophonist.
• 19 – Franco Ambrosetti, Swiss trumpeter, flugelhornist and composer.
• 11 – Rogier van Otterloo, Dutch composer and conductor (died 1988).
• 12
  • Gary Barone, American trumpeter and flugelhornist (died 2019).
  • Tim Hauser, American singer (died 2014).^[7]
• 18 – Wadada Leo Smith, American trumpeter and composer.
• 19
  • Don Weller, British tenor saxophonist and composer (died 2020).
  • Maurice White, American singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, and bandleader, Earth, Wind & Fire (died 2016).
• 21 – John Hicks, American pianist and composer (died 2006).
• 25
  • Don Pullen, American pianist and organist (died 1995).
  • Ronnie Cuber, American saxophonist (died 2022).
• 29 – Ray Thomas, British flautist and singer, The Moody Blues (died 2018).^[8]
• 31 – Elisa Gabbai, German-singing Israeli singer (died 2010).

Unknown date

• Annette Peacock, American composer, singer, songwriter, producer, arranger, and musician.
• Lowell Davidson, American pianist (died 1990).

• 1940s in jazz
• List of years in jazz
• 1941 in music