This is a timeline documenting events of jazz in the year 1994.

Quick Facts Decade, Music ...

1994 in jazz
Ornette Coleman, 1994
Decade	1990s in jazz
Music	1994 in music
Standards	List of post-1950 jazz standards
See also	1993 in jazz – 1995 in jazz

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January

• 1 – James Clay, American tenor saxophonist and flutist (born 1935).
• 30 – Tiny Davis, American trumpeter and vocalist (born 1909).

February

• 8 – Raymond Scott, American composer, band leader, pianist, and electronic instrument inventor (born 1908).

March

• 9 – Maurice Purtill or Moe Purtill, American drummer, Glenn Miller Orchestra (born 1916).
• 13 – Danny Barker, American guitarist, banjoist, vocalist, and author (born 1909).
• 19 – Rafig Babayev, Azerbaijani musician and composer (born 1937).
• 24 – Tommy Benford, American drummer (born 1905).

April

• 2 – Rowland Greenberg, Norwegian trumpeter (born 1920).
• 6 – Dick Cary, American trumpeter, composer, and arranger (born 1916).
• 16 – Ralph Ellison, American novelist and literary critic (born 1913).
• 22 – Jack Bentley, English trombonist, journalist, and scriptwriter (born 1913).

May

• 23 – Joe Pass, American guitarist of Sicilian descent (born 1929).
• 25 – Eric Gale, American guitarist (born 1938).
• 26
  • Gil Fuller, American composer and arranger (born 1920).
  • Sonny Sharrock, American guitarist (born 1940).
• 27 – Red Rodney, American trumpeter (born 1927).
• 29 – Oliver Jackson, American drummer (born 1933).
• 30 – Jean Omer, Belgian reedist and bandleader (born 1912).

June

• 7 – Willie Humphrey, American clarinetist (born 1900).^[13]
• 14
  • Henry Mancini, American composer, conductor, and arranger (born 1924).
  • Lionel Grigson, British pianist, cornettist, trumpeter, and composer (born 1942).
• 21 – Dennis Berry, English saxophonist, composer, arranger, and producer (born 1921).

July

• 11 – Lex Humphries, American drummer (born 1936).

August

• 6 – Jacques Pelzer, Belgian alto saxophonist and flautist (born 1924).^[14]
• 12 – Gene Cherico, American upright bassist (born 1935).
• 18 – Charles Redland, Swedish saxophonist, bandleader, and composer (born 1911).

September

• 5 – Billy Usselton, American jazz reed player (born 1926).
• 6 – Max Kaminsky, American trumpeter and bandleader (born 1908).^[15]
• 13 – John Stevens, English drummer, Spontaneous Music Ensemble (born 1940).
• 16 – Bernie Leighton, American pianist (born 1921).
• 20 – Jimmy Hamilton, American clarinetist, tenor saxophonist, and composer (born 1917).
• 22
  • Bob Lively, American saxophonist (born 1923).
  • Leonard Feather, British pianist, composer, and producer (born 1914).
• 29 – David van Kriedt, American composer, saxophonist, and music teacher (born 1922).

October

• 3 – Scoville Browne, American reedist (born 1909).
• 4 – Danny Gatton, American guitarist (born 1945).
• 5 – Nini Rosso, Italian jazz trumpeter and composer (born 1926).
• 8 – John Neely, American tenor saxophonist and arranger (born 1930).
• 21
  • Lanny Steele, American pianist and composer (born 1933).
  • Thore Ehrling, Swedish trumpeter, composer, and bandleader (born 1912).

November

• 4 – Jack Sharpe, English saxophonist and bandleader (born 1930).
• 7 – Shorty Rogers, American trumpeter and flugelhornist (born 1924).
• 10 – Carmen McRae, American singer, composer, pianist, and actress (born 1922).
• 18 – Cab Calloway, American singer and bandleader (born 1907).
• 28 – Al Levitt, American drummer (born 1932).
• 30 – Connie Kay, American drummer (born 1927).

December

• 8 – Antonio Carlos Jobim, Brazilian composer, pianist, songwriter, arranger, and singer (born 1927).
• 14 – Mary Ann McCall, American singer (born 1919).
• 19
  • Bill Douglass, American drummer (born 1923).
  • Noel Pointer, American jazz violinist and record producer (born 1954).

February

• 8 – Nikki Yanofsky, Canadian singer.

March

• 23 – Gentle Bones, Singaporean singer and composer.

April

• 9 – Jo David Meyer Lysne, Norwegian guitarist and composer.

May

Unknown date

• Amalie Holt Kleive, Norwegian singer and composer.
• Billie Black, British singer.
• Veronica Swift, American singer.

• 1990s in jazz
• List of years in jazz
• 1994 in music