This is a timeline documenting events of jazz in the year 2003.

Quick Facts Decade, Music ...

2003 in jazz
Eugene Chadbourne in 2003.
Decade	2000s in jazz
Music	2003 in music
Standards	List of jazz standards
See also	2002 in jazz – 2004 in jazz

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January

• 5 – Ramon Carranza, Venezuelan saxophonist and composer (born 1940).
• 11 – William Russo, American composer, conductor, and trombonist (born 1928).
• 24 – Cy Touff, American bass trumpeter (born 1927).

February

• 1 – Mongo Santamaría, Afro-Cuban Latin jazz percussionist (born 1917).
• 4 – Charlie Biddle, Canadian upright bassist (born 1926).
• 5 – Werner Dies, German tenor saxophonist, clarinetist, guitarist, composer, and arranger (born 1928).
• 9 – Ruby Braff, American trumpeter and cornetist (born 1927).

March

• 6 – Linton Garner, American pianist (born 1915).
• 24 – Artie Shapiro, American upright bassist (born 1916).

April

• 7 – Jutta Hipp, German pianist and composer (born 1925).
• 13 – Allen Eager, American tenor and alto saxophonist (born 1927).
• 20 – Teddy Edwards, American saxophonist (born 1924).
• 21 – Nina Simone, American singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, and civil rights activist (born 1933).^[28]
• 25 – Ted Joans, American poet, surrealist, trumpeter, and painter (born 1928).

May

• 5 – Jerry Rusch, American trumpeter (born 1943).
• 12 – Bross Townsend, American pianist (born 1933).

June

• 11 – Rudolf Tomsits, Hungarian trumpeter, flugelhornist, and composer (born 1946).
• 13 – Harold Ashby, American tenor saxophonist, Duke Ellington Orchestra (born 1925).
• 14 – Jimmy Knepper, American trombonist (born 1927).
• 15 – Volker Kriegel, German guitarist, United Jazz + Rock Ensemble
• 19 – Peanuts Hucko, American clarinetist and saxophonist (born 1918).
• 29 – Norman O'Connor, American pianist (born 1921).

July

• 1 – Herbie Mann, American flautist (prostate cancer) (born 1930).^[29]
• 10 – Alvin Alcorn, American trumpeter (born 1912).
• 12 – Benny Carter, American jazz saxophonist, composer, arranger and bandleader (bronchitis) (born 1907).
• 23 – Gary King, American bassist (born 1947).
• 28 – Aaron Bell, American upright bassist (born 1921).
• 29 – Luther Henderson, American arranger, composer, orchestrator, and pianist (born 1919).

August

• 6 – Grover Mitchell, American trombonist, Count Basie Orchestra (born 1930).
• 9 – Herbie Steward, American saxophonist, Four Brothers (born 1926).
• 10 – Bill Perkins, American saxophonist and flutist (born 1924).
• 26 – Wayne Andre, American trombonist (born 1931).

September

• 14 – John Serry Sr., American accordion virtuoso, composer, and arranger (born 1915).
• 19 – Frank Lowe, American saxophonist and composer (born 1943).
• 21 – Chris McGale, Canadian violinist (born 1923).
• 30 – Eddie Gladden, American jazz drummer (born 1937).

October

• 1 – Chubby Jackson, American upright bassist and band leader (born 1918).
• 9
  • Carl Fontana, American trombonist (born 1928).
  • Don Lanphere, American tenor and soprano saxophonist (born 1928).
• 20 – Maxine Daniels, English singer (born 1930).
• 22 – Ron Collier, Canadian trombonist, composer, and arranger (born 1930).
• 23 – Eraldo Volonté, Italian saxophonist and bandleader (born 1918).

November

• 3 – Aaron Bridgers, African-American pianist (born 1918).
• 9 – Buddy Arnold, American saxophonist (born 1926).^[30]
• 10 – Jed Williams, Welsh jazz journalist and the founder of the Brecon Jazz Festival (born 1952).

December

• 2 – John Brimhall, American musical arranger and author (born 1928).
• 13 – Webster Young, American trumpeter and cornetist (born 1932).
• 21 – Hans Koller, Austrian tenor saxophonist and bandleader (born 1921).
• 23 – Don Lamond, American drummer (born 1920).

Unknown date

• Jacques Butler, American trumpeter and vocalist (born 1909).

June

• 25 – Joey Alexander, Indonesian pianist.

• List of years in jazz
• 2000s in jazz
• 2003 in music