This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 2012.

Quick Facts Decade, Music ...

2012 in jazz
Carla Bley, Moers Festival 2012.
Decade	2010s in jazz
Music	2012 in music
Standards	List of jazz standards
See also	2011 in jazz – 2013 in jazz

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January

• 4 – Totti Bergh, Norwegian saxophonist (born 1935).^[49]
• 9 – Ernie Carson, American cornetist, pianist, and singer (born 1937).
• 18 – Keshav Sathe, Indian tabla player (born 1928).
• 20
  • Etta James, American singer (born 1938).
  • John Levy, American upright-bassist (born 1912).^[50]
• 21 – Herbie Harper, American trombonist (born 1920).
• 26 – Clare Fischer, American keyboardist, composer, arranger, and bandleader (born 1928).^[51]
• 27 – Kay Davis, American singer (born 1920).

February

• 6
  • Billy Bean, American guitarist (born 1933).
  • Noel Kelehan, Irish musician and conductor, RTÉ Concert Orchestra (died 2012).
• 22
  • Eivin One Pedersen, Norwegian accordionist and pianist (born 1956).^[52]
  • Mike Melvoin, American pianist, composer, and arranger (born 1937).
• 24 – Bob Badgley, American upright bassist (born 1928).
• 25 – Red Holloway, American tenor saxophonist (born 1927).^[53]

March

• 1 – Lucio Dalla, Italian singer, clarinetist and actor (born 1943).^[54]
• 3 – Frank Marocco, American piano-accordionist, arranger and composer (born 1916).^[55]
• 11 – Leon Spencer, American organist (born 1945).

April

• 11 – Hal McKusick, American alto saxophonist, clarinetist, and flutist (born 1924).
• 12 – Rodgers Grant, American jazz pianist, composer, and lyricist (born 1936).
• 16 – Teddy Charles, American vibraphonist, pianist, drummer, and composer (born 1928).
• 20
  • Ayten Alpman, Turkish singer (born 1929).
  • Joe Muranyi, Hungarian-American clarinetist, producer, and critic (born 1928).
  • Virgil Jones, American trumpeter (born 1939).
• 23 – Peter Boothman, Australian guitarist, composer and educator (born 1943).

May

• 8 – Frank Parr, English trombonist and cricketer (born 1928).
• 10 - Bernardo Sassetti, Portuguese pianist and composer (born 1970).
• 11 – Roland Shaw, English composer, musical arranger, and orchestra leader (born 1920).
• 30 – Pete Cosey, American guitarist (born 1943).^[56]

June

• 3 – Andy Hamilton, Jamaican-British saxophonist and composer (born 1918).
• 13 – Graeme Bell, Australian pianist, composer and band leader (born 1914).
• 14 – Margie Hyams, American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, and arranger (born 1920).
• 15 – Rune Gustafsson, Swedish guitarist and composer (born 1933).
• 19 – Tale Ognenovski, Macedonian clarinetist and multi-instrumentalist (born 1922).

July

• 1 – Fritz Pauer, Austrian pianist, composer, and bandleader (born 1943).
• 4 – Larance Marable, American drummer (born 1929).
• 8 – Lionel Batiste, American bass drummer and singer (born 1931).
• 10 - Lol Coxhill, English saxophonist and raconteur (born 1932).
• 13 – Harry Betts, American trombonist (born 1922).
• 14 – Victor Gaskin, American bassist (born 1932).
• 16 – Ed Lincoln, Brazilian pianist, upright bassist, Hammond organist, and composer (born 1932).
• 26 – Don Bagley, American bassist (born 1927).

August

• 2 – Tomasz Szukalski, Polish saxophonist, composer, and improviser (born 1947).
• 11 – Von Freeman, American saxophonist (born 1923).^[57]
• 21 – Flavio Ambrosetti, Swiss vibraphonist, saxophonist, and engineer (born 1919).
• 23 – Byard Lancaster, American saxophonist and flutist (born 1942).

September

• 2 – John C. Marshall, British guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter (born 1941).
• 10 – Steven Springer, American guitarist, Trinidad Tripoli Steel Band (born 1951).
• 27 – Eddie Bert, American trombonist (born 1922).
• 28 – Jacky June, Belgian saxophonist, clarinetist, and bandleader (born 1924).

October

• 8 – John Tchicai, Danish saxophonist and composer (born 1936).^[58]
• 9 – Eddie Harvey, British pianist, trombonist, arranger, and educator (born 1925).
• 12 – Erik Moseholm, Danish bassist, composer, and bandleader (born 1930).
• 18
  • Borah Bergman, American pianist (born 1926).
  • David S. Ware, American saxophonist, composer, and bandleader (born 1949).
• 20 – Candy Johnson, American singer and dancer (born 1944).
• 26 – Carlos Azevedo, Portuguese composer and pianist (born 1949).

November

• 4 – Ted Curson, American trumpeter (born 1935).
• 15 – Frode Thingnæs, Norwegian jazz trombonist and bandleader (complications from a heart attack) (born 1940).^[59]
• 18 – Stan Greig, Scottish pianist, drummer, and bandleader (born 1930).
• 20 – Pete La Roca, American drummer (born 1938).
• 21 – Austin Peralta, American pianist and composer (born 1990).^[60]
• 27 – Mickey Baker, American guitarist (born 1925).

December

• 5 – Dave Brubeck, American jazz pianist and composer (born 1920).^[61]
• 6 – Ed Cassidy, American drummer (born 1923).
• 22 – Frances Klein, American trumpeter (born 1915).

• List of 2012 albums
• List of years in jazz
• 2010s in jazz
• 2012 in music