This is a timeline documenting events of jazz in the year 2015.
Events
January 21 – The 4th Bodø Jazz Open started in Bodø, Norway (January 21 – 24). 23 – The 34th annual Djangofestival started on Cosmopolite in Oslo, Norway (January 23 – 24).
February 5 The 17th Polarjazz Festival started in Longyearbyen, Svalbard (February 5 – 8). The 10th Ice Music Festival started in Geilo, Norway (February 5 – 8).
March 6 – The 11th Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival started in Jakarta, Indonesia (March 6 – 8). 27 – The 42nd Vossajazz started in Voss Municipality, Norway (March 27 – 29). 28 Thea Hjelmeland was awarded Vossajazzprisen 2015 for the album Solar Plexus. Live Maria Roggen performs the commissioned work Apukaluptein at Vossajazz.
April 2 - GoGo Penguin signs with Blue Note Records 23 – The 21st SoddJazz started in Inderøy, Norway (April 23 – 27). 30 – The International Jazz Day.
May 5 – The 27th MaiJazz started in Stavanger, Norway (May 5 – 10). 6 – The 11th AnJazz started in Hamar, Norway (May 6 – 9). 7 Julie Dahle Aagård played at Uhørt in Oslo, Norway. Lisa Ekdahl play at Rockefeller in Oslo, Norway. Bergen Big Band with Gabriel Fliflet and Ole Hamre played at Sardinen USF in Bergen, Norway. The 37th Trondheim Jazz Festival started in Trondheim, Norway (May 7 – 10). 8 Per Mathisen Trio played at Draaben Bar in Sandefjord, Norway. Hanna Paulsberg Concept / Soil Collectors / MOPO played at Victoria - Nasjonal Jazzscene Oslo, Norway. 10 – Kampenjazz: Anja Eline Skybakmoen played at Cafeteatret Oslo, Norway. 15 – Per Mathisen Trio played at Victoria - National Jazz Scene in Oslo, Norway. 16 – Farmers Market played at Victoria - National Jazz Scene in Oslo, Norway. 22 The 44th Moers Festival starts in Moers, Germany (May 22 – 25) Eivind Opsvik Overseas played at Victoria - National Jazz Scene in Oslo, Norway. 23 – Beady Belle played at Victoria - National Jazz Scene in Oslo, Norway. 28 The 4th Torino Jazz Festival started in Turin (May 28 - June 2). The 43rd Nattjazz 2015 started in Bergen, Norway (May 28 – June 6) Bergen Big Band was the very first recipients of Olav Dale's Memorial Award at the opening of Nattjazz 2015.
June 17 – The 27th Jazz Fest Wien started in Vienna, Austria (June 26 – July 11). 26 – The 35th Montreal International Jazz Festival started in Montreal, Quebec, Canada (June 26 – July 5).
July 1 The 51st Kongsberg Jazzfestival started at Kongsberg, Norway (July 1 – 4). Ellen Andrea Wang was recipient of the Kongsberg Jazz Award or DNB.prisen 2015 at the Kongsberg Jazzfestival. 2 The 15th Stavernfestivalen started in Stavern, Norway (July 2 – 4). The 25th JazzBaltica starts in Schloss Salzau close to Kiel, Germany (July 2 – 5). 3 The 37th Copenhagen Jazz Festival started in Copenhagen, Denmark (July 3 – 12). The 49th Montreux Jazz Festival started in Montreux, Switzerland (July 3 – 18). 7 – The 68th Nice Jazz Festival started in Nice, France (July 7 – 12). 10 – The 40th North Sea Jazz Festival started in Rotterdam, Netherlands (July 10 – 12). 11 The 27th Aarhus Jazz Festival started in Aarhus, Denmark (July 11 – 18). The 50th Pori Jazz Festival started in Pori, Finland (July 11 – 19). 13 – The 55th Moldejazz started in Molde, Norway with Mats Gustafsson as artist in residence (July 13 – 18). 16 – Jan Ole Otnæs received the 2015 Molderosen at Moldejazz. 22 – The 20th Canal Street started in Arendal, Norway (July 22 – 25). 31 – The 59th Newport Jazz Festival started in Newport, Rhode Island (July 31 – August 2).
August 5 – The 29th Sildajazz 2015 started in Haugesund, Norway (August 5 – 9). 6 – The 21st Hemnesjazz 2015 started in Hemnesberget, Norway (August 6 – 9). 8 – The 4th Kids in Jazz 2015 festival started in Oslo, Norway as part of the Oslo Jazzfestival (August 8 – 12). 10 – The 30th Oslo Jazzfestival started in Oslo, Norway (August 10 – 15). 11 – The 17th Øyafestivalen started in Oslo, Norway (August 11 – 15). 12 – Anneli Drecker played at Øyafestivalen.
September 3 – The 11th Punktfestivalen started in Kristiansand, Norway (September 3 – 5). 18 – The 58th Monterey Jazz Festival started in Monterey, California (September 18 – 20).
October 9 – The 32nd Stockholm Jazz Festival started in Stockholm, Sweden (October 9 – 18). 10 - Miles Ahead, a documentary about the life of Miles Davis releases(01-2016) January :Downbeat magazine : Internet Archive: (01-2016) January : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive, accessdate: May 28, 2023
November 13 – The 24th London Jazz Festival started in London, England (November 13 – 22).
December 29 – The 10th RIBBEjazz started in Lillestrøm, Norway.
Albums released MonthDayAlbumArtistLabelNotesRef. January13 Songs For Quintet Kenny Wheeler ECM Produced by Manfred Eicher, Steve Lake. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios.16 Break Stuff Vijay Iyer Trio Produced by Manfred Eicher Imaginary Cities Chris Potter Underground Orchestra Made in Chicago Jack DeJohnette Produced by Dave Love, Jack DeJohnette22 Encore Eberhard Weber Live recordings 1990–200720 Meditation Terje Isungset All Ice 21 Nangijala Andreas Loven Losen 30 Pinball Marius Neset ACT Produced by Marius Neset and Anton Eger Bits & Pieces Mopti feat. Bendik Baksaas Jazzland Produced by Bendik Baksaas, Christian M. Svendsen, Aleksander Sjølie, Harald Lassen February3WallflowerDiana KrallVerve RecordsProduced by David Foster6 Gefion Jakob Bro ECM Produced by Manfred Eicher The Half-finished Heaven Sinikka Langeland16 Ten Love Songs Susanne Sundfør Warner 20 It´s OK To Play Øystein Blix Losen Phoenix Cyminology ECM Produced by Manfred Eicher27 Midwest Mathias Eick Bird Calls Rudresh Mahanthappa ACT Produced by Rudresh K. Mahanthappa March6 A Clear Midnight (Kurt Weill And America) Julia Hülsmann Quartet with Theo Bleckmann ECM Produced by Manfred Eicher Trees Of Light Anders Jormin / Lena Willemark / Karin Nakagawa17 Time Within Itself Michael Waldrop Big Band / Jack Cooper / Jimi Tunnell Origin Produced by Michael Waldrop20 Grieg, Tveitt & I Dag Arnesen Coco & Co In Maggiore Paolo Fresu / Daniele di Bonaventura ECM Produced by Manfred Eicher This Is The Day Giovanni Guidi Trio22 Hit The Wall! Mats Gustafsson together with Thurston Moore Smalltown Superjazzz 23 Lucidity Atomic Jazzland Produced by Atomic, co-producer Sten Nilsen24 Duets Stanley Jordan, Kevin Eubanks Mack Avenue 27 Kjølvatn Nils Økland Band including Rolf-Erik Nystrøm, Sigbjørn Apeland and Mats Eilertsen ECM Slow Eastbound Train Daniel Herskedal Edition Produced by Erik Johannessen Young At Heart Ida Sand ACT Produced by Nils Landgren, executive producer Siggi Loch April7 Vol. 3 Team Hegdal Particular Recordings 17 Dallëndyshe Elina Duni Quartet ECM Produced by Manfred Eicher Én Duplex NorCD En Konsert For Folk Flest Motorpsycho + Ståle Storløkken Rune Grammofon Surrounded By Sea Andy Sheppard Quartet ECM Produced by Manfred Eicher You've Been Watching Me Tim Berne's Snakeoil24 Rocks & Straws Anneli Drecker, lyrics based on poems by Arvid Hanssen Rune Grammofon Slow Snow Tore Brunborg ACT Produced by Tore Brunborg May1 Terje Isungset & Stian Westerhus Terje Isungset, Stian Westerhus All Ice 4 Only Sky David Torn ECM Produced by David Torn5 The Epic Kamasi Washington Brainfeeder 8 Barber / Bartók / Jarrett Keith Jarrett ECM Creation Now This Gary Peacock Trio Produced by Manfred Eicher9 Ospitalita Generosa Per Mathiesen Trio Alessa 15 The Goldilocks Zone Olga Konkova Trio Losen 19 Firehouse Gard Nilssen's Acoustic Unity including with Petter Eldh and André Roligheten Clean Feed 22 Imágenes (Music For Piano) Dino Saluzzi - Horacio Lavandera ECM 26The Bad Plus Joshua RedmanThe Bad Plus and Joshua RedmanNonesuch Records29 Jazzpaña Gerardo Núñez live with Ulf Wakenius ACT Recording producer Christoph Terbuyken June1 Starfire Jaga Jazzist Ninja Tune 3 Weathering Kvien & Sommer Full Of Nothing 5 Rainy Omen Finland (Morten Qvenild, Ivar Grydeland, Jo Berger Myhre, Pål Hausken) Hubro 12 Amores Pasados John Potter ECM Produced by Manfred Eicher16 Space Time Continuum Aaron Diehl Mack Avenue Produced by Maria Ehreneich26 Nomad Songs Stephan Micus ECM July21 Bugge & Friends Bugge Wesseltoft Jazzland 24 Tears Of The World Knut Reiersrud & Mighty Sam McClain ACT Produced by Knut Reiersrud and Nikolai Hængsle Eilertsen August11 Individuals Facing the Terror of Cosmic Loneliness Stein Urheim and Mari Kvien Brunvoll Jazzland 21 Silver Mountain Elephant9 Rune Grammofon Vårres Egen Lille Krig Vidar Vang VV Records 28 Bridges Adam Baldych & Helge Lien Trio ACT Mixed and mastered by Klaus Scheuermann Just The Two Of Us Cæcilie Norby and Lars Danielsson In The Morning (Music Of Alec Wilder) Stefano Battaglia Trio ECM Produced by Manfred Eicher, Torino Jazz Festival Time Before And Time After Dominique Pifarély Produced by Manfred Eicher Wild Dance Enrico Rava Quartet with Gianluca Petrella September2 Buoyancy Nils Petter Molvær Okeh Records Produced by Jo Berger Myhre, Nils Petter Molvær Bushman's Fire Bushman's Revenge Rune Grammofon Jazz, Fritt Etter Hukommelsen Bushman's Revenge Rune Grammofon 4 For One to Love Cécile McLorin Salvant Mack Avenue Produced by Al Pryor Luys i Luso Tigran Hamasyan with Yerevan State Choir conducted by Harutyun Topikyan ECM Produced by Manfred Eicher Personal Piano Morten Qvenild Hubro 6 Ville Ord Frida Ånnevik Grappa Recipient of the Spellemannprisen lyricist award11 Hommage À Eberhard Weber Pat Metheny, Jan Garbarek, Gary Burton, Scott Colley, Danny Gottlieb, Paul McCandless, Michael Gibbs, Helge Sunde, and SWR Big Band ECM When You Cut Into The Present Møster! Hubro 16 Sunrain Haakon Graf Trio, including Erik Smith and Per Mathisen Losen Records Produces by Graf, Smith, and Mathisen18 Echo Anja Eline Skybakmoen Triogram Megalodon Megalodon Collective including with Henrik Lødøen Gigafon Waldemar 4 Trygve Waldemar Fiske Gigafon 25 Circadian Rhythm And Blues Hayden Powell Periskop Records Mønster Espen Berg Trio Atterklang Produced by Espen Berg Trio. AKLANG314 Past Present John Scofield Impulse! The String Project Philip Catherine live in Brussels ACT Produced by Philip CatherineOctober2 Return to the Fire Tim Garland Edition Chiaroscuro Giya Kancheli ECM Produced by Manfred Eicher Time Is A Blind Guide Thomas Strønen Produced by Sun Chung, Thomas Strønen8 JazzBukkBox a box with three albums: Lærad The Tree, Live in Germany and WorldJazz Karl Seglem NorCD 9 Band Of Gold Band Of Gold including Nikolai Hængsle Eilertsen and Nina Elisabeth Mortvedt Jansen Plateproduksjon Nachtfahrten Michael Wollny ACT Produced by Siggi Loch12 Golden Years Pixel Cuneiform 30 Mette Henriette Mette Henriette ECM Winter Light Scott DuBois ACT Produced by Scott DuBois31 Cubistic Boogie David Arthur Skinner Losen Produced by David Arthur Skinner, executive producer Odd Gjelsnes November6 This Is Not A Miracle Food ECM 12 Aimless Mary Needlepoint BJK Music 20 Pieces Of Solitude Natalie Sandtorv Va Fongool Trail of Souls Solveig Slettahjell with Knut Reiersrud and In The Country ACT 27 The Day I Had Everything Malija including Mark Lockheart, Liam Noble, and Jasper Høiby Edition Just The Two Of Us Cæcilie Norby with Lars Danielsson ACT Produced by Cæcilie Norby & Lars Danielsson, executive producer Siggi Loch Time Is Coming Hildegunn Øiseth Losen December1 Before the Storm Nakama Nakama Records Produced by Nakama & Christian Obermayer5 Love Swings Ike Moriz Mosquito Records London Pty Ltd. Recorded at Paris Studios, Cape Town
Deaths
January 1 – Jeff Golub, American guitarist (born 1955). 3 – Ivan Jullien, French trumpeter (born 1934). 4 – Pino Daniele, Italian singer, songwriter, and guitarist (born 1955). 19 – Ward Swingle, American vocalist and pianist, The Swingle Singers (born 1927).
February 3 – William Thomas McKinley, American composer and pianist (born 1938). 12 – Richie Pratt, American drummer (born 1943). 21 – Clark Terry, American trumpeter (born 1920).