This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 2018.
Events
January 11 The 17th All Ears festival started in Oslo (January 11–14). The 4th annual Tucson Jazz Festival started in Tucson, Arizona (January 11 – 21). 19 – The 37th annual Djangofestival started on Cosmopolite in Oslo, Norway (January 19–20). 28 – The Gustav Lundgren Trio performed a tribute to Django Reinhardt at Stockholm Concert Hall. 31 The 7th Bodø Jazz Open started in Bodø, Norway (January 31 – February 3). The 13th Ice Music Festival started in Geilo, Norway (January 31 – February 4).
February 1 – The 20th Polarjazz Festival started in Longyearbyen, Svalbard (February 1 – 4). 23 – Kirsti Huke received the 2017 Radka Toneff Memorial Award. 25 – The band Hegge was awarded the 2017 jazz Spellemannprisen.
March 2 – The 14th Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival started in Jakarta, Indonesia (March 2 – 4). 8 – The Turku Jazz Festival started in Åbo (March 8 – 11). 16 – The Blue House Youth Jazz Festival started in Stockholm (March 16 – 18). 23 The 19th Cape Town International Jazz Festival started in Cape Town, South Africa (March 23 – 24). The 45th Vossajazz started in Vossevangen, Norway (March 23 – 25). The opening was by Norwegian jazz poet Jan Erik Vold, warning about political misdirections of our time, followed by the opening concert signed Arild Andersen.
April 23 – The 7th Torino Jazz Festival started in Turin (April 23–30). 25 – The 32nd April Jazz Espoo started (April 25 – 29). 30 – The International Jazz Day.
May 4 The Balejazz started in Balestrand, Norway (May 4 – 6). The 29th MaiJazz started in Stavanger, Norway (May 4 – 9). 9 – The 14th AnJazz, the Hamar Jazz Festival started at Hamar, Norway (May 9 – 13). 11 – The 17th All Ears festival started in Oslo (January 11–14). 24 – The 17th Festival Jazz à Saint-Germain-des-Prés started in Paris, France (May 24 – June 4). 25 – The 46th Nattjazz started in Bergen, Norway (May 25 – June 2).
June 12 The Bergenfest started in Bergen (June 12 – 16). The Norwegian Wood music festival started in Oslo (June 12 – 16).
July 4 – The Kongsberg Jazzfestival opened at Kongsberg consert (July 4 – 7). 6 – The Baltic Jazz festival started in Dalsbruk (July 6 – 8). 7 The 40th Copenhagen Jazz Festival start in Copenhagen, Denmark (July 7 – 16). The 22nd Skånevik Bluesfestival started in Skånevik, Norway, with Jeff Beck as headliner (July 7 – 9). 12 – The 17th Stavernfestivalen started in Stavern, Norway (July 12 – 14). 13 The 43rd North Sea Jazz Festival started in The Hague, Netherlands ( July 7–9). The 45th Umbria Jazz Festival start in Perugia, Italy (July 13 – 22). 14 The 30th Aarhus Jazz Festival started in Aarhus, Denmark (July 14 – 21). The 54th Pori Jazz Festival started in Pori, Finland (July 14 – 22). 16 – The Moldejazz start in Molde (July 16 – 21). 17 The 71st Nice Jazz Festival started in Nice, France (July 17 – 21). The 42nd Jazz de Vitoria start in Gasteiz, Spain (July 17 – 21). 25 – The 23rd Canal Street started in Arendal, Norway (July 25 – 28). 27 – The 41st Jazz in Marciac started in Marciac, France (July 27 – August 15).
August 3 The 62nd Newport Jazz Festival started in Newport, Rhode Island (August 3 – 5). The Nišville International Jazz Festival started in Niš, Serbia (August 3 – 13). 8 The 19th Øyafestivalen started in Oslo, Norway (August 8 – 11). The 32nd Sildajazz started in Haugesund, Norway (August 8 – 12). 9 – The Tromsø Jazz Festival started in Tromsø (August 9 – 12). 10 – The 34th Brecon Jazz Festival started in Brecon, Wales (August 10 – 12). 11 – The 33rd Oslo Jazzfestival started in Oslo, Norway (August 11 – 18). 17 – The Parkenfestivalen started in Bodø (August 17–18). 30 – The 14th Punktfestivalen opened in Kristiansand (August 30 - September 1|).
September 21 – The 61st Monterey Jazz Festival started in Monterey, California (September 21 – 23).
October 17 – The 54th Prague International Jazz Festival started in Prague (March 17 – October 6). 18 – The 36th DølaJazz started in Lillehammer (October 18 – 21). 22 – Vocalist Veronica Swift, the daughter of singer Stephanie Nakasian and the late pianist Hod O'Brien, was attacked on subway platform in New York City. 25 – The 40th Guinness Cork Jazz Festival started in Cork City, Ireland (October 25 – 29).
November 1 – The 55th JazzFest Berlin, also known as the Berlin Jazz Festival started in Berlin (November 1 – 4). 7 - The Thelonius Monk Institute of Jazz is renamed the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz after its longtime board chairmanNate Chinen, "The Thelonious Monk Institute Of Jazz Is Now The Herbie Hancock Institute Of Jazz", NPR Music, November 7, 2018.
December The 24th Umbria Jazz Winter started in Orvieto, Italy (December 20 - January 1).
Albums released MonthDayAlbumArtistLabelNotes Ref. January5 Contra Puncta CMC Ensemble feat. Michel Godard Losen Produced by C.M.C. Ensemble19 Contra La Indecisión Bobo Stenson Trio (Anders Jormin, Jon Fält) ECM Produced by Manfred Eicher Elvesang Sigurd Hole Elvesang Never Stop IIThe Bad Plus Invisible Threads John Surman with Nelson Ayres and Rob Waring ECM Produced by Manfred Eicher Lucus Thomas Strønen & Time Is A Blind Guide Produced by Manfred Eicher Obsidian Kit Downes26 Cinema Scenes Klaus Paier - Asja Valcic ACT Laila Biali Laila Biali Produced by Ben Wittman & Laila Biali Octopus Kris Davis & Craig Taborn Pyroclastic Records Produced by David Breskin Rousilvo Dine Doneff ECM 31 Sparkling Tom Ibarra Tom Ibarra February2 Cosmic Playground Chris Gall Trio Edition Collage Delights Of Decay Batagraf Jazzland Produced by Jon Balke, Kåre Christoffer Vestrheim Live at Victoria Solveig Slettahjell Produced by Solveig Slettahjell Modern Lore Julian Lage Mack Avenue 9 A Humdrum Star GoGo Penguin Blue Note Joy Ride John Raymond & Real Feel Sunnyside Live in Europe Melody Gardot Decca Thought You Knew Snowpoet (Lauren Kinsella, Chris Hyson) Edition Records Twio Walter Smith III Trio Whirlwind 13 Heat Knut Reiersrud Band Jazzland 16 Descansado - Songs for Film Norma Winstone ECM Produced by Manfred Eicher For 2 Akis Shinya Fukumori Trio Produced by Manfred Eicher Romaria Andy Sheppard Quartet Produced by Manfred Eicher Run Boy, Run Gurls (Hanna Paulsberg, Ellen Andrea Wang, Rohey Taalah) Grappa GRCD4571 Travelers Nicolas Masson, Colin Vallon, Patrice Moret, Lionel Friedli ECM Produced by Manfred Eicher23 A Novel Of Anomaly Andreas Schaerer ACT Produced by Siggi Loch Lala Belu Hailu Mergia Awesome Tapes from Africa Opus Al Di Meola earMUSIC Pilgrim Janne Mark with Arve Henriksen ACT Produced by Esben Eyermann and Janne Mark26 Animal Image Verneri Pohjola, Mika Kallio Edition 28 Visions: Coast to Coast Connection Bob Holz feat. Stanley Clarke MVD Audio March2 After the Fall Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, Jack DeJohnette ECM Ravensburg Mathias Eick ECM Produced by Manfred Eicher3ToiletClown Core Self Released Unkown Producer9 Atonement Bendik Hofseth C+C Records Jazz Joy Karin Krog Meantime Records Jazz (vinyl) Traces of You Kristin Asbjørnsen Global Sonics / Øra 23 In-House Science Arild Andersen with Paolo Vinaccia, and Tommy Smith ECM Oslo Michael Wollny, feat. The Norwegian Wind Ensemble and Geir Lysne ACT Produced by Siggi Loch Notis Kjersti Stubø Quintet including additional Jørn Øien, Håvard Stubø, Mats Eilertsen, and Håkon Mjåset Johansen Bolage Powered By Life Dalia Faitelson Losen Produced by Dalia Faitelson Returnings Jakob Bro with Palle Mikkelborg, Thomas Morgan, and Jon Christensen ECM Produced by Manfred Eicher Wartburg Michael Wollny Trio Live ACT Produced by Siggi LochThe QuestionsKurt EllingOkeh Recordswith Marquis Hill, Branford Marsalis, and Jeff "Tain" Watts. 30 Your Queen Is a Reptile Sons of Kemet Impulse! Records Pitchfork: Sons of Kemet: Your Queen Is a Reptile Album Review | Pitchfork, accessdate: June 10, 2023 April6 Breaking English Rafiq Bhatia Anti- Records Available April 06 — Rafiq Bhatia: BREAKING ENGLISH - Available April 06 — Rafiq Bhatia, accessdate: May 20, 2023 Polarity Hoff Ensemble - Jan Gunnar Hoff, Anders Jormin, Audun Kleive 2L Produced by Morten Lindberg20 Barxeta II Per Mathisen & Jan Gunnar Hoff feat. Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez Losen Produced by Jan Gunnar Hoff and Per Mathisen Freedoms Trio II Steinar Aadnekvam Losen Produced by Steinar Aadnekvam Kudu Anteloper (Jaimie Branch, Jason Nazary) International Anthem Recording Company Produced by Jaimie Branch, Jason Nazary Swagism Ghost-Note Ropeadope Records Double Album CD — ropeadope: Ghost Note | Swagism - Double Album CD — ropeadope, accessdate: June 10, 2023 May18 A Suite of Poems Ketil Bjørnstad, Anneli Drecker, poems by Lars Saabye Christensen ECM 25 Still Dreaming Joshua Redman, Ron Miles, Scott Colley, Brian Blade Nonesuch Produced by Joshua Redman June15 Open Land - Meeting John Abercrombie John Abercrombie ECM DVD22 Heaven and Earth Kamasi Washington Young Turk Recordings July 18 e.s.t. songbook - Volume 2 - Buch Esbjörn Svensson Trio ACT August31 Helsinki Songs Trygve Seim ECM Living Being II - Night Walker Vincent Peirani ACT Produced by Vincent Peirani The Other Side Tord Gustavsen Trio ECM September7 Temporary Kings Mark Turner and Ethan Iverson ECM 14 Marcin Wasilewski Trio Live Marcin Wasilewski Trio 28 The Dream Thief Shai Maestro, Jorge Roeder, and Ofri Nehemya Produced by Manfred EicherThe Window Cécile McLorin SalvantMack Avenue Records Summerwind Lars Danielsson ACT Produced by Siggi Loch October5 Bay Of Rainbows Jakob Bro, Thomas Morgan, and Joey Baron ECM Where The River Goes Wolfgang Muthspiel, Ambrose Akinmusire, Brad Mehldau, Larry Grenadier, and Eric Harland Produced by Manfred Eicher12Crime ZoneConnie HanMack Avenue RecordsDownBeat Reviews: DownBeat Reviews, accessdate: June 19, 2023Connie Han: Crime Zone album review @ All About Jazz: Connie Han: Crime Zone album review @ All About Jazz, accessdate: June 19, 202319 La Fenice Keith Jarrett ECM 12 Little SpellsEsperanza SpaldingConcord RecordsAwarded Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards26 Universal Beings Makaya McCraven International Anthem Recordings Pitchfork: Makaya McCraven: Universal Beings Album Review | Pitchfork, accessdate: June 10, 2023 Christmas With My Friends VI Nils Landgren ACT Produced by Nils Landgren with Johan Norberg My Soul Kitchen Ida Sand Produced by Nils Landgren and Siggi Loch November2 Lebroba Andrew Cyrille, Wadada Leo Smith, and Bill Frisell ECM Lucent Waters Florian Weber, Ralph Alessi, Linda May Han Oh, and Nasheet Waits Produced by Manfred Eicher9 The Art Ensemble of Chicago and Associated Ensembles Art Ensemble of Chicago 21xCD
All critically reviewed albums ranked
AnyDecentMusic Number Artist Album Average score Number of reviews Reference 1Kamasi Washington Heaven and Earth8.329 reviewsAny Decent Music: Heaven & Earth by Kamasi Washington reviews | Any Decent Music, accessdate: June 10, 2023 2Jon HasselListening To Pictures (Pentimento Volume One)7.810 reviewsAny Decent Music: Listening To Pictures (Pentimento Volume One) by Jon Hassell reviews | Any Decent Music, accessdate: June 10, 2023 3Kadhja BonetChildqueen7.810 reviewsAny Decent Music: Childqueen by Kadhja Bonet reviews | Any Decent Music, accessdate: June 10, 2023 4Kamaal WilliamsThe Return7.56 reviewsAny Decent Music: The Return by Kamaal Williams reviews | Any Decent Music, accessdate: June 10, 2023 5Unknown Mortal Orchestra IC-01 Hanoi6.210 reviewsAny Decent Music: IC-01 Hanoi by Unknown Mortal Orchestra reviews | Any Decent Music, accessdate: June 10, 2023
Metacritic