This is a timeline documenting events of jazz in the year 2023.
Events
February
February 5 – At the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, winners include Wayne Shorter, Samara Joy, and Arturo O'Farrill. Snarky Puppy wins best contemporary instrumental album for their 2022 album Empire Central, Samara Joy wins best Vocal Jazz album for her 2022 album Linger Awhile. Terri Lyne Carrington, Kris Davis, Linda May Han Oh, Nicholas Payton & Matthew Stevens win Best Jazz Instrumental Album for their album New Standards Volume 1.Meet Tobias Jesso Jr., The First-Ever GRAMMY Winner For Songwriter Of The Year: Meet Tobias Jesso Jr., The First-Ever GRAMMY Winner For Songwriter Of The Year, accessdate: May 23, 2023
April April 14 – First day of Coachella 2023, a two weekend event, occurs. Jazz musicians in attendance are The Comet is Coming and Domi and JD Beck April 15 – After 8 years, British band GoGo Penguin's contract with Blue Note Records ends, and the band switches to XXIM Records, a record label more typically associated with neoclassical music and progressive electronic music.GoGo Penguin Interview: New Album 'Everything Is Going To Be OK' & More: GoGo Penguin Interview: New Album 'Everything Is Going To Be OK' & More, accessdate: May 20, 2023
May May 17 – The Jazz Journalists Association Jazz Awards are presented. Charles Lloyd wins Lifetime Achievement in Jazz award. Drummer Terri Lyne Carrington wins Musician of The Year. Singer Samara Joy wins Up & Coming Musician of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year. Ashley Kahn wins Lifetime Achievement in Jazz Journalism award.JJA Jazz Awards: 2023 JJA Jazz Awards winners announced! - JJA Jazz Awards, accessdate: May 30, 2023JJA Jazz Awards: 2023 Winners in Jazz Journalism - JJA Jazz Awards, accessdate: May 30, 2023 May 19 – Lionel Loueke and Gretchen Parlato released their collaborative album Lean In. May 31 – The tapes for a long lost, unreleased John Coltrane live album with Eric Dolphy are found at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.The Guardian: John Coltrane recordings lost in New York Public Library will finally be heard | John Coltrane | The Guardian, accessdate: June 1, 2023
June June 7 – The San Francisco Jazz Festival takes place in the United States. Jacob Collier and Samara Joy are in attendance.SFJAZZ Announces Lineups for San Francisco Jazz Fest, Summer Sessions: SFJAZZ Announces Lineups for San Francisco Jazz Fest, Summer Sessions, accessdate: June 5, 2023 June 13 – The Grammys announce a new award category: Best Alternative Jazz AlbumPitchfork: Recording Academy Adds New Awards for 2024 Grammys: Best Alternative Jazz Album, Best Pop Dance Recording, and Best African Music Performance | Pitchfork, accessdate: June 16, 2023 June 21 – The 37th Annual Syracuse Jazz Fest takes place in the United States. Herbie Hancock and Gladys Knight are in attendanceWSTM: 37th annual 'Syracuse Jazz Fest' to feature legends Herbie Hancock and Gladys Knight | WSTM, accessdate: June 5, 2023 June 30 – The 36th annual Saskatchewan Jazz Festival kicked off in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
July July 7 – The 56th Pori Jazz Festival is scheduled to take place in Finland. July 28 – The Blue Note Jazz Festival opens in Napa, California, hosted by Dave Chappelle and headlined by Mary Blige, Chance The Rapper and Nas. Robert Glasper is the artist in residence. Notable attendees include George Clinton, Anderson .Paak, Domi and JD BeckVIBE.com: Mary J. Blige And Nas To Headline 2023 Blue Note Jazz Festival In Napa – VIBE.com, accessdate: May 26, 2023
August August 4 – The Newport Jazz Festival opens in the United States. Notable attendees include Kamasi Washington, Domi and JD Beck, Immanuel Wilkins Quartet, Herbie Hancock, Samara Joy, Lakecia Benjamin and ThundercatHerbie Hancock, Diana Krall, Jon Batiste highlight 2023 Newport Jazz Festival lineup August 25 - A 3 episode Amazon Prime biographical documentary miniseries about the life of Wayne Shorter through several decades releases, titled Wayne Shorter: Zero Gravity‘How a man grew to greatness’: the incredible story of saxophonist Wayne ShorterWhat Kind of Artist Was Wayne Shorter?
September September 22 – The 65th Monterey Jazz Festival is scheduled to take place in the United States, with Lakecia Benjamin as the artist in residence. Notable attendees include Herbie Hancock, Snarky Puppy, Samara Joy, and ThundercatMonterey Jazz Festival Announces Lakecia Benjamin as 2023 Artist-in-Residence
October October 13 – Stockholm Jazz Festival took place in Sweden.
December December 5 - NPR Music ranks Meshell Ndegeocello's The Omnichord Real Book and Yussef Dayes's Black Classical Music among the 50 best albums of 2023.The 50 Best Albums of 2023 : NPR, accessdate: January 18, 2024 December 7 - The New York Times ranks Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah's Bark Out Thunder Roar Out Lightning as the best jazz album of 2023, followed by Jaimie Branch's Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((World War)) in #2The New York Times: Best Jazz Albums of 2023 - The New York Times, accessdate: January 18, 2024 December 13 - Stereogum ranks Matana Roberts' Coin Coin Chapter 5: In The Garden as the best jazz album of 2023, followed by Jaimie Branch's Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((World War)) in #2 December 19 - NPR Music ranks Meshell Ndegeocello's The Omnichord Real Book as the best jazz album of 2023The 10 Best Jazz Albums of 2023 accessdate: January 18, 2024, December 26 - The Guardian ranks Tyshawn Sorey's Continuing as the best jazz album of 2023The Guardian: The 10 best jazz albums of 2023 | Music | The Guardian, accessdate: January 18, 2024 December 31 - Ed Cherry's Are We There Yet? ends off the year with the most radio airplay as documented by JazzWeek
Albums