1912 in jazz

• W.C. Handy wrote "The Memphis Blues", and it became a great hit, making the publishing start of the Blues.{{cite web | url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/timeline_year.php?pg=18 | title=History Of Jazz Timeline: 1912 | publisher=All About Jazz | accessdate=2017-12-08}}
• The singer Bessie Smith starts working as a vaudeville dancer.
• Louis Armstrong forms a vocal quartet together with some long time friends in New Orleans.

{{see also|List of pre-1920 jazz standards#1910–1914}}

; January

• 1 – Svein Øvergaard, Norwegian saxophonist and percussionist (died 1986).
• 7 – Bob Zurke, American pianist, arranger, and composer (died 1944).{{cite web | url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/270030-Bob-Zurke | title=Bob Zurke | publisher=Discogs.com | accessdate=2017-12-08}}
• 12 – Trummy Young, African-American trombonist (died 1984).
• 22 – Harry Parry, Welsh clarinetist and bandleader (died 1956).

; February

• 12 – Paul Bascomb, American tenor saxophonist (died 1986).

; March

• 1 – Joseph Reinhardt, French guitarist and composer (died 1982).
• 2 – Red Saunders, American drummer and bandleader (died 1981).
• 12
• Jiří Traxler, Czech-Canadian pianist, composer, lyricist, and arranger (died 2011).
• Paul Weston, American pianist, arranger, composer, and conductor (died 1996).

; April

• 2 – Herbert Mills, American singer, Mills Brothers (died 1989).
• 11 – John Levy, African-American upright bassist (died 2012).

; May

• 9 – George T. Simon, American writer and drummer (died 2001).
• 13 – Gil Evans, Canadian pianist, arranger, composer, and bandleader (died 1988).{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/03/22/obituaries/gil-evans-a-key-jazz-composer-and-orchestrator-is-dead-at-75.html | title=Gil Evans, a Key Jazz Composer And Orchestrator, Is Dead at 75 | first=Peter | last=Watrous | newspaper=The New York Times | date=1988-03-22 | accessdate=2017-11-01}}
• 14 – Les Brown, American bandleader (died 2001).
• 28 – Dave Barbour, American guitarist (died 1965).

; June

• 15 – Alix Combelle, French tenor saxophonist, clarinetist, and bandleader (died 1978).
• 26 – Clarence Profit, American pianist and composer (died 1944).{{cite web | url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/675268-Clarence-Profit | title=Clarence Profit | publisher=Discogs.com | accessdate=2017-12-08}}

; July

• 8 – Johnny Mince, American clarinetist (died 1997).
• 12 – Will Bradley, American trombonist and bandleader (died 1989).
• 27 – Asser Fagerström, Finnish pianist, composer, and actor (died 1990).

; August

• 13 – Nate Kazebier, American trumpeter (died 1969).
• 26 – Léo Marjane, French singer (died 2016).

; September

• 7 – Alvin Alcorn, American trumpeter (died 2003).
• 9 – Jean Omer, Belgian reedist and bandleader (died 1994).
• 27 – Erhard Bauschke, German reedist and bandleader (died 1945).
• 30 – Bill Johnson, American saxophonist, clarinetist, and arranger (died 1960).

; October

• 5 – Ernst Höllerhagen, German reedist (died 1956).
• 7 – Beverly Peer, American upright bassist (died 1997).
• 13 – Nellie Lutcher, African-American singer and pianist (died 2007).{{cite web | url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/311740-Nellie-Lutcher | title=Nellie Lutcher | publisher=Discogs.com | accessdate=2017-11-05}}
• 19 – Red Richards, American pianist (died 1998).
• 21 – Don Byas, American tenor saxophonist (died 1972).
• 27 – Gösta Törner, Swedish jazz trumpeter and bandleader (died 1982).

; November

• 1 – Franz Jackson, American saxophonist and clarinetist (died 2008).
• 13 – Ted Donnelly, American trombonist (died 1958).
• 23
• Svein Øvergaard, Norwegian saxophonist, percussionist, and bandleader (died 1986).{{cite encyclopedia | url=https://nbl.snl.no/Svein_%C3%98vergaard | title=Svein Øvergaard | language=no | last=Opsahl | first=Carl Petter | encyclopedia=Norsk Biografisk Leksikon | date=2009-02-13 | accessdate=2017-11-01}}
• Anselmo Sacasas, Cuban pianist, bandleader, composer, and arranger (died 1998).
• 24 – Teddy Wilson, American pianist (died 1986).

; December

• 5 – Marshall Royal, American clarinetist and alto saxophonist (died 1995).
• 6 – Paloma Efron, Argentine singer (died 1977).
• 10 – Irving Fazola, American clarinetist (died 1949).{{cite web | url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/340967-Irving-Fazola | title=Irving Fazola | publisher=Discogs.com | accessdate=2017-11-05}}
• 24 – Anne Lenner, English singer (died 1997).
• 29 – Thore Ehrling, Swedish trumpeter, composer, and bandleader (died 1994).

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/timeline_year.php?pg=18 History Of Jazz Timeline: 1912] at All About Jazz

{{Jazz}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1912 In Jazz}}

Category:Jazz by year

Jazz, 1912 In