Home » History of Jazz Timeline: 1974
History of Jazz Timeline: 1974
Fusion band Weather Report finishes recording its fourth album, Mysterious
Traveler (Columbia).
Saxophonist Wayne Shorter records the samba-influenced Native Dancer
(Columbia) with acoustic/electric pianist Herbie Hancock, singer Milton Nascimento, and
percussionist Airto Moreira, among others.
Nineteen year old guitarist Pat Metheny from Kansas City becomes the youngest teacher
ever at Boston's prestigious Berklee College of Music.
Vibraphone player Gary Burton hires Berklee colleague Pat
Metheny, whom he met the year before at the Wichita Jazz Festival, to join his newly
expanded quintet. The group, which includes Burton, Metheny,
guitarist Mick Goodrick, bassist Steve Swallow, and drummer Bob Moses, records the
album Ring (ECM).
Guitarist John Abercrombie records Timeless (ECM) with Jan Hammer on
keyboards and Jack DeJohnette on drums.
John Coltrane's Interstellar Space (Impulse!), a series of duets recorded in 1967
with drummer Rashied Ali, is finally released.
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington dies on May 24.
Hard bop tenor saxophone player Tina Brooks dies on August 13.
Jazz-rock trumpeter Bill Chase, leader of the group Chase, dies on August 9.