This is a timeline documenting events of jazz in the year 1945.

• Miles Davis has graduated from high school. He goes to New York and becomes a musician. He enrolls in Juilliard at his parents' request.
• John Coltrane was drafted and plays clarinet with the Navy Band in Hawaii.^[1]

• Mary Lou Williams: Zodiac Suite (1945)
• John Serry Sr.: Leone Jump for Sonora Records (catalogue # 3001 B) with the Biviano Accordion & Rhythm Sextette ^[2][3]

March

• 10 – Josef Taussig, Czech trombonist and journalist (born 1914).

April

• 25 – Teddy Weatherford, American pianist, an accomplished stride pianist (born 1903).

August

• 5 – Nat Jaffe, American pianist (born 1918).

October

• 7 – Erhard Bauschke, German reedist and bandleader (born 1912).
• 14 – Pha Terrell, American singer (born 1910).

December

• 8 – Richard M. Jones, American pianist, composer, band leader, and record producer (born 1892).
• 16 – Jack Jenney, American trombonist (born 1910).
• 29 – Bobby Stark, American trumpeter (born 1906).

January

• 2 – Terje Bjørklund, Norwegian pianist and composer.
• 15 – Bob Maize, American upright bassist (died 2004).
• 27 – Henri Texier, French upright bassist.

February

• 3 – Bob Stewart, American tubist.
• 4 – John Stubblefield, American saxophonist, flautist, and oboist (died 2005).
• 6 – Ernie Krivda, American saxophonist.
• 13 – Keith Nichols, English multi-instrumentalist.
• 15 – Edward Vesala, Finnish drummer (died 1999).
• 16 – Pete Christlieb, American tenor saxophonist.
• 21 – Akira Sakata, Japanese saxophonist.
• 24
  • Kaj Backlund, Finnish trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader (died 2013).
  • Steve Berrios, American drummer and percussionist (died 2013).

March

• 17 – Elis Regina, Brazilian singer (died 1982).
• 21 – Ed Soph, American drummer and educator.
• 23 – David Grisman, American mandolinist.

April

• 1 – Bjørnar Andresen, Norwegian bassist (died 2004).
• 4 – Leszek Żądło, Polish saxophonist, flautist, composer, and university teacher.
• 9 – Steve Gadd, American drummer.
• 12 – Doug Riley, Canadian pianist (died 2007).
• 19 – Ole Kock Hansen, Danish pianist and composer.
• 22 – Demetrio Stratos, Greek lyricist and multi-instrumentalist (died 1979).
• 25 – Halvard Kausland, Norwegian guitarist (died 2017).
• 27 – Dominic Duval, American bassist (died 2016).
• 29 – Hugh Hopper, British bass guitarist (died 2009).

May

• 2 – Bob Rockwell, American saxophonist.
• 4 – Bill Stapleton, American trumpeter and arranger (died 1984).
• 8 – Keith Jarrett, American pianist and composer.
• 13 – Lou Marini, American saxophonist, arranger and composer.
• 16 – Michael Moore, American bassist.
• 24 – Terry Callier, American guitarist and singer-songwriter (died 2012).

June

• 3 – Bjørn Alterhaug, Norwegian bassist, arranger, and composer.
• 4 – Anthony Braxton, American composer, saxophonist, clarinettist, flautist, and pianist.
• 6 – Tom Coppola, American pianist and arranger.
• 9 – Mick Goodrick, American guitarist.
• 28 – Magni Wentzel, Norwegian singer and guitarist.

July

• 3 – Thomas Mapfumo, Zimbabwean singer.
• 11 – Vaughn Wiester, American musician and educator.
• 12 – Bernard Lubat, French drummer, pianist, singer, percussionist, vibraphonist, and accordionist.
• 13 – Josef Vejvoda, Czech composer, percussionist, conductor and bandleader.
• 29 – Joe Beck, American guitarist (died 2008).
• 30 – David Sanborn, American alto saxophonist.

August

• 14 – Eliana Pittman, Brazilian singer.
• 19 – Brian Godding, American guitarist.
• 21 – Takehiro Honda, Japanese pianist (died 2006).
• 22 – Sylvia Vrethammar, Swedish singer.
• 24 – Bryan Spring or Brian Spring, British drummer.
• 28 – Victor Assis Brasil, Brazilian saxophonist (died 1981).
• 29 – Trevor Richards, English drummer.

September

• 2 – Svein Finnerud, Norwegian pianist (died 2000).
• 4 – Danny Gatton, American guitarist (died 1994).
• 10 – Harry Pepl, Austrian guitarist (died 2005).
• 27 – Peter Ecklund, American cornetist.
• 28 – Murray Wall, Australian upright bassist.

October

• 5
  • Geoff Leigh, English saxophonist and flautist.
  • George Finola, American cornetist (died 2000).
• 8 – John Betsch, American drummer.
• 14 – Colin Hodgkinson, British bass guitarist.
• 19 – Carol Kidd, Scottish singer.
• 23 – Ernie Watts, American saxophonist.
• 27 – Arild Andersen, Norwegian upright bassist.
• 28 – Elton Dean, English saxophonist (died 2006).

November

• 3 – Mark Kramer, American pianist and composer.
• 10 – John LaBarbera, American trumpeter and arranger.
• 13 – Knut Riisnæs, Norwegian saxophonist.
• 26 – Jim Mullen, Scottish guitarist.
• 27 – Randy Brecker, American trumpeter and flugelhorn player, Brecker Brothers.
• 30 – Johnny Dyani, South African upright bassist and pianist (died 1986).

December

• 12 – Tony Williams, American drummer (died 1997).
• 15 – Kimiko Kasai, Japanese singer.
• 21 – Cameron Brown, American upright bassist.
• 28 – Daniel Carter, American saxophonist, flautist, clarinetist, and trumpeter.

Unknown date

• Johnny "Dandy" Rodriguez Jr, American percussionist.
• Mongezi Feza, South African trumpeter and flautist (died 1975).
• Steve Gregory, English saxophonist, flautist, and composer.

• 1940s in jazz
• List of years in jazz
• 1945 in music

• The New Real Book, Volume I. Sher Music. 1988. ISBN 0-9614701-4-3.
• The New Real Book, Volume II. Sher Music. 1991. ISBN 0-9614701-7-8.
• The New Real Book, Volume III. Sher Music. 1995. ISBN 1-883217-30-X.
• The Real Book, Volume I (6th ed.). Hal Leonard. 2004. ISBN 0-634-06038-4.
• The Real Book, Volume II (2nd ed.). Hal Leonard. 2007. ISBN 978-1-4234-2452-9.
• The Real Book, Volume III (2nd ed.). Hal Leonard. 2006. ISBN 0-634-06136-4.
• The Real Jazz Book. Warner Bros. ISBN 978-91-85041-36-7.
• The Real Vocal Book, Volume I. Hal Leonard. 2006. ISBN 0-634-06080-5.

• History Of Jazz Timeline: 1945 at All About Jazz