- Dave Brubeck group return to the Soviet Union along with former bassist, Eugene Wright, accompanied President Reagan to Moscow to perform at the Reagan-Gorbachev Summit
- Clint Eastwood directs the biopic Bird, dramatizing the final years of Charlie Parker’s life and using Parker’s original recording for its soundtracks
- Joe Zawinul forms the Zaniwul Syndicate with guitarist Scott Henderson.
- Keith Jarrett gives a solo concert in Paris. He is nominated for a grammy award for his recording of the first book of Johann Sebastian Bach’s 48 Preludes an Fugues .
  
In Greece, George Trantalidis, Michalis Siganidis and Vangelis Katsoulis release new album http://www.jazzonline.gr/en/cd-releases/itemlist/tag/Greek%20Jazz%20Discography%201988.html