Feb 3, 2026 12:10 AM
In Memoriam: Ken Peplowski, 1959–2026
Ken Peplowski, a clarinetist and tenor saxophonist who straddled the worlds of traditional and modern jazz, died Feb. 2…
Steven Bernstein will release Diaspora Hollywood on Sept. 21. The trumpeter and composer borrowed from early Jewish-American film composers for the album, which is the third installment of his Semitic Diaspora series for Tzadik,
Bernstein recorded the album in Hollywood at engineer Woody Jackson’s home. His band comprises drummer Danny Frankel, reedman Pablo Calogero, vibraphonist D.J. Bonebrake and bassist David Piltch.
Diaspora Hollywood contains originals, traditional numbers and cantorial 78s like “V’Shamru” and “B’rich Sh’me.” Featured composers include Franz Waxman and Alfred Newman.
“All these Jewish cats moved from Poland and Germany to Hollywood,” Bernstein said. “Dig it, man. Have you ever been to Poland? It’s pretty dark. Can you imagine being in Hollywood?”
In his arrangements, Bernstein tried to embody that combination of dark melodies and sunny environment, which resulted in, according to Bernstein, “Counterlines, melodic drumming and soft palettes. The improvised mellismatic sections heard in Diaspora Blues combined with the multi-voiced through-composed sections heard on Diaspora Soul.”
For more information, visit www.tzadik.com
Peplowski first came to prominence in legacy swing bands, including the final iteration of the Benny Goodman Orchestra, before beginning a solo career in the late 1980s.
Feb 3, 2026 12:10 AM
Ken Peplowski, a clarinetist and tenor saxophonist who straddled the worlds of traditional and modern jazz, died Feb. 2…
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