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…
Anat Cohen (left) and the members of Trio Brasileiro—Douglas Lora, Dudu Maia and Alexandre Lora—collaborated on the Grammy-nominated album Rosa Dos Ventos (Anzic).
(Photo: Cled Pereira)Clarinetist Anat Cohen, pianist Fred Hersch, saxophonist Chris Potter, vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant, organist Joey DeFrancesco and drummer Antonio Sanchez are among the nominees for the 2017 Grammy Awards. The nominations were announced on Nov. 28.
Also on the list of nominees are pianist Bill Charlap, saxophonist Alex Han, guitarist Julian Lage and vocalist Jazzmeia Horn.
Hersch’s Open Book (Palmetto) was nominated in the category Best Jazz Instrumental album. Also in that category are Potter’s The Dreamer Is The Dream (ECM), the Bill Charlap Trio’s Uptown, Downtown (Impulse!), Billy Childs’ Rebirth (Mack Avenue) and Joey DeFrancesco & The People’s Project Freedom (Mack Avenue).
Hersch also was nominated in the category Best Improvised Jazz Solo for his rendition of Benny Golson’s “Whisper Not,” from Open Book. Hersch has earned a total of 12 Grammy nominations since 1993.
Cohen received a nomination in the category Best Latin Jazz Album for Outra Coisa: The Music Of Moacir Santos (Anzic), a collaboration with guitarist Marcello Gonçalves. The other nominations went to Antonio Adolofo’s Hybrido: From Rio To Wayne Shorter (AAM), Jane Bunnett & Maqueque’s Oddara (Linus Entertainment), Miguel Zenón’s Típico (Miel Music) and the Pablo Ziegler Trio’s Jazz Tango (Zoho).
Cohen also was nominated in the category Best World Music Album, for Rosa Dos Ventos (Anziz), a collaboration with Trio Brasileiro. The album will be competing against releases from Vicente Amigo, Buika, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Tinariwen.
The nominees for Best Jazz Vocal album are The Baylor Project, for The Journey (Be A Light); Jazzmeia Horn, for A Social Call (Prestige/Concord); Raul Midón, for Bad Ass And Blind (Artistry); the Randy Porter Trio with Nancy King, for Porter Plays Porter (Heavywood Music); and Cécile McLorin Salvant, for Dreams And Daggers (Mack Avenue).
Nominated for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album are Sanchez’s Bad Hombre (CamJazz), The Jerry Douglas Band’s What If (Rounder), Alex Han’s Spirit (3 Deuces), Julian Lage & Chris Eldridge’s Mount Royal (Trade Root) and the Jeff Lorber Fusion’s Prototype (Shanachie).
Commenting on the nomination for Mount Royal, Lage said, “This, like all recordings, was made possible through the efforts of such a great community of people working lovingly and with great care at every stage. I’m so grateful. This nomination recognizes all who were involved.”
Blues veterans Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’ were nominated for their collaborative album, TajMo (Concord), in the category Best Contemporary Blues Album. TajMo was voted Blues Album of the Year in the 2017 DownBeat Readers Poll.
The nominees for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album are Michael Bublé, for Nobody But Me–Deluxe Edition (Reprise); Bob Dylan, for his triple album of standards, Triplicate (Columbia); Seth MacFarlane, for In Full Swing (Verve/Republic); Sarah McLachlan, for Wonderland (Verve), a collection of holiday music; and the various artists project Tony Bennett Celebrates 90 (RPM/Columbia), which includes tracks by Bennett, Bublé, Lady Gaga, Diana Krall, Leslie Odom Jr. and others.
The Grammys will be presented on Jan. 28, 2018, at Madison Square Garden in New York. A portion of the awards ceremony will be broadcast live on CBS.
To see a complete list of the nominations, visit the Grammy website. DB
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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