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…
“The Spirit of Django Reinhardt,” an annual concert event celebrating the legendary gypsy guitarist, will take place Aug. 1 at Frederick P. Rose Hall, the home of New York City’s Jazz at Lincoln Center.
This year’s concert features the John Jorgenson Quintet, which has performed standards from the gypsy jazz repertoire worldwide. Jorgenson re-created Reinhardt’s music for the feature films Gattica and Head in the Clouds. In the latter, he portrayed the legendary guitarist with stars Charlize Theron and Penelope Cruz.
Jorgensen joins the event’s regular “gypsy stars” from France: lead guitarist Dorado Schmitt, lead and rhythm guitarist Samson Schmitt, violinist Pierre Blanchard and accordionist/accordina master Ludovic Beier. Brian Torff will be on bass and serve as musical director. In addition, Colombian jazz harpist Edmar Castaneda will be the evening’s special guest.
Reinhardt pioneered a style called “le jazz hot” in Paris during the 1930s, becoming Europe’s first widely recognized jazz figure. The annual concert in his honor is now in its fifth installment. For more information, see jalc.org.
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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