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…
Brian Blade will serve as Artist-in-Residence at this year’s Detroit Jazz Festival, to be held over Labor Day Weekend.
(Photo: Courtesy Detroit Jazz Festival)The Detroit Jazz Festival has announced that this year’s lineup will include Artist-In-Residence Brian Blade, as well as Billy Childs Quartet with special guest Sean Jones, Christian McBride, Carmen Lundy, The Bad Plus, Mimi Fox Organ Trio and other nationally and internationally celebrated artists. The announcement was made during a free livestream preview event that included live performances from the Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band and the One-World Jazz Orchestra, a collaboration between the Berklee Global Jazz Institute and Wayne State University’s Jazz Program.
“This year’s lineup reflects a very dynamic and eclectic combination of next generation and legacy jazz musicians who reflect the diverse tapestry of jazz and its evolutions,” said Chris Collins, president and artistic director of the Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation. “We look forward to their energy and craftsmanship on our stages and seeing our faithful jazz fans on Labor Day weekend.”
The free festival will be held in downtown Detroit on Aug. 30–Sept. 2.
In addition to dynamic ensemble performances spearheaded by Blade, other major acts slated for this year’s event include Monty Alexander D-Day, Cameron Graves, Charlie Sepulveda & The Turnaround plus special guest Chief Adjuah, Ghost-Note, Isaiah J. Thompson Quartet, James “Blood” Ulmer Music Revelation Ensemble, Joshua Redman Group featuring Gabrielle Cavassa “Where Are We” Tour, Kyle Eastwood–Eastwood Symphonic, Melanie Charles, Marquis Hill: Composers Collective, Nate Smith, Pablo Ziegler Quintet featuring Roberta Gambarini, Nate Smith, Zig Zag Power Trio (Vernon Reid, Melvin Gibbs and Will Calhoun) and The Vibraphone Summit (Warren Wolf, Joe Locke, Jason Marsalis and Chien Chien Lu). A special project titled “Translinear Light: The Music of Alice Coltrane” will feature Ravi Coltrane performing with guest Brandee Younger.
The livestream preview event also served as a sneak peek for the new Gretchen C. Valade Jazz Center on the campus of Wayne State University, which is scheduled to open to the public later in the fall.
For more information on the 2024 Detroit Jazz Festival, CLICK HERE. 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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