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 American Jazz Museum, Duke Ellington Legacy and International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE) have partnered to release newly transcribed and unpublished Ellington big band charts to the Internet in celebration of Jazz Appreciation Month and the jazz legend’s April 29 birthday.
“The American Jazz Museum is expanding its educational arm and working with these partners will be a great catalyst to developing a fully interactive educational experience via the Web and creating more educational opportunities for youth,” said Dennis Winslett, education specialist/docent at the American Jazz Museum.
Some of the charts that will be available include “Tonight I Shall Sleep With A Smile On My Face,” “Baby Please Stop And Think About Me,” “I Ain’t Got Nothin’ But The Blues,” “Frustration” and “Dancers in Love,” among others.
“These charts are crucial to keeping alive the legacy of one of the greatest bandleaders in jazz history,” said Tom Alexios, director of educational music outreach programs for the Duke Ellington Legacy.
American Jazz Museum and IAJE members will be able to access the music charts via the museum’s web site, www.americanjazzmuseum.org. All users will be required to create a login and verify their membership. The charts will be online in April.
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…
Hammond came to the blues through the folk boom of the late 1950s and early 1960s, which he experienced firsthand in New York’s Greenwich Village.
Mar 2, 2026 9:58 PM
John P. Hammond (aka John Hammond Jr.), a blues guitarist and singer who was one of the first white American…
Richie Beirach was particularly renowned for his approach to chromatic harmony, which he used to improvise reharmonizations of originals and standards.
Jan 27, 2026 11:19 AM
Richie Beirach, a pianist and composer who channeled a knowledge of modern classical music into his jazz practice,…
“I play what I want and what I like,” said Andrew Cyrille. “I use my knowledge artistically and professionally.”
Feb 3, 2026 12:15 AM
Midway through August, a few days after concluding a week at the Village Vanguard with the quartet that Andrew Cyrille…
Marsalis will, if he chooses to use it, have a strong voice in perpetuating his vision through a role in choosing his successors.
Feb 3, 2026 12:09 AM
For the better part of a year, rumors have been swirling that Wynton Marsalis was going to step down as artistic and…