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…
Gregory Porter in his kitchen
(Photo: Courtesy of The PorterHouse)Gregory Porter, the two-time Grammy winner and frequent DownBeat Vocalist of the Year, is taking cooking to a whole new level in a new show called The PorterHouse with Gregory Porter.
Presented by Citi, Porter’s cooking show will be presented Wednesdays at 12 noon EDT on The Infatuation and Zagat’s YouTube channels. Filmed in Porter’s kitchen in Bakersfield, California, the six-episode series begins May 12.
With his music playing in the background, the singer-songwriter turns chef presenting recipes inspired by his local community, as well as family traditions from growing up with his mother and seven siblings. He also brings in a few that he picked up while touring around the world.
Porter shares stories behind each dish and talks about the people he loves. The first episode, for example, features a borscht recipe with elements of his wife’s family recipe from Russia. The sixth episode showcases the importance of giving back, with a food donation at a local ministry and soup kitchen operated by Porter’s brother Dionne. As part of its support for The PorterHouse, Citi has pledged a donation to longtime partner No Kid Hungry to provide up to 100,000 meals for U.S. families in need.
“Music and food, two things in life I truly love, have always been connected,” Porter said in introducing the show. “The kitchen was actually my home before I ever stepped on stage. Food is not just food, it’s tradition, it’s family, it’s roots, and that’s what music is. When I make a beautiful dish — something that makes people feel good, and brightens their face and lightens their mood — this is the way I think about music. Writing songs and creating dishes have always inspired me.”
After the sixth episode of The PorterHouse airs June 16, Citi will present an online finale for its cardmembers on Thursday, June 17, that will include a Q&A with Porter followed by a concert — Porter’s first in more than a year. Citi cardmembers can register for the event HERE.
The first 100 cardmembers to sign up will participate in a virtual Halleck Vineyard wine tasting that will kick off the event. They will receive a shipment of Halleck wines to sip while they enjoy the show. 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…
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…
