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…
Kroger’s Indy Jazz Fest returns this year from June 18–20, reverting back to a three-day, multistage set-up.
Three music stages will be in action, along with a food court featuring both chains and local restaurants. There will also be plenty of children’s activities, including educational opportunities, arts and crafts, and a “petting zoo” where kids can try out a number of different instruments.
Tickets run for $15 per day in advance and $25 per day at the gate, except for Sunday, which is $15 either way. A three-day pass is available only in advance and runs for $35. Children under 14 get in for free.
Lineup for the Jazz Heritage Stage (located in Indy’s Military Park)
Friday: Buselli Wallarab Jazz Orchestra, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, and the Poncho Sanchez Band.
Saturday: Notemen Jazz Combo, Cynthia Layne, Adam Birnbaum (American Pianists Association’s Cole Porter Fellow in Jazz), Brad Mehldau Trio, The John Scofield “Real Jazz” Trio with Bill Stewart and Steve Swallow, 7 Pleasures, and Nancy Wilson and Ramsey Lewis’ “Simple Pleasures.”
Sunday: Minister Stanley Daniels and Company, Y-Zone Gospel Choir, Jimmy Coe Tribute, Lamar Campbell & Spirits of Praise, Kenny Garrett Quartet, and The Blind Boys of Alabama.
Lineup for Jazz Central (located in Military Park)
Friday: Benito DiBartoli & The Black Voodoo Band, Rodney Step & BSB, Monika Herzig & Friends: A Tribute to Women in Jazz, and Larry Calland’s Conga Jazz.
Saturday: Cathy Morris, On Cue, Jeff DeHerdt Group, Jay Majors & Hook Up, Mina Keohane, Ipanema, Clave Caribe, Vallento, and Diego del Rio with DJ Elkin Zuluaga.
Sunday: No Regrets, Hot Club of Naptown, Betheny Dunlap and Neapolitan, Gregg Bacon, and EN2.
Lineup for the Blues and Roots Stage (located on the IUPUI Library Lawn)
Friday: Sindacato, Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas, Buddy Guy, and Isaac Hayes.
Saturday: Middletown, Otis Gibbs, Gordon Bonham Blues Band, Shaggy, The Black Keys, Solomon Burke, and Patti LaBelle.
For more information or to order tickets, call (800) 344-4639 or visit www.indyjazzfest.net
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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