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…
Laubrock is one of four artistic directors for jazzahead!’s Commissioned Works series.
(Photo: Courtesy Ingrid Laubrock)A delegation from the European jazz conference jazzahead! will head to New York City as part of its Building Bridges campaign, culminating with a concert by Ingrid Laubrock’s Lilith at the Blue Note on Jan. 14.
The concert is part of a host of activities presented by the Bremen, Germany-based jazzahead!, including a panel discussion about jazz in Germany on Jan. 12 featuring Laubrock, Charlotte Greve, Timo Vollbrecht and Tobias Meinhart, all German-born artists who live and work in the U.S.
Germany is this year’s “partner country” for the conference. Each year, jazzahead! focuses on the music of one country as part of its annual event, which takes place April 27–30 this year. Laubrock is one of four artistic directors for jazzahead!’s Commissioned Works series, an opportunity to offer artistic collaborations between countries.
“At the core of our plans is the idea of artistic exchange,” said Sybille Kornitschky, who runs jazzahead! “We want to shed new light on and thus strengthen it, too.” 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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