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…
Jacksonville, Fla. has announced the lineup for the 2008 Jacksonville Jazz Festival to be held April 11–13.
“The Jacksonville Jazz Festival is one of the city’s signature events,” said Mayor John Peyton. “It gives us a chance to listen to great music and show off our city to attendees who travel here from throughout the country.”
Artists scheduled to perform include Benny Golson, Rufus Reid, Terence Blanchard, Poncho Sanchez, Dave Koz and Norman Brown.
Metropolitan Park will be the site of Art At The Met, an art show and sale featuring artists and craftspeople and 38° Latitude: A Wine Tasting Experience.
Also on April 11, the Jacksonville Jazz Piano competition will continue. Five finalists, chosen by a selection committee through blind judging, will compete for this award. The first-place winner will receive a prize of $3,500 and will perform at the 2008 Jacksonville Jazz Festival the following day at Metropolitan Park. A rhythm section will accompany the five finalists during the piano competition with Danny Gottlieb on drums.
The ‘Round Midnight Jazz Jam at the Jacksonville Marriott on April 12 is free to the public. Jazz fans are encouraged to bring their instruments and jam with festival performers.
More info: jaxjazzfest.com
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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