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…
Joe Lovano is the Artist-in-Residence at this year’s Detroit Jazz Festival.
(Photo: Courtesy Detroit Jazz Festival)The Detroit Jazz Festival announced this year’s lineup during a livestreamed preview event at the Gretchen C. Valade Jazz Center on the campus of Wayne State University. The evening featured live performances from the 2026 Artist-In-Residence, saxophonist Joe Lovano, along with drummer Lamy Istrefi, pianist Leo Geovese and bassist John Menegon.The festival will be held in Hart Plaza in downtown Detroit, Sept. 4–7 (Labor Day weekend). The opening-night lineup will include a celebration of John Coltrane’s centennial featuring Lovano, Melissa Aldana, Nduduzo Makhathini, Linda May Han Oh and Jeff “Tain” Watts, along with performances by Miles Electric Band and Tia Fuller featuring Shamie Fuller-Royston–“Fuller Sound.”
On Saturday, Sept. 5, the festival will present Kurt Elling & Yellowjackets Celebrate Weather Report, Artemis, Bob James, Ravi Coltrane Quartet: Centennial Celebration, Skylar Tang, African Rhythms Alumni Quintet “Celebrating the Centennial of Dr. Randy Watson” (with TK Blue, Alex Blake, Neil Clarke and Frank Lacy), Gabrielle Cavassa, Cyrille Aimée Quartet and Delvon Lamar Organ Trio.
On Sunday, Sept. 6, sets will include Lovano’s Paramount Quartet (featuring Julian Lage, Asante Santi Debriano and Will Calhoun), Vijay Iyer Trio with Special Guest Adam O’Farrill, Take 6, Catherine Russell, Nduduzo Makhathini, INSTANT ALTER featuring Natasha Agrama Clarke and Emilio Modeste, and Luca Ciarla solOrkestra.
Monday, Sept. 7, will feature Lovano and Dave Douglas Quintet: Sound Prints (featuring Lawrence Fields, Yasushi Nakamura and Rudy Royston), Cindy Blackman Santana, Joey Alexander Trio, Ron Carter & Foursight and The Django Festival Allstars with Special Guest Grace Kelly.
More performances will be announced as additional artists are confirmed.
“Each year, we strive to raise the bar artistically while staying true to what makes the Detroit Jazz Festival so special — and 2026 is no exception,” said Chris Collins, president and artistic director of the Detroit Jazz Festival Foundation. “This year’s lineup brings together some of the most celebrated and innovative voices in jazz today — from legends like Ron Carter and Bob James to boundary-pushing artists like Ravi Coltrane, Artemis and Kurt Elling with Yellowjackets — creating an unforgettable experience for fans of all generations.
“Just as important, we remain deeply committed to producing a world-class festival that is free and accessible to everyone. That mission is only possible because of the incredible support from our patrons, sponsors and community partners, whose belief in the power of jazz allows us to keep this tradition alive and thriving in Detroit.”
For more information, visit detroitjazzfestival.org. 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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