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…
Reedist Tim Berne said he’s rethinking the way he books tours and runs a band in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic upending air travel.
(Photo: Courtesy of Artist)The uncertainty has made Berne think differently about running a band in the future.
“I don’t really want to front plane tickets on any tour anymore. … I’m going to think twice about that,” he said. “The other thing is, I’m also 65. So, I’ve been doing this for a while, and I’m in the latter part of my [career]. So, do I want to go to Europe five times a year, and travel around and fly all over the place? I’m a little hesitant about that in the immediate future, at least.”
Concerns over prices and lingering worries about the pandemic are compounding some musicians’ anxieties about returning to normal touring. And although vibraphonist Warren Wolf, who recently released Reincarnation on Mack Avenue, still has some gigs on the books, he’s got just as many reservations.
“I’m scheduled to play Dazzle at the end of July. And, you know, personally I have to talk with each one of my band members to see how they feel about flying,” Wolf said in April about a booking in Denver that has since been canceled. “And, you know, we have a gig actually right before—we play Vail. And I have to talk to each one of these guys; I’ll say, How do you guys feel, Number 1, about flying? They’ll say either yes or no. And then I have the next question: Once we get to [Colorado], how do you guys feel about all being in the car for two hours, all together? And, you know, it seems like most people are OK. Me personally, I live my life just moving forward. I mean, I understand the fear and what’s at stake. Eventually, I think, all of us are gonna have to deal with it, we’re gonna have to come out—sure, we’re going to take precautions. But we’re going to have to move past this at some point. Who knows when that will be.”
Dealing with rearranging other flights wasn’t problematic for Wolf, who, in addition to leading his own ensemble and playing in the SFJAZZ Collective, teaches at the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. He does, however, think that this moment’s instability requires a bit more understanding from carriers.
“I just wish the airlines would lighten up a little bit and just give most folks refunds … because giving us 12 months [to reschedule flights] is typically great,” he began, “but if it’s 12 months and we don’t exactly know what’s gonna happen in the future, then it’s kind of like, What’s up?” 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…
The success of Oregon’s first album, 1971’s Music Of Another Present Era, allowed Towner to establish a solo career.
Jan 19, 2026 5:02 PM
Ralph Towner, a guitarist and composer who blended multiple genres, including jazz — and throughout them all remained…
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…
Rico’s Anti-Microbial Instrument Swab
Jan 19, 2026 2:48 PM
With this year’s NAMM Show right around the corner, we can look forward to plenty of new and innovative instruments…
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,…
