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…
The Lao Tizer Band (Cheikh N’Doye (left), Ric Fierabracci, Munyungo Jackson, Tita Hutchison, Chieli Minucci, Lao Tizer, Gene Coye, Steve Nieves, Karen Briggs, Jeff Marshall, Eric Marienthal) recently issued Songs From The Swinghouse on Yse Records.
(Photo: )The Lao Tizer Band recently issued Songs From The Swinghouse on Yse Records. A video for the lead-off track from the CD/DVD project, “The Source,” is below.
On the song, the pianist leads his 10-piece ensemble through a funky original brimming with unison lines and a pretty sizable break that features some pointed guitar theatrics from Chieli Minucci and solos from saxophonist Eric Marienthal, as well as Tizer.
“I try and just stay true to my muse and to use every bit of my facility to create great music that hopefully has its own voice and continues to evolve as I continue to evolve as a person,” the bandleader said. “It’s very reflective of me, it’s all I’ve done all my life.”
For more information about Tizer’s work, visit his homepage. 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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