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…
Bay Area nonprofit SFJAZZ announces a new CEO is set to begin June 15.
(Photo: Henrik Kam)SFJAZZ announced Thursday that Greg Stern would become CEO of the Bay Area nonprofit. His tenure is set to begin June 15 as he succeeds Don Derheim, who was in the role for six years.
“I’m delighted that SFJAZZ has found someone of Greg’s enormous breadth of skills and experience,” said Randall Kline, executive artistic director and founder of SFJAZZ, in a press release. “His expertise in leading one of the country’s most innovative and successful advertising agencies, combined with his love of jazz and his previous service as an SFJAZZ Trustee, is exactly what is needed to ensure that SFJAZZ will continue to grow and prosper.”
SFJAZZ has since 1983 presented concerts and spearheaded education efforts in the Bay, while its namesake collective has included players ranging from saxophonists Joshua Redman and Miguel Zenón to in-demand bassist Matt Brewer.
The SFJAZZ Collective was set to celebrate Miles Davis’ In A Silent Way and Sly & The Family Stone’s Stand! when the coronavirus pandemic interrupted its national tour. 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.
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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.
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Rico’s Anti-Microbial Instrument Swab
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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,…
