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 Verve Music Group and Blue Note Records have joined together to launch The Definitive Series which honors the classic artists of jazz with collections that span the archives of both label groups. This is the first time in history that the two labels have worked together on a project of this nature, pooling their archives to create complete documents of these jazz legends’ talents. Each of the 14 albums, due to be released on September 24, 2002, represents the true highlights of such wide-ranging artists as Chet Baker, Nat “King” Cole, Stan Getz, and Sarah Vaughan.
Splitting the releases evenly Verve will issue The Definitive Clifford Brown, The Definitive Stan Getz, The Definitive Joe Henderson, The Definitive George Shearing, The Definitive Sarah Vaughan, The Definitive Dinah Washington, and The Definitive Joe Williams. Blue Note will release The Definitive Cannonball Adderley, The Definitive Chet Baker, The Definitive Nat “King” Cole, The Definitive Bud Powell, The Definitive Jimmy Smith, The Definitive Art Tatum, and The Definitive McCoy Tyner. In a historical joining of forces, the rival labels have included both popular and overlooked gems to fully showcase the range and career of these jazz legends.
Each album in The Definitive Series represents the artist at their best, as they recorded for different labels during the peaks of their careers. The songs were drawn from the diverse catalogs of Blue Note, Capitol, Decca, EmArcy, Impulse!, Mercury, MGM, Pacific Jazz, Roost, Roulette, and Verve, among others.
“We are very pleased that Blue Note has agreed to join us for this unique and unprecedented venture,” said Ron Goldstein, President and CEO of The Verve Music Group. “It follows in the footsteps of our successful joint venture with Sony on the Ken Burns project last year and continues our desire to find alternate ways to market great jazz music.”
Bruce Lundvall, President for Blue Note Records agrees, “I think that this series is one of the most creative marketing concepts that I’ve seen. With Verve’s great catalog artists joined with Blue Note’s, I believe this should be a great success at retail. It’s truly ‘The best of the best’ of each artist in the series.”
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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