Jazz Memorial for Ken Peplowski

5:00-5:30 | Doors open for guests to be seated

5:30-7:00 | Memorial program

7:00-8:30 | On site reception

Ken Peplowski will be remembered for his astonishing virtuosity on the clarinet and tenor saxophone. He was beloved for his warmth, his generosity, his integrity and his never-ending humor.

After quickly and easily establishing himself in New York City as a world-class artist, Ken traveled everywhere to play in clubs, concert halls, music festivals, and colleges around the world. He headlined at the Hollywood Bowl, Carnegie Hall, Birdland Jazz Club, the Blue Note, Dizzy’s Club, and Mezzrow, amongst many other venues.

Ken recorded over 75 CDs as a soloist and close to 400 as a sideman. His most recent CDs were “Live at Mezzrow” and “Unheard Bird”. Some of the many first-rate artists artists who he performed and recorded with were Dick Hyman, Bobby Short, Charlie Byrd, Mel Torme, Rosemary Clooney, Hank Jones, Peggy Lee, Bill Charlap, Benny Goodman, Marianne Faithfull, Thomas “Sweets” Edison, Leon Redbone, Houston Person, Bucky Pizzarelli, Russell Malone, Terri Gibbs, Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops, Vince Giordano, and Madonna. His music was featured in films including “Sweet and Lowdown”, “The Polka King”, “Curse of the Jade Scorpion”, and “The Human Stain”.

Although thoroughly grounded as a consummate jazz player who easily navigated any era of the music, Ken was never content to limit himself to any genre. He prided himself on his universal approach to music and consistently challenged himself to explore new music, while never failing to find beauty in any genre or to communicate strongly with listeners from any background. He recorded music as diverse as Italian and French folk songs, avant-garde jazz, pop, and classical music; he recorded the Darius Milhaud Clarinet Concerto with an orchestra in Sofia, Bulgaria, and was a featured soloist (playing Mozart) in 2015 at the Siletz Bay Music Festival in Oregon, where he premiered a new concerto in 2016, written for him by Dick Hyman.

Ken was the musical director of many festivals, including the Sarasota Jazz Festival, the Newport Beach Jazz Party, the Oregon Coast Jazz Party in Newport, Oregon, the Oregon Festival of American Music (OFAM), and was a longtime performer and consultant to The Jazz Cruise.

Ken grew up in Ohio and started playing clarinet in a polka band with his brother Ted while still in elementary school. “From my first time performing in public, I knew I wanted to play music for a living.” By the time Ken was in his early teens, he was experimenting with jazz by playing in the school bands and jamming with many local jazz musicians. By the time he hit high school, he was teaching at the local music store, playing in his family's band, and playing jazz gigs around town while still getting up early every day for school.

After a year of college studying classical clarinet, Ken joined the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra under the direction of Buddy Morrow. Ken moved to New York City in 1980 and dazzled everyone. Soon he was in demand as a sideman, playing in all kinds of settings, from duos to big bands, from traditional to avant-garde jazz. He appeared regularly at the uptown jazz club J’s, and once put on his own tribute there to Elvis Presley – playing the role of Elvis himself. In 1984, as a member of Loren Schoenberg’s Jazz Orchestra, he met and played with Benny Goodman, who invited him to his home to play clarinet duets.

His prowess soon earned him a contract with Concord Jazz records, and he began his career as a solo recording artist, soon teaming up on recordings with Hank Jones, Mel Torme, and other esteemed jazz veterans. As a leader and performer, Ken never failed to bring his sense of humor to bear on any situation, leaving audiences in stitches and their mouths hanging open upon hearing his incredible musicianship.

Ken’s accolades include: receiving Best Jazz Record of the Year by the Prises Deutschen Schallplatten Kritiken for “The Natural Touch”, the Sarasota Jazz Festival’s “Satchmo” award, given to him for his “unique and enduring contribution to the living history of jazz”, guest of honor at a “Highlights In Jazz” concert in NYC saluting him for “his matchless musical achievements”, the 2015 recipient of HotHouse Magazine’s “Fans’ Decision Jazz Award” on clarinet, and a “Creative Arts Prize In Recognition Of Outstanding Contribution In The Field Of The Creative Arts” by the Polish American Historical Association.

“May his music provide us with pleasure and may his memory make us laugh, cry, and be grateful we were around to hear him- whether it was poking fun at us, telling a bad joke, or soaring like no other on his instrument.” - John Pizzarelli

Ken is survived by his brother Ted and Ken’s two children, Jules and Marty.

If you would like to make a donation in Ken’s memory, thank you for supporting the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, https://www.themmrf.org

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