Jazz Clarinetist Ken Peplowski Dies at 66

Peplowski, known for his warm tone and fluency on the instrument, helped revive the jazz clarinet.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Ken Peplowski, a critically acclaimed jazz clarinetist and saxophonist who was known for his warm, woody tone and fluency on the finicky clarinet, died on February 2 at the age of 66. Peplowski, who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2021, died at sea in the Gulf of Mexico after a morning performance on the Jazz Cruise. He was a longtime fixture of the New York City jazz scene and had released over 60 albums as a leader or co-leader.

Why it matters

Peplowski was considered one of the greatest living jazz clarinetists, helping to revive interest in the instrument which had ceded primacy to the saxophone in jazz. He served as a stylistic bridge between the swing era of Benny Goodman and the modern, genre-blending jazz of today.

The details

Peplowski received his first clarinet as a hand-me-down from his father when he was around 8 years old. By his 20s, he had played in the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and the final swing band of Benny Goodman. Along with contemporaries like Anat Cohen and Paquito D'Rivera, Peplowski became known for reintroducing the clarinet to jazz. While honoring the past, he put his own modern spin on the instrument, drawing influences from avant-garde jazz, classical music, Dixieland, and 1960s pop.

  • Peplowski was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of cancer, in 2021.
  • Peplowski died on February 2, 2026 while performing on the Jazz Cruise in the Gulf of Mexico.

The players

Ken Peplowski

A critically acclaimed jazz clarinetist and saxophonist known for his warm, woody tone and fluency on the clarinet. He helped revive interest in the instrument and served as a stylistic bridge between the swing era and modern jazz.

Benny Goodman

A renowned bandleader and clarinetist known as the "King of Swing" who helped popularize the clarinet in jazz during the 1930s and 1940s.

Anat Cohen

A contemporary jazz clarinetist who, along with Peplowski, helped reintroduce the clarinet to jazz.

Paquito D'Rivera

A contemporary jazz clarinetist who, along with Peplowski, helped reintroduce the clarinet to jazz.

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What they’re saying

“I love playing that music. I like playing it my way without it being a musical dress-up situation.”

— Ken Peplowski (WBGO)

“He plays it in a manner that makes it clear he's not only exploring every nook and cranny of the melody, but gazing inwardly, making the number even more moving than it is with lyrics.”

— Will Friedwald, Jazz Critic (The Wall Street Journal)

The takeaway

Peplowski's death marks the passing of one of the most influential jazz clarinetists of the modern era, who helped revive interest in the instrument and bridged the gap between the swing era and contemporary jazz.