Ken Peplowski, 1959-2026

 

Ken Peplowski wasn’t just a giant in the jazz world, he was a giant mensch, and one of the funniest people I have ever had the pleasure to call a friend. I’m truly shocked by his sudden passing. He had been battling cancer, but it was in remission. He was on a jazz cruise and was scheduled to hit the stage, but he never showed. He was found in his cabin. They are saying it was a heart attack.

I met Ken at at the shop back in the 90's. He was a regular, a lover of power pop, The Beatles, Elvis Presley, and curiously, a Joe Cocker completist. But the best part was that we couldn’t be in each other's presence for more than 10 seconds without laughing hysterically.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the band I was playing with at the time, The Cool Jerks, set up a benefit for New Orleans at a club in Tribeca. Both Ken and another late, great jazz legend, drummer Joe Ascione, jumped at the chance to perform. Tony Award winning actor, and another friend of the shop, Ruben Santiago-Hudson brought his blues harp and his friend, blues great Bill Sims. It was a special night. But before Ken played a note on his clarinet, he stood up at the mic and said, "Hi everybody, Forgive me. I'm flop-sweating like George Bush at a spelling bee." He won the crowd over as he had won everyone over. He only needed seconds.

But the hardest I ever laughed was when he smacked me down, deservedly. Ken had a hard time with computers and was struggling to master iTunes and importing CDs into his iPod. He would call me twice a day and ask the same questions. I was surprisingly patient. But one day he called and I had not been in a great mood. Pick your reasons. He asked the same questions again, and I exploded. 

"You just asked me this question! How many more times do I need to say this to you? You need to import the CD first! Once it’s imported, then you drag it into your iPod. DAMN IT! It’s not that difficult!"
 

He calmly replied, "Play anything on the clarinet."

 

Just retelling that story is hurting my heart.

Listen to Ken's music. He was something else.

 

 

 

 

Got Me Bonin': Bonerama's Back With "So Much Love"

I first saw Bonerama at the New Orleans Jazz Festival in 2000. The memory is vivid. It was hot. The field was crowded at the Sprint Stage, but not uncomfortable. They were funky and massive and they covered both "The Long Run" by The Eagles and "Never Had A Dream Come True" by Stevie Wonder. You really haven't heard those songs until you hear five trombones taking the lead. I know people who hear "brass band" and think "half time show." This is not that.

25 years later and Bonerama have just released a new record, "So Much Love." As expected, it's as massive and funky as that first experience, and it's about as New Orleans as it gets. The album has a number of special guests including Trombone Shorty, Ivan Neville, and my man Stanton Moore on two tracks. This record snapped me right out of my winter malaise and it just might do the same for you, if only for an hour. 

"My Girl's Oh So Fine" feels very traditional, whereas their cover of Pink Floyd's "In The Flesh" from "The Wall" absolutely does not! A timely cover of "Ohio" has a second line, gospel dirge feel to it, making the subject matter even more intense.

Show some love for "So Much Love" and get your copy at the Louisiana Music Factory. 

Tell Barry, Sal sent ya! 

 

 

Meet The Ronette

 

Yesterday I listened to a U.K. Ronnie Spector collection from 2015 called "The Very Best Of Ronnie Spector." The first half is all Ronettes, while the second half contains a few collaborations, one with Southside Johnny and two with the E Street Band, as well as some solo material. It was a pretty solid listen. 

Two tracks stood out, mostly because I simply didn't remember them, something I imagine is going to happen more and more.

"Love On A Rooftop" is a Diane Warren/Desmond Child co-write, and while it was released as a single in 1987, it failed to crack the Billboard Top 100. The other is a cover of Marshall Crenshaw's "Something's Gonna Happen," which is one of five Crenshaw tunes Ronnie recorded in 1989 with Marshall and his band, but stayed unreleased in legal limbo until 2003. I don't remember this at all. The Spector/Crenshaw collab also includes "Whenever You're On My Mind," "For His Love,""Favorite Waste of Time" and "Communication."

"Love On A Rooftop" is a fantastic pastiche of 50's doo wop and 60's girl group, albeit with a bit of unfortunate 80's synth for good measure. Why it failed to crack the Top 100, I'll never know. The Crenshaw cover is pretty much the M.C. backing track with Ronnie singing. I believe the other four tracks are on YouTube.

I don't have any post-Grammy commentary. Sorry. I watched the Knicks and the Lakers. But hey, I learned something new about Ronnie Spector. There's that! 

 

 

Songs Of The Week, 2025: 1/24-1/30

 

No Fish Today- Kid Creole & The Coconuts
Mega Bottle Ride- Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros
When I Get It Right- Joan Armatrading
Uptown Top Ranking- Althea & Donna
What'll I Do For Satisfaction- Johnny Daye
I'm Where I Should Be- Paul Weller
Your Way- Paul McCartney

 

No Fish Today- Kid Creole & The Coconuts
(Kid Creole at The Ritz, early 80's, sometimes on sneaker night Mondays for $2- couldn't get better! This is from "Wise Guy," which might as well be a greatest hits record.)

Mega Bottle Ride- Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros
(First round is on me if you can tell me what this song is about. I love it, anyway.)

When I Get It Right- Joan Armatrading
(Between 1982-1986, I saw Joan Armatrading live on every NYC stop. That string of albums was solid. Here's a fave.)

Uptown Top Ranking- Althea & Donna
(With the passing of Sly Dunbar, I could have chosen one of a hundred tunes. I saw this listed in a tribute, so I went with it.)

What'll I Do For Satisfaction- Johnny Daye
(A killer cut from Steve Cropper and Johnny Daye. Janet Jackson did an okay cover, but it can't hold a candle to the original.)

I'm Where I Should Be- Paul Weller
(From this week's favorite Paul Weller album "Saturns Pattern.")

Your Way- Paul McCartney
(Like much of Paul's solo work of the last 30 years, "Driving Rain" did nothing for me upon release, but slowly unfolded over time. Now, I can't say enough about how smart and wonderful it is. It could use a snip or three, but the chunk of seven or eight songs in the middle absolutely kill me. This is one of them. Dig that "Mother Nature's Son" tag!)

 

zip 

There is only one zip today, as I am now officially locked out of my original host with all my files, claiming I am being "rate limited," whatever that means.

It never ends. 

If It Ain't Baroque...

 

 "American Baroque" is a collection of chamber pop music released last year in the U.K. by Ace Records. As per usual with most compilations, there are winners and losers. But there were enough tracks and artists that were new to me to keep me digging for a few hours. 

That's where I discovered Chris & Peter Allen. Yes, it's that Peter Allen about ten years before he went to Rio. Chris Allen is not his brother. His real name is Chris Bell, but not that Chris Bell. Their 1967 long player "Album #1" is an odd mix of solid sunshine pop and strange medleys, like pairing "Come Rain Or Come Shine" with The Cowsills hit, "The Rain, The Park & Other Things," or even stranger, "The Wizard Of Oz (We're Off To see The Wizard)" with everyone's favorite "Puff, The Magic Dragon." Ace chose the best track, "My Silent Symphony" for the CD

 

You'll find familiar tracks on the CD, too, like The Merry-Go-Round, Eternity's Children, and The Stone Poneys, plus deep cuts from The Association and Left Banke singer Steve Martin. 

 

I was more intrigued by what I didn't know, like John Randolph Marr and The Fun & Games. Overall, "American Baroque" played beautifully, especially if you're into this sound.

 

 

 

 

Tom Waits For No One

 

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