THE CHARLIE BYRD TRIO - The Bossa Nova Years (1991-2003) SACD / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Guitarist Charlie Byrd revisits a variety of bossa nova songs, including nine by Antonio Carlos Jobim on this pleasing and accessible set. What makes this CD stand out from his many similar dates is that Ken Peplowski's clarinet and tenor are well featured, adding variety to the music and a lead voice for Byrd to play off of. Otherwise the music is predictably excellent, with such classics as "One Note Samba," "Corcovado," "Dindi," "O Pato," and "The Girl from Ipanema" receiving very favorable treatment. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1    Meditation (Meditação) 5:07
Norman Gimbel / Antônio Carlos Jobim / Newton Mendonça
2    One Note Samba 4:49
Jon Hendricks / Antônio Carlos Jobim / Newton Mendonça
3    Corcovado 7:17
Antônio Carlos Jobim / Gene Lees
4    Triste 4:35
Antônio Carlos Jobim
5    Dindi 3:47
Ray Gilbert / Antônio Carlos Jobim
6    O Pato 3:35
Alberto Goncalves Da Silva / Neuza Teixeira
7    The Girl from Ipanema 4:51
Norman Gimbel / Antônio Carlos Jobim / Vinícius de Moraes   
8    Samba d'Orpheo 5:03
Luiz Bonfá / Andre Michel Salvet
9    How Insensitive 3:34
Norman Gimbel / Antônio Carlos Jobim / Vinícius de Moraes
10    Wave 4:20
Antônio Carlos Jobim
11    P'ra Dizer Adeus (To Say Goodbye) 3:20
Eduardo Lobo
12    O Nosso Amor 3:56
Antônio Carlos Jobim / François Llenas / Vinícius de Moraes
Credits:
Acoustic Guitar – Charlie Byrd
Bass – Dennis Irwin
Clarinet – Ken Peplowski (faixas: 1, 4, 6, 9, 12)
Drums – Chuck Redd
Percussion – Michael Spiro (faixas: 4, 9, 11, 12)
Tenor Saxophone – Ken Peplowski (faixas: 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11)

KEN PEPLOWSKI - Double Exposure (1987) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Ken Peplowski's debut as a leader has plenty of brilliant playing. Peplowski, doubling on clarinet and tenor, is joined by guitarist Ed Bickert, pianist John Bunch, bassist John Goldsby and drummer Terry Clarke. Although the repertoire includes Charlie Parker's "Segment" and Hank Mobley's obscure "High and Flighty," Peplowski comes across as a superior swing specialist, particularly on such numbers as "I Would Do Anything for You," "Jubilee" and "Careless Love." A superb start to an important career. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1    (I Would Do) Anything for You 3:49
Ken Peplowski
2    There's No You 4:19
Tom Adair / Hal Hopper
3    Lava 3:40   
Ken Peplowski
4    Blame It on My Youth 4:57
Edward Heyman / Oscar Levant
5    Segment 4:35   
6    High and Flighty 4:57   
7    Don't You Know I Care (Or Don't You Care to Know) 3:44   
Mack David / Duke Ellington
8    Jubilee 5:08   
Stanley Adams / Hoagy Carmichael
9    Careless Love 3:50   
W.C. Handy / Martha E. Koenig / Spencer Williams
10    Imagination 6:56
Johnny Burke / James Van Heusen
11    Love Letters 4:31
Edward Heyman / Victor Young
Credits:
Bass – John Goldsby
Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Ken Peplowski
Drums – Terry Clarke
Guitar – Ed Bickert
Piano – John Bunch 

 

THE KEN PEPLOWSKI QUINTET - The Natural Touch (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Ken Peplowski has been one of the most consistent performers in the "new mainstream" movement of the 1990s. Whether playing his fluent clarinet or warm tenor, Peplowski sounds quite comfortable as a creative swing player. As usual, this date with pianist Ben Aronov, guitarist Frank Vignola, bassist Murray Wall and drummer Tom Helito includes a couple more recent tunes (including Thelonious Monk's "Evidence" and originals by Aronov and Vignola), but it is the swing standards (such as "The One I Love Belongs to Somebody Else," "Evenin'," and "I Thought About You") that are most memorable. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1    I'll Close My Eyes 4:56   
Buddy Kaye / Billy Reid
2    The One I Love (Belongs to Somebody Else) 6:03   
Isham Jones / Gus Kahn
3    Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry 5:26       
Sammy Cahn / Jule Styne
4    Evidence 4:58   
Thelonious Monk
5    Evenin' 4:34
Mitchell Parish / Harry White
6    You Never Know 3:36   
Frank Vignola
7    You Must Believe in Spring 4:19   
Alan Bergman / Marilyn Bergman / Jacques Demy / Michel Legrand
8    Flunk Blues 4:23   
Ben Aronov
9    Circle of Threes 4:53   
Ben Aronov
10    My Buddy 5:28
Walter Donaldson / Gus Kahn
11    How Deep Is the Ocean? 5:01   
Irving Berlin
12    Say It Isn't So 5:17
Irving Berlin
13    I Thought About You 5:07
James Van Heusen / Johnny Mercer
 Credits:
Ben Aronov - Piano
Tom Melito - Drums
Ken Peplowski    Clarinet, Sax (Tenor)
Frank Vignola - Guitar
Murray Wall - Bass

 

KEN PEPLOWSKI QUARTET - Memories of You (2007) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless)

Ken Peplowski is among the top clarinetists and tenor saxophonists of his generation. After a long, fruitful period recording as a leader for Concord, Peplowski started getting a number of offers to record for overseas labels. He alternates between the two instruments during these 2006 sessions, well accompanied by pianist Ted Rosenthal, bassist Gary Mazzaroppi (long Marian McPartland's bassist of choice), and drummer Jeff Brillinger, all veterans like the leader. Peplowski's lush tenor in the first interpretation of "Memories of You" recalls Ben Webster with his soft, breathy vibrato and lyrical style. He also caresses Roland Kirk's infrequently heard ballad "Bright Moments" and renders an elegant "Dream Dancing" as well. On clarinet, Peplowski's magical treatment of "In a Sentimental Mood" (backed solely by bass at first) suggests a bird's song. The cream of the crop is his warm interpretation of Billy Strayhorn's "Lotus Blossom." This set is perfect for late-night listening. by Ken Dryden
Tracklist:
1    Memories Of You    5:36
2    I'll Be Seeing You    3:53
3    Bright Moments    5:11
4    In A Sentimental Mood    6:55
5    Dream Dancing    8:24
6    Last Night When We Were Young    4:46
7    It Might As Well Be Spring    7:53
8    Lotus Blossom    5:10
9    But Not For Me    7:36
10    Poor Butterfly    6:31
11    Memories Of You Il    6:52
Credits:
Bass – Gary Mazzaroppi
Clarinet – Ken Peplowski
Drums – Jeff Brillinger
Piano – Ted Rosenthal
Tenor Saxophone – Ken Peplowski

 

KEN PEPLOWSKI GYPSY JAZZ BAND - Gypsy Lamento (2008) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Ken Peplowski has long shown interest in a number of different jazz styles, but this CD is his first strictly Gypsy swing session. Recruiting two of the most versatile guitarists for the date, Bucky Pizzarelli and Howard Alden, veterans Frank Tate on bass and Chuck Redd on drums, and the promising young violinist Aaron Weinstein (on selected tracks), Peplowski alternates between tenor sax and clarinet, covering a set list that is mostly drawn from the Quintet of the Hot Club of France and postwar Django Reinhardt records. The reed player showcases both instruments in his delightful take of "Please," overlapping them in spots via overdubbing. Peplowski takes a back seat to the two guitarists in "Nuages," with Pizzarelli taking the opening solo (easily identified by anyone who has heard him play this standard in person) and Alden following the leader's feature. Weinstein takes part in the chugging "Minor Swing," sounding very mature for his tender years. "Anouman" is one of Reinhardt's gems from near the end of his life; surprisingly, it is infrequently performed. Peplowski's lyrical, spacious clarinet is a highlight of this moving rendition. This enjoyable tribute to Django Reinhardt merits a follow-up CD. One minor beef: unless one can read the Japanese-only liner notes, it is nearly impossible to tell which guitarist is soloing on several selections; presumably the duties are shared. by Ken Dryden
Tracklist:
1    Topsy    7:14
Written-By – E. Durham, E. Battle
2    Anouman    4:37
Written-By – D. Reinhardt
3    Crepuscule    4:49
Written-By – D. Reinhardt
4    Tears    4:21
5    I'm Confessin'    7:28
Written-By – Al. J. Neiburg, D. Dougherty, E. Reynolds
6    Minor Swing    4:30
Written-By – D. Reinhardt
7    Solitude    4:19
Written-By – D. Ellington
8    Nympheus    5:13
9    Please    5:56
Written-By – Robin, Reinger
10    Nuages    5:28
11    I've Had My Moments    4:21
Written-By – W. Donaldson
12    Time On My Hands    2:45
Credits:
Bass – Frank Tate
Drums – Chuck Redd
Guitar – Bucky Pizzarelli, Howard Alden
Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet – Ken Peplowski
Violin – Aaron Weinstein

 

KEN PEPLOWSKI - In Search Of (2011) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

  Clarinetist and saxophonist Ken Peplowski has been a first-call sideman for decades, appearing on albums by the likes of Hank Jones, Leon Redbone, Charlie Byrd, Peggy Lee, George Shearing, and even Madonna. He has also recorded something like 30 albums as a leader, many of them brilliant. It will be hard for him to top this one, however. Supported by a trio consisting of pianist Shelly Berg, bassist Tom Kennedy, and drummer Jeff Hamilton, Peplowski gently but firmly establishes his mastery of multiple modern jazz genres without coming across as a show-off or sacrificing taste and musicality. The album's opening track, "The Thespian," serves almost like an opera overture, summarizing the stylistic themes to come: opening in a soft ballad mode, it suddenly and seamlessly shifts into straight-ahead bebop, then veers off into modal, almost impressionistic territory before coming back to earth on the out chorus. When Peplowski begins trading fours with Berg, it sounds like a genial but spirited conversation between old friends, which, in fact, it is. That track alone is nearly worth the price of the CD, but others follow that are just as good: the quietly soaring "Love's Disguise" (to which Peplowski's clarinet provides a particularly lovely note of melancholy grace), a handful of utterly gorgeous ballads (including "When Joanna Loved Me" and "A Ship Without a Sail"), and the light and lively "Peps," written by Berg for Peplowski. Oddly, the last three tracks on the program were pulled from a self-produced recording he made in 2007; one is a duo with bassist Greg Cohen, one a trio number with Cohen and vibraphonist Chuck Redd. But the final track is the funnest of them all: a duo version of "Rum and Coca Cola" played in homage to Professor Longhair at a benefit show shortly after Hurricane Katrina. It features Peplowski accompanied only by drummer Joe Ascione, and the variations he spins on this simple tune over the course of more than five uninterrupted minutes are a wonder to hear. It's a sweet, charming, and jaw-droppingly virtuosic finale to a brilliant album. by Rick Anderson
Tracklist:
1     The Thespian     5:14
2     Love's Disguise     8:02
3     When Joanna Loved Me     5:17
4     Falsa Baiana     7:05
5     A Ship Without A Sail     5:55
6     With Every Breath I Take     4:57
7     In Flower     5:34
8     Peps     5:31
9     The Nearly Was Mine     4:40
10     No Regrets     6:22
11     Within You And Without You     4:51
12     Rum And Coca Cola     5:20
Credits:
Joe Ascione - Drums, Percussion
Shelly Berg - Piano
Greg Cohen - Bass
Jeff Hamilton - Drums
Tom Kennedy - Bass
Ken Peplowski - Clarinet, Producer, Sax (Tenor)
Chuck Redd - Vibraphone

 

CAROL SLOANE - We'll Meet Again (2009) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Carol Sloane has paid her dues over a career that stretches over half a century, surviving the various detours into temporary fads and the fickle whims of the jazz marketplace. For her 37th album as a leader, the vocalist chose to omit both piano and drums, looking toward a cleaner, more intimate sound, which she achieves throughout the sessions. She could have hardly picked a better guitarist than Bucky Pizzarelli, a master who seems to have accompanied nearly everyone and has encyclopedic knowledge of thousands of songs, along with one of her biggest fans, tenor saxophonist/clarinetist Ken Peplowski (who has long told jazz journalists that she is one of his favorite vocalists), and veteran bassist Steve LaSpina. The Basie-like swing setting of "Exactly Like You," adding young violinist Aaron Weinstein to the trio, will have listeners tapping their feet along with it. Joe Williams' longtime pianist Norman Simmons wrote "If You Could Love Me" back in the 1950s, though the song never caught a wide audience -- Sloane's warm bossa nova setting is complemented by Peplowski's lyrical clarinet. Sloane exhibits both warmth and playfulness in "Zoot Walks In," opening with an unaccompanied half-chorus, then follows it with a snappy segment accompanied solely by LaSpina's walking bass. Peplowski salutes the late great Zoot Sims with a spirited tenor solo, after which Weinstein adds a wry chorus on violin in the manner of Ray Nance. Sloane is at her very best tackling the bittersweet "A Cottage for Sale," imbuing it with emotion without getting carried away. Carol Sloane is like a fine vintage wine; her voice keeps improving with time.  Ken Dryden 
Tracklist :
1 Exactly Like You 5:43
Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh
2 Something to Remember You By 3:24
Howard Dietz / Arthur Schwartz
3 Anytime, Anyday, Anywhere 2:40
Ned Washington / Lee Wiley / Victor Young
4 I Haven't Got Anything Better to Do 6:32
Lee Pockriss / Paul Vance
5 If You Could Love Me 2:37
Norman Simmons
6 Why Don't You Do Right 3:36
Kansas Joe McCoy
7 The Meaning of the Blues 4:42
Bobby Troup / Leah Worth
8 Zoot Walks In 5:51
Dave Frishberg
 9 Where Are You? 6:35
Harold Adamson / Jimmy McHugh
 10 Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year 6:29
Frank Loesser
 11 A Cottage for Sale 5:18
Larry Conley / Willard Robison
12 I Never Loved Anyone 4:45
George R. Brown
 13 We'll Meet Again 3:24
Hughie Charles / Ross Parker
Credits
Steve LaSpina Bass
Ken Peplowski Clarinet, Sax (Tenor)
Bucky Pizzarelli Guitar
Carol Sloane Primary Artist, Producer, Vocals