by Scott YanowOne of the top clarinetists of the 1990s and a very talented tenor player, Ken Peplowski has helped keep the tradition of small-group swing (and occasionally Dixieland) alive. He made his professional debut at ten and played locally in Cleveland. After spending 1978-1980 touring with the Tommy Dorsey ghost orchestra (directed by Buddy Morrow), Peplowski settled in New York, freelanced in a variety of settings, and played with Benny Goodman. By 1987, he was a Concord artist and has since recorded frequently for that label, backing Mel Tormé and Rosemary Clooney, and leading his own sets including brilliant duets with guitarist Howard Alden.