Well-known jazz musician Ken Peplowski was found deceased on the Celebrity Summit cruise ship this week after he missed a scheduled performance. He was 66 years old.
Peplowski, recognized for his talent on the clarinet and saxophone, was discovered dead on the last day of the Jazz Cruise program. Lee Magner, a jazz consultant for Signature Cruise Experiences, shared the news in a statement on Wednesday.
“It’s not that common to deliver such sad news to our guests or the wider community, but on February 1st, the final day of Jazz Cruise ’26, we unexpectedly lost Ken Peplowski,” Magner wrote.
Ken was slated to perform with a quartet later that day, but he never made it to the stage.
Following a search, he was found deceased in his cabin, as one passenger informed TMZ.
“We probably should have realized something was wrong when Ken didn’t show for the 4 p.m. performance featuring one of his closest friends, Shelley Berg. Our fears were confirmed swiftly: Ken had passed away,” Magner remarked.
Peplowski had been battling multiple myeloma, a type of bone marrow cancer, since 2021. While the cause of death is still pending, Magner noted the ongoing health struggles Ken faced.
“He fought this challenging illness with an admirable mix of courage, strength, and humor. Humor, in fact, was just one of the many gifts Ken possessed,” Magner added.
Peplowski had joined the Celebrity Summit cruise for a week-long jazz music program that featured about 100 musicians and more than 200 hours of music, showcasing a variety of compositions.
The cruise departed from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on January 27 and returned on Tuesday after stops in Cocokai, Bahamas, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
An obituary in Downbeat magazine referred to him as “perhaps the greatest living jazz clarinetist,” with British jazz critic Russell Davies praising his work.
He first gained fame with the Legacy Swing Band and launched his solo career in the late 1980s. His final studio album, *Unheard Bird*, was released in 2024.
“Ken was a true friend to many, and I often found myself picking up the phone to chat about life, music, and various topics. His friendship was a gift, and it was evident how much he was cherished when he shared news of his illness. The jazz community rallied to support him, a token of appreciation for all the joy he had brought into our lives,” Magner said.
