Acclaimed Jazz Musician Found Dead on Cruise Ship Where He Was Scheduled to Perform

The music world is mourning the loss of acclaimed jazz artist Ken Peplowski, who passed away on February 1st at the age of 66.

Peplowski’s death came as a shock to fans, as it happened aboard Celebrity Cruises’ Summit ship during the annual Jazz Cruise music festival at sea. The eight-day cruise disembarked from Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Tuesday, January 27th with planned stops in the Bahamas and San Juan and a packed schedule of top jazz artists.

According to TMZ, his death was discovered when he did not show up for a scheduled performance. A passenger aboard the ship told the outlet that Peplowski, who was a noted swing musician, had a gig scheduled as part of a quartet but never arrived. Officials onboard the ship went to search for him and found him dead in his cabin.

The same passenger told TMZ that when the festival organizers announced the heartbreaking news later that night, ahead of the evening’s main concert, there were “a lot of gasps and then silence.”

Michael Lazaroff, executive director of Signature Cruise Experiences, officially announced Peplowski’s passing in an Instagram post, writing:

“We are sad to report that our dear friend Ken Peplowski died yesterday. Ken was a beloved member not only of The Jazz Cruise family, but of the larger international jazz community as well.”

“He was a great musician, but he was also one of the very best entertainers ever,” he continued. “I do not know any musician who respected the bandstand more than Ken. He was always prepared, love performing with his fellow musicians, and, man, could he play!”

In addition to his performing career, Peplowski served as the jazz advisor of the Oregon Festival of American Music and the music director at the Jazz Party at The Shedd, both located in Eugene, Oregon.

No immediate cause of death was given. However, Peplowski’s longtime friend Lee Mergner wrote that the musician was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a rare form of blood cancer, in 2021.

“He battled the often fatal disease with a unique combination of courage, fortitude, and humor,” Mergner wrote for WBGO. “After all, humor was just one of Ken’s many remarkable gifts. He was without question the quickest and sharpest wit amongst all our artists. Ken always brought the joy to every gig or occasion. No one came away from a conversation with him without a laugh or smile. His humor was both incisive and self-deprecating. He would as easily make fun of you as he would himself. A truly rare combination.”

Mergner concluded: “Let us all remember Ken with a laugh and a smile.”

This story was originally published by Men’s Journal on Feb 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men’s Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.