LEE MERGNER Archives - Signature Cruise Experiences https://dev.scecruises.com/tag/lee-mergner/ The Gold Standard for Charter Theme Cruises Since 2001 Fri, 28 Mar 2025 15:45:34 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://dev.scecruises.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/cropped-web-app-manifest-512x512-1-32x32.png LEE MERGNER Archives - Signature Cruise Experiences https://dev.scecruises.com/tag/lee-mergner/ 32 32 Our Take: Oscar Peterson at 100 https://dev.scecruises.com/2025/03/24/our-take-oscar-peterson-at-100/ Mon, 24 Mar 2025 13:40:01 +0000 https://scecruises.com/?p=8561 Oscar Peterson celebrates his Centennial Birthday in 2025. The Canadian born jazz pianist is considered one of the top pianists of all time by most fans and the greatest of all time by many. I own virtually every recording Oscar Peterson made. At work, often, I will start playing his music from the time I arrive until […]

The post Our Take: Oscar Peterson at 100 appeared first on Signature Cruise Experiences.

]]> Oscar Peterson celebrates his Centennial Birthday in 2025. The Canadian born jazz pianist is considered one of the top pianists of all time by most fans and the greatest of all time by many. I own virtually every recording Oscar Peterson made. At work, often, I will start playing his music from the time I arrive until late in the afternoon. On those days, I do not achieve much, but I am somewhat more enjoyable to be around. In life, there are choices.

Peterson won 8 GRAMMY® Awards and was heralded by his peers as the “Maharaja of the Keyboard,” a name bestowed upon him by Duke Ellington. The number of awards and honors he earned are countless and his days with Ray Brown and Herb Ellis are considered by many to be the height of his career and jazz royalty.

Often compared to Art Tatum, Peterson was intimidated by Tatum’s skills. He would walk away when folks made the comparison even when done so as the ultimate compliment. Eventually they would become good friends though Peterson would seldom perform in Tatum’s presence.

My admiration of Peterson is a simple person’s love of music, particularly the piano. His sound was complex, but you can hear each note. As UCLA Bruin Basketball coach John Wooden would have said, Peterson was quick, but not in a hurry. Not sure how I decided to use an NCAA basketball coach quote. It must have something to do with March Madness!

When I hear the name Oscar Peterson, besides longing to hear him play, two thoughts come to mind. The first was an experience many years ago. I was visiting the home of Arturo Sandoval for the purpose of inviting him to be part of a cruise program. Upon entering his house, the first item I saw was the largest Bosendorfer piano I have ever seen. Accompanying me on the visit was Dane Butcher, our first Cruise Director. Innocently, Dane asked who in the Sandoval house played piano? Arturo announced that the piano in question was a gift from Oscar Peterson as a “thank you” for some musical advice. Then, Arturo proceeded to play the piano for 30 minutes featuring classical music, jazz and pop.

Had that been the end of the story, it would have been a great memory of a great man, a great gift and a great musician. However, upon finishing the piano program, Arturo announced that he was a better piano player than trumpeter. That boast was lost on me. After all, Arturo Sandoval is to the trumpet what Oscar Peterson is to the piano. Not sure why the exclamation bothered me, but it did and still does. When a great man fails to accept his skills in a particular field and lauds his skill in the field of another, it does not seem right.

The second thought upon hearing his name is to watch and listened to Benny Green talk about his mentor, Oscar Peterson. Benny is one of my favorite pianists. His sound is so distinctive. He can make the piano do things that others cannot, or it seems that way. When Benny feels joy, he can fill a room with smiles. Talking about Oscar Peterson puts him in that mood immediately. It is very cool to watch Benny beam with pride when he talks about his relationship with Oscar Peterson.

Lee Mergner

There is so much more about this great pianist for us to share, but that will have to wait for another edition of Our Take or Jazz Notes.  As you know, I write most of the articles in both publications, but Lee Mergner, the famous former publisher and editor of Jazz Times, is  a major contributor. He knows more about jazz than any person I know. Just like Benny Green drafting off the power of Oscar Peterson, I try to garner whatever I can from Lee. 

As for Lee, I would admire him more if he were not a Phillies fan. Find me one nice Phillies fan in uniform and I will show you a person who is wearing their hat because they lost a bet.

By Michael Lazaroff, Executive Director of The Jazz Cruise, The Smooth Jazz Cruise, Chris Botti at Sea, Christian McBride’s World at Sea, Journey of Jazz, Homecoming: The Cruise and Top Shelf Country Cruise. Feel free to express your views or pose questions to him at michael@scecruises.com.

Three Cohens’ Interaction

The 3 Cohens (Anat, Avishai and Yuvall Cohen) reunited for their fifth album together, the appropriately named Interaction, recorded from a collaborative concert with Germany’s lauded WDR Big Band. The program showcased tailored arrangements by producer Oded Lev-Ari of compositions by himself and each member of The 3 Cohens, as well as fresh takes on Gerry Mulligan’s “Festive Minor” and the Louis Armstrong hit “Tiger Rag,” two longtime family favorites for the Cohens.

“We can talk without talking,” Anat said about the threesome’s sibling rapport. “Often, we don’t even have to look at each other onstage. We have such a history together that we feel each other through the music.”

LEARN MORE
Three Cohens Interaction

Gerald Clayton’s “Tuesday Happenings” Series at Sam First

Gerald Clayton Tuesday Happenings

The Los Angeles jazz club Sam First, located near the LAX Airport, presents a weekly series called “Tuesday Happenings,” curated and hosted by Gerald Clayton. Each week a house band performs one set at 7:30pm followed by a jam session from 9:30 to 11pm.

“I was inspired by all of the great jam sessions that I learned so much from coming up in the music, and I felt that it would be good to give back to the community and offer a gathering place for hungry young musicians to work on their craft and get their butt kicked on that stage and come back again and try again,” Gerald explained. “Right now, there are so many great musicians in LA, but it’s such a spread-out city that it’s not automatic that we all get to see each other or get together and play. You have to be a bit more proactive to get that sense of community. I’ve enjoyed that it’s become a great hang.”

LEARN MORE

Stateroom Availability

Having been at sea for four weeks, we thought it best to share what is new with respect to our next 9 cruise programs and to highlight special offers for select programs.

Cruise Programs ’25

Journey of Jazz ’25Over 86% Reserved. Balcony Staterooms Available – Special Pricing for Ocean View and Inside Staterooms (Lowest Price Ever – Promo Code:  JOURNEY)

Cruise Programs ’26

Homecoming: The CruiseOpen Booking Now; For Special Prices on Staterooms, use Promo Code:  HTC
Christian McBride’s World at Sea ’26Open Booking Now; For Special Prices for Ocean View and Inside Staterooms, use Promo Code:  CMW
The Jazz Cruise ’26Open Booking Now
The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘26.196% Reserved – Open Booking Now
The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘26.2Fully Reserved
Top Shelf Country CruiseFull Lineup and Final Itinerary Announcement Monday

Open Booking Now
The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘26.376% Reserved – Open Booking Now
Botti at Sea ’26Open Booking Now

Hot Offers

Ocean View and Inside Staterooms are available on Journey of Jazz ’25. You can reserve an Inside Stateroom on the cruise for under $2,000/person and there are special prices for Ocean View staterooms. Reservations may be completed online or by calling the office and are based upon double occupancy, available for new reservations only and non-commissionable. Further, this discount may not be combined with any other offer (Promo Code: JOURNEY).

Signature Cruise Experiences’ Programs

JOURNEY OF JAZZ SIGNATURE CRUISE EXPERIENCES

JOURNEY OF JAZZ ’25
Limited Time Promotional Pricing

Promotional pricing is available on Ocean View and Inside Staterooms for Journey of Jazz! Make your reservation today using promo code WEEKENDER for significant savings*! Exciting land-based concerts and excursions are also available! *Discount applies to new reservations only. 

BOOK NOW

HOMECOMING THE CRUISE SIGNATURE CRUISE EXPERIENCES
HOMECOMING: THE CRUISE ’26
Limited Time Promotional Pricing

Join us for a celebration of HBCUs and inspired by the tradition of the Divine Nine Challenge from recent sailings of The Smooth Jazz Cruise. Sailing January 15 – 20, 2026 (including MLK Day), this cruise will deliver Excellence, Education and Entertainment. For the best available prices on all Stateroom Categories, use promo code HTC during the booking process. Reserve Your Stateroom Today! 

BOOK NOW
CHRISTIAN MCBRIDES WORLD AT SEA SIGNATURE CRUISE EXPERIENCES
CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE’S WORLD AT SEA
Limited Time Promotional Pricing

9X GRAMMY® winner Christian McBride will host our newest Signature Jazz Cruises’ program, Christian McBride’s World at Sea! The cruise will feature legions of musicians who comprise the various ensembles that are the hallmarks of Christian’s music world AND first-class comedy talent. See the full lineup here! Open Booking has begun! Right now, special pricing is available for Ocean View and Inside Staterooms*. To save, use the promo code CMW during the reservation process. *Discount applies to new reservations only.

BOOK NOW

THE JAZZ CRUISE SIGNATURE CRUISE EXPERIENCES
THE JAZZ CRUISE ’26
Open Booking Now Available

Hailed as “Jazz Heaven” by musicians and guests alike, The Jazz Cruise ’26 lineup will feature some of the most iconic musicians from the straight-ahead jazz genre. See the full lineup here. The Jazz Cruise ’26 is in Open Booking! Anyone may now reserve any available stateroom. This program always hits “fully reserved.” The only question is when!

BOOK NOW

THE SMOOTH JAZZ CRUISE SIGNATURE CRUISE EXPERIENCES

THE SMOOTH JAZZ CRUISE ‘26.1 & 26.2
Open Booking Now Available

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘26.1 is in Open Booking (anyone may reserve any available stateroom) and staterooms are more than 95% reserved. The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘26.2 is Fully Reserved, but you may join the Waitlist. Reserve your stateroom today!

BOOK NOW

Top Shelf Country Cruise Signature Cruise Experiences
THE TOP SHELF COUNTRY CRUISE
Open Booking Now Available

The inaugural sailing will feature headline artist Keith Urban and widely popular personalities from iHeartMedia’s The Bobby Bones Show, led by Bobby Bones himself. Top Shelf Country Cruise is now in Open Booking! Anyone may select any available stateroom and complete a reservation. Guests are not required to submit a Pre-Sail Reservation and may proceed directly to the Stateroom Selection process. Reserve your stateroom today!

BOOK NOW

THE SMOOTH JAZZ CRUISE SIGNATURE CRUISE EXPERIENCES
THE SMOOTH JAZZ CRUISE ‘26.3
Open Booking Now Available

For the first time in many years, The Smooth Jazz Cruise will sail on the West Coast, embarking in Vancouver, sailing to Victoria and San Francisco before disembarking in Los Angeles. Exciting land excursions will be available in the ports-of-call! The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘26.3 is in Open Booking! Anyone may now reserve any available stateroom. 

BOOK NOW

CHRIS BOTTI AT SEA SIGNATURE CRUISE EXPERIENCES

BOTTI AT SEA’26
Open Booking Now Available

We’re thrilled to be able to announce that Boz Scaggs, Elvis Costello and Melody Gardot will be onboard Botti at Sea ’26. Of course, Chris Botti will be there with his very talented band and, as always, we will fill the remaining performance slots with a variety of great music, comedy and more.  Open Booking has begun. Reserve your stateroom today! 

BOOK NOW

Send us Your Mug Shots

We know many readers of The Weekender like to peruse each edition over their morning coffee. And, if you’ve sailed with us, you likely have at least one (or perhaps many) Signature Cruise Experiences mugs just for that purpose. Over the years, The Weekender has featured several pictures of cruisers showing off their mugs, pictures we affectionately refer to as “Mug Shots.”

If you want to share your “Mug Shot” with the 100,000+ readers who receive The Weekender each Saturday, email a photo of yourself and your mug to mugshot@scecruises.com. Who knows? You may just see yourself in a future edition.

Mug Shot of the Week

Mug Shot The Weekender Signature Cruise Experiences
Judy, Josh, Lorri, Laurie, Tom, Kathy

Tag us @thejazzcruise, @bottiatsea, @thesmoothjazzcruise, #signaturecruiseexperiences and #theweekender. Email your photo to MugShot@scecruises.com.

The post Our Take: Oscar Peterson at 100 appeared first on Signature Cruise Experiences.

]]> OUR TAKE: Kamasi Does Dallas: Dallas Does Jazz https://dev.scecruises.com/2024/05/11/our-take-kamasi-does-dallas-dallas-does-jazz/ Sat, 11 May 2024 17:24:00 +0000 https://www.jazzcruisesllc.com/?p=5892 Kamasi Washington is performing at the House of Blues in Dallas on May 15. Paula and I will be there, so, if you plan on attending the show, check us out and say hello. Due mainly to the pandemic, it has been a while (too long) since we have seen Kamasi perform live. Our anticipation […]

The post OUR TAKE: Kamasi Does Dallas: Dallas Does Jazz appeared first on Signature Cruise Experiences.

]]> Kamasi Washington is performing at the House of Blues in Dallas on May 15. Paula and I will be there, so, if you plan on attending the show, check us out and say hello. Due mainly to the pandemic, it has been a while (too long) since we have seen Kamasi perform live. Our anticipation is high. His shows are more than a great music experience. They are life experiences.

Jazz Cruises’ official jazz whisperer, Lee Mergner, penned a piece on Kamasi a few months ago. If you missed it, allow me to share some snippets from Lee’s note.

KAMASI WASHINGTON

When I think of Kamasi and his music, two words come to mind, “big” and “joyous.” As to “big,” Kamasi is physically imposing. You can see strength in his eyes, his choice of clothing, and the confident way he speaks. His music is even larger. Surrounded by a healthy number of top musicians, his sound is large as well. When attending his show, the sheer magnitude of presence and sound commands you to listen, pay attention, and remain riveted to each note.

Do not think that the sound is overwhelming, overblown, or overdone. Amidst that large sound are beautiful melodies and chords. His music juxtaposed on the colorful majesty of his presence on stage is “joyous.” The spiritual nature of the presentation is undeniable. Partly regal, partly divine, Kamasi controls the bandstand, the stage, the venue, and, most importantly, the audience.

For those wondering what configuration Kamasi is bringing when he sails on Botti at Sea II, we have opted for the whole thing, the large ensemble! That may not have been the most cost-effective way to present Kamasi, but it will be the most exciting. Jazz Cruises walks the line between fiscal responsibility and artistic glory all the time. Glory won this conflict…by at least two touchdowns.

While we are in Dallas, we will be meeting with Curtis King, founder and president of The Black Academy of Arts and Letters, Inc. (TBAAL) regarding the upcoming Riverfront Jazz Festival TBAAL is producing this Labor Day weekend. As you may know, Jazz Cruises has been circling the world of land-based events for years. Besides being a sponsor of the Vail Jazz Party, The Sarasota Jazz Festival, and Montclair Jazz Festival, we have produced our own shows in St. Louis, Chicago, Atlanta, New York, Dallas, and Los Angeles. 

Our land-based events and sponsorships are not direct business opportunities. In the tax world, it would be more apt to describe them as part hobby/part tax planning. Those terms are euphemisms for breaking even and losing money. Indirectly, of course, these events allow us to continue to interact with our guests, the world of jazz, and support artists and organizations in jazz.

TBAAL’s event is intriguing to us as Dallas is becoming one of the top five locales of folks cruising on our programs. Supporting the communities that support us is important, plus helping to bring music to areas of the country that appreciate and attend our music shows makes great sense. College fraternity brother and Hall of Fame Broadcaster for the Texas Rangers, Eric Nadel, is the go-between for this encounter.

Did I mention that our second night in Dallas will be highlighted by the 12th Annual Eric Nadel Birthday Benefit? Each year Eric takes over The Kessler, an iconic Dallas venue, and presents a music show with the proceeds going to various mental health organizations in Dallas through the Grant Halliburton Foundation. I would urge you to join us, but the event, as always, is sold out!

Rarely do I write about a trip we are taking before we go, but this trip to Dallas sounds like fun and it blocked out all other thoughts I may have had for my weekly Our Take. I will let you know how it all turned out.

By Michael Lazaroff, Executive Director of The Jazz Cruise, The Smooth Jazz Cruise, Chris Botti at Sea, and Journey of Jazz. Feel free to express your views or pose questions to him at michael@scecruises.com.

Jersey City Jazz Festival

JERSEY CITY JAZZ FESTIVAL

The revived town of Jersey City across the Hudson River from New York City plays host to a jazz festival with an impressive lineup of mainstream and Latin jazz acts performing at the Exchange Place waterfront. Appearing at the Jersey City Jazz Festival June 1-2 are George Coleman, Orrin Evans, David Kikoski, Champian Fulton, Lezlie Harrison, the Curtis Brothers, Winard Harper and Brianna Thomas.

LEARN MORE

Clearwater Smooth Jazz Jam

Several artists from The Smooth Jazz Cruise will reunite in Florida for the 2nd Annual Clearwater Smooth Jazz Jam at Ruth Ekerd Hall in Clearwater. Jeffrey Osborne, Rick Braun, Richard Elliot and Peter White perform there on June 14. And Brian Culbertson, Sheila E & the E-Train and Gerald Albright take the stage on June 15.

LEARN MORE
CLEARWATER SMOOTH JAZZ JAM

Blue Note Jazz Festival

Held throughout the month of June, the Blue Note Jazz Festival features shows at five venues in New York City: Sony Hall, SummerStage in Central Park, Town Hall, Brooklyn Bowl and Jazz at Lincoln Center. Among the performers are several familiar to Jazz Cruises audiences, including Wynton Marsalis, Eliane Elias, Lisa Fischer, the Brecker Brothers Reunion Band, Chief Adjuah and Derrick Hodge.

LEARN MORE
BLUE NOTE JAZZ FESTIVAL

STL Jazz Fest Two-Day Tickets Available! Individual Tickets Go On Sale 5.31!

STL JAZZ FEST

2-Day Tickets are now available on Ticketmaster for STL JAZZ FEST. 1-Day Tickets will go on sale Friday, May 31. For details about the festival and how to purchase tickets, see below:

STL Jazz Fest
Produced by Jazz Cruises
The Factory – Chesterfield (St. Louis) Missouri


Friday, August 23, 2024
Eric Marienthal Quintet, featuring Niki Haris
The Comedy of Alonzo Bodden
GREGORY PORTER

Saturday, August 24, 2024
Mindi Abair with Eric Marienthal & Friends
The Comedy of Alonzo Bodden
BRIAN CULBERTSON

  Doors 6 pm / Showtime 7 pm

TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW

Jazz Cruises’ ’25 Programs

THE JAZZ CRUISE SIGNATURE CRUISE EXPERIENCES
The Jazz Cruise ’25
Celebrating its 25th Anniversary

The plans for the 25th Anniversary sailing of The Jazz Cruise ’25 are spectacular. The cruise is over 86% reserved and is currently in Open Booking, which means that now anyone may reserve any available stateroom. Staterooms with Verandas remain in inventory along with Ocean View and Inside Staterooms.

BOOK NOW
THE SMOOTH JAZZ CRUISE SIGNATURE CRUISE EXPERIENCES
The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘25.1 & ‘25.2
Starting its 3rd Decade

With both sailings being fully reserved, guests wishing to sail on a ’25 sailing of The Smooth Jazz Cruise should JOIN WAITLIST now. Cancellations will be filled exclusively from the WAITLIST. WAITLIST guests qualify for special terms when reserving a stateroom on The Jazz Cruise ’25 or Botti at Sea II.

JOIN WAITLIST
CHRIS BOTTI AT SEA SIGNATURE CRUISE EXPERIENCES
Botti at Sea ’25
Every Night is a Night on the Town

Botti at Sea II is in the Open Booking stage and is over 60% reserved. Anyone may reserve any available stateroom either by calling the office during regular business hours or doing so online. It was this time last year that there was a “run” on staterooms, so act now! 

BOOK NOW
JOURNEY OF JAZZ SIGNATURE CRUISE EXPERIENCES
Journey of Jazz ’25
Jazz Life at Sea & On Land 

Jazz Cruises’ newest program, Journey of Jazz ’25, hosted by Marcus Miller & Gregory Porter, has completed the Pre-Sales process and began Open Booking on April 30, 2024. Like a race care, this program as gone from 0 – 60(%) sold in the blink of an eye. 

BOOK NOW

Mug Shots of the Week

MUG SHOTS THE WEEKENDER SIGNATURE CRUISE EXPERIENCES
Yvonne and Burt – Maryland
MUG SHOTS THE WEEKENDER SIGNATURE CRUISE EXPERIENCES
Darlene – Georgia

Guests on the ’24 jazz cruises received The Weekender mug, which we hope you will use with your Saturday morning coffee while you read the latest edition. Please share a picture of yourself & your mug with us so that we can include it for the 100,000+ folks who receive The Weekender each Saturday.

Tag us @thejazzcruise @bottiatsea @thesmoothjazzcruise #jazzcruises and #theweekender. Email your photo to MugShot@scecruises.com.

The post OUR TAKE: Kamasi Does Dallas: Dallas Does Jazz appeared first on Signature Cruise Experiences.

]]> OUR TAKE: Jazz is a Good Bet…Actually, it is a “Sure Thing” https://dev.scecruises.com/2024/04/27/our-take-jazz-is-a-good-betactually-it-is-a-sure-thing/ Sat, 27 Apr 2024 21:56:13 +0000 https://www.jazzcruisesllc.com/?p=5728 The old joke was “I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out.” The new joke is “I went to a casino and a professional sporting event broke out.” In the blink of an eye, not only is betting on professional sports being freely advertised, but past stars, even superstars, are the ones doing the promos. Betting and gambling are long-standing vices. To pretend they are not part of sports is foolish, but do we have to have that activity be presented as part of the sport? At times, it seems like betting is the sport and the game is no more than opening an envelope to reveal the winner.

The post OUR TAKE: Jazz is a Good Bet…Actually, it is a “Sure Thing” appeared first on Signature Cruise Experiences.

]]> The old joke was “I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out.” The new joke is “I went to a casino and a professional sporting event broke out.” In the blink of an eye, not only is betting on professional sports being freely advertised, but past stars, even superstars, are the ones doing the promos. Betting and gambling are long-standing vices. To pretend they are not part of sports is foolish, but do we have to have that activity be presented as part of the sport? At times, it seems like betting is the sport and the game is no more than opening an envelope to reveal the winner.

I long for the days when betting was relegated to back alleys, smoke-filled bars, underground locations, and late-night haunts. Get where I am going with this?

Those same “venues,” the kindest word I could conjure, were the homes of jazz from the very moment that our music made it to the big cities. Such locales were part of the lure and became part of the lore as jazz spread through the country. My bet is that the business model for the music mandated the choice of locations. Everything about jazz in those days reflected a genre on a budget. The sale of alcohol was the primary source of income. Most of the business was at night, late at night, so the locales needed to be distanced from residential areas. And, of course, the perception of nefarious activity associated with jazz was a barrier to entry into the more gentrified areas.

The revenue stream from a jazz club, at least the legitimate portion, was tight, hand-to-mouth, or worse. Yes, there were some swanky clubs that featured big bands, offered lavish meals, and high-end glassware, dishware, fine linens, and cutlery. But those places were geared for dancing. A night on the town. Few survived the post-World War II era when folks began to dance to music other than “swing” performed by the great big bands of the era.

Today’s jazz clubs are in the 120 – 200 capacity, urban locales, and feature either a strong food component or a significant cover charge. Many are ticketed events plus the cover charge. The clubs present each act in multiple sets, each with their own admission and some have a late-night show where a lesser group performs for a small charge with the hope that the patrons will drink the night away. The clubs are crowded, your experience is rushed, and the seating violates all posture perfect protocols.

Would you want your jazz clubs any other way? Seriously, just as I wish that betting was less prominent in baseball, as an example, and starting pitchers went 6 or 7 innings or completed a game, I want our jazz clubs to have that feel of intimacy and energy. Certain aspects of the old days needed to be modified, and the clubs today are clean, safe, and present the music with proper sound and lighting. Food choices seem to improve all the time and other modern conveniences are being added daily. What more would you want? (Note to baseball fans: In his career, Bob Gibson had 255 complete games. Modern stars Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer have combined for just 38.)

As the producer of jazz cruises for nearly 25 years, with tongue firmly planted against my cheek, I could offer a suggestion for what would be “more.” From the start of our jazz cruise programs, our goal has been to capture all that is great about a jazz club and surround that experience with the luxury of a cruise ship. When a guest walks into The Theatre, Rendezvous Lounge, or the Sky Lounge, for the time they are there, their jazz experience is defined by that venue just like being in Birdland, Blue Note, Jazz Alley, Dizzy’s Club or any of the other top jazz venues in the world. 

But, when you step out of those venues, you are on a luxury cruise ship that has restaurants, spas, fitness facilities, pools, etc. It is up to you how long you may wish to be “in the club” and how long you may wish to be “on vacation.”

Again, humbly, and respectfully, that is the magic of a jazz cruise program. You can visit a jazz club when you want, without concern about parking, traffic, or reservations, and, similarly, you can return to your vacation home under the same terms.

Once upon a time, we would tell guests that the best part of being on a jazz cruise program is that all you must do each night is to find your way back to a stateroom…doesn’t have to be your stateroom, just a stateroom! That joke is probably out of bounds these days. It may have been in the hazard earlier. But you get the point. All the greatness of a jazz club with none of the hassle.

Do you wonder if the spate of gambling opportunities is a sign that the underlying game is not worthwhile unless you have a bet on the outcome? Maybe we should experiment with adding betting to jazz! There could be an over/under bet on the length of a drum solo. Will the leader say the word “cat” more than 10 times during show? Will any tune go longer than 10 minutes? Will the guy at the other table who was dragged to the show fall asleep after 30 minutes? The number of wagers would be endless.

Thankfully, jazz does not need gambling to be exciting. Jazz is a good bet all by itself. In fact, jazz is the one thing that makes any gambler sit up and take notice. Jazz is a “sure thing.”

By Michael Lazaroff, Executive Director of The Jazz Cruise, The Smooth Jazz Cruise, Chris Botti at Sea, and Journey of Jazz. Feel free to express your views or pose questions to him at michael@scecruises.com.

Mary Lou Williams Jazz Festival

Hosted by Jazz Cruises regular Dee Dee Bridgewater, the Mary Lou Williams Jazz Festival will be held May 10-11 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. The two-day event honors the legacy of the gifted pianist, as well as the contributions of jazz women of today. Among the headliners are two artists who have sailed on The Jazz Cruise numerous times—Eliane Elias and Ingrid Jensen—as well as two emerging artists: Bassist Endea Owens and vocalist Julia Keefe who leads her Indigenous Big Band.

LEARN MORE
MARY LOU WILLIAMS JAZZ FESTIVAL

Charles McPherson’s Reverance

We’re excited to welcome Charles McPherson back to The Jazz Cruise in 2025. The legendary saxophonist has just released an album Reverence that was recorded live at Smoke Jazz Club in NYC. The album is dedicated to the late pianist and educator Barry Harris, a longtime mentor and teacher of Charles. “I owe a lot to him,” Charles explained. “He always told me that there was more to this music than just playing the horn – you actually have to know how to think to be able to do this well.” Performing with Charles is a usual stellar band of Terell Stafford, Jeb Patton, David Wong and Billy Drummond

LEARN MORE
CHARLES MCPHERSON

Jazz Cruises’ Conversation Podcast

In the last few weeks, we’ve posted two new episodes of the Jazz Cruises Conversations podcast, which features interviews, panels and talks from sailings of our cruises. The first one was recorded during the initial sailing of The Smooth Jazz Cruise and features an interview with the dynamic saxophonist (and wine curator) Mindi Abair. Amongst other topics, Mindi shares with our host Talaya how she broke into the music business in LA with a big assist from keyboardist Bobby Lyle. The second episode came from Botti at Sea during which I hosted a Jazz on Film series. For the session featuring clips from Nat King Cole’s spectacular but short-lived network TV show, we asked Gregory Porter to talk about Nat’s legacy. After all, Gregory’s affinity for Nat King Cole is both personal and professional, as you can hear in our conversation. Gregory even sings two tunes to prove it.

You can listen to these interviews on the Jazz Cruises Conversations pages on Spotify or iTunes or wherever you access your podcasts. Subscribe to the podcast or check out any of the more than 80 previous episodes featuring interviews from our sailings over the years.

JAZZ CRUISES CONVERSATION PODCAST LEE MERGNER

STL Jazz Fest Two-Day Tickets Available! Individual Tickets On Sale 5.31!

STL JAZZ FEST SIGNATURE CRUISE EXPERIENCES

2-Day Tickets are now available on Ticketmaster for STL JAZZ FEST. 1-Day Tickets will go on sale Friday, May 31. For details about the festival and how to purchase tickets, see below:

STL JAZZ FEST
Produced by Jazz Cruises
The Factory – Chesterfield (St. Louis) Missouri


FRIDAY AUGUST 23, 2024
Eric Marienthal Quintet, featuring Niki Haris
The Comedy of Alonzo Bodden
GREGORY PORTER

SATURDAY AUGUST 24, 2024
Mindi Abair with Eric Marienthal & Friends
The Comedy of Alonzo Bodden
BRIAN CULBERTSON

  Doors 6 pm / Showtime 7 pm

TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW

Jazz Cruises’ ’25 Programs

THE JAZZ CRUISE SIGNATURE CRUISE EXPERIENCES

The Jazz Cruise ’25
Celebrating its 25th Anniversary

The Jazz Cruise ’25 is 82% reserved and is currently in “Open Booking,” where anyone may reserve any available stateroom. You may view current stateroom availability and start your reservation on the website now.

BOOK NOW
THE SMOOTH JAZZ CRUISE SIGNATURE CRUISE EXPERIENCES

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘25.1 & ‘25.2
Starting its 3rd Decade

With both sailings being fully reserved, guests wishing to sail on a ’25 sailing of The Smooth Jazz Cruise should JOIN WAITLIST now. Cancellations will be filled exclusively from the WAITLIST.

JOIN WAITLIST
CHRIS BOTTI AT SEA SIGNATURE CRUISE EXPERIENCES

Botti at Sea ’25
Every Night is a Night on the Town

Botti at Sea ’25 is in the Open Booking stage and is over 60% reserved. Anyone may reserve any available stateroom either by calling the office during regular business hours or doing so online. It was this time last year that there was a “run” on staterooms, so act now! 

BOOK NOW
JOURNEY OF JAZZ SIGNATURE CRUISE EXPERIENCES

Journey of Jazz ’25
Jazz Life at Sea & On Land 

Jazz Cruises’ newest program, Journey of Jazz ’25, hosted by Marcus Miller & Gregory Porter, has completed the Pre-Sale process and began Open Booking on April 30, 2024. Like a race care, this program as gone from 0 – 60(%) sold in the blink of an eye. 

BOOK NOW

Mug Shots of the Week

MUG SHOTS THE WEEKENDER SIGNATURE CRUISE EXPERIENCES
Sharon – Toronto
MUG SHOTS THE WEEKENDER SIGNATURE CRUISE EXPERIENCES
Monica and Charles – New York City

Guests on the ’24 jazz cruises received The Weekender mug, which we hope you will use with your Saturday morning coffee while you read the latest edition. Please share a picture of yourself & your mug with us so that we can include it for the 100,000+ folks who receive The Weekender each Saturday.

Tag us @thejazzcruise @bottiatsea @thesmoothjazzcruise #jazzcruises and #theweekender. Email your photo to MugShot@scecruises.com.

The post OUR TAKE: Jazz is a Good Bet…Actually, it is a “Sure Thing” appeared first on Signature Cruise Experiences.

]]>