It’s Thanksgiving weekend; a time for good cheer.
Many believe it’s the best time of the year!
It’s only one day, there’s no Thanksgiving Eve,
The meal is quite simple, requires no tricks up your sleeve.
There’s turkey and dressing and cranberry sauce,
No need to make cookies for Ol’ Saint Nicholas.
A green bean casserole will be part of the scene.
Some think it is healthy because a part of it’s green.
But with fried onions and mushroom soup from a can,
It’s as gourmet and special as spam fried in a pan.
Butterball or frozen turkey is debated to and fro,
Smoking or frying is another way to go.
A fresh turkey is the favorite choice of mine,
Soaked overnight in a delectable brine.
Our stuffing is dressing as it’s cooked on the stove,
The inside of the turkey has lemons, onions and a garlic clove.
Creamy mashed potatoes and please no lumps.
If they are cold or runny, I’ll be down in the dumps.
Now carving the bird properly is a trick I cannot do,
Ken is the best, the husband of my sister-in-law Sue.
This year he’s not here but home in Kansas City.
I’ll get the job done, but it will not be pretty.
Now, it’s on to dessert and on this day that means pie.
Pumpkin and apple are our favorites… oh my.
Thank God for Peloton and for my son David’s gym.
I am headed there now with the goal of being trim.
We have talked about food, for quite a long time.
But no Thanksgiving is complete without good wine.
For years I pursued holiday Nouveau Beaujolais,
But getting up in years, that stuff can put me away.
Can’t do that this year, we have undertakings to avail.
8,000 jazz fans are waiting to sail!
More than 200 musicians need travel plans completed,
And we must work through how our guests will be seated.
Souvenir Programs are being created that outline our shows,
T-Shirts are being made in colors no guest knows!
Our team is on call all day and all night,
We are working to make sure that every cruise element is right.
From the music to the parties and all the in-betweens,
We are working hard in the open and a lot behind the scenes.
Please enjoy the Holiday Season however you may choose,
We promise to be more than ready when it is your turn to cruise!
By Michael Lazaroff, Executive Director of The Jazz Cruise, The Smooth Jazz Cruise, Chris Botti at Sea and The McDonald & LaBelle Cruise. Feel free to express your views or pose questions to him at [email protected].
Chris Botti’s Residency at The Blue Note
Since 2005, Chris Botti has been in residence at The Blue Note NYC during the month of December.
For his 19th Annual Holiday Residency December 11 through January 7, Chris will be performing with his group that includes violinist Caroline Campbell, vocalist Sy Smith and singer-songwriter John Splithoff.
Over the years, there have been various surprise musical guests, such as Sting and John Mayer, as well as numerous celebrities in attendance.
“Coming to the Blue Note for as many years as I’ve been is like coming home,” says Chris. “The best city, the best club, the greatest people.”
Cyrille Aimee with Latin Project at Birdland
Cyrille Aimée returns to Birdland for four nights of shows November 28 – December 2 with a unique all-Latin repertoire showcasing her Dominican heritage.
The show, titled “Ya Tu Sabe,” will feature songs from Mexico to Spain and original compositions with an international band from New Orleans: Cuban pianist Victor Campbell, Dominican percussionist Jafet Perez and New York-based bassist Tyrone Allen.
Mug Shots of the Week
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 [email protected].
The ’25 Cruise Programs
The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’25
25.1 February 11-18, 2025
25.2 February 18-25, 2025
The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’25 is already over 60% reserved! Pre-Sale Reservations are now closed and guests who have completed a Pre-Sale Reservation have been assigned to a group. Each group will have a designated time when they can initiate their selection.
“Open Booking” begins on January 3, 2024, and from this date forward, anyone may reserve any available stateroom.
The Jazz Cruise ’25
January 28, 2025 – February 4, 2025
GUESTS SAILING IN ’24
- Guests who are sailing on The Jazz Cruise ’24 have from now until January 21, 2024 to rebook their current staterooms!
- January 22, 2024 through January 24, 2024. During this period, ’24 Guests have the exclusive right to reserve any available stateroom, including those staterooms that ’24 Guests have not rebooked.
GUESTS NOT SAILING IN ’24
- Those not sailing on The Jazz Cruise ’24 have until January 17, 2024 to establish their priority for a stateroom on The Jazz Cruise ’25 by completing a Pre-Sale Reservation.
- Late January 2024 through February 11, 2024 Pre-Sale Reservations will be assigned a window to select and reserve any available stateroom for The Jazz Cruise ’25.
Botti at Sea ’25
will be announced the 1st week or so in January ’24!
GUESTS SAILING IN ’24
- Guests who are sailing on Botti at Sea ‘24 have from the announcement date until February 10, 2024 (the third full day of the cruise) to rebook their current staterooms! After that date, any stateroom not rebooked will be available to those holding a Pre-Sale Reservation.
- February 12, 2024 through February 14, 2024. During this period, ’24 Guests have the exclusive right to reserve any available stateroom, including those staterooms that ’24 Guests have not rebooked.
GUESTS NOT SAILING IN ’24
- Starting on the announcement date, those not sailing on Botti at Sea ’24 have until February 7, 2024 to establish their priority for a stateroom on Botti at Sea ’25 by completing a Pre-Sale Reservation.
- Starting on February 20, 2024, Guests with Pre-Sale Reservations will be assigned a window to select and reserve any available stateroom for Botti at Sea ’25.