Benny Golson died last Saturday. He was 95. Which means he was born in 1929 and remained active as both a player and a composer through 2024. His life nearly coincided with the entire history of jazz in America. Growing up in Philadelphia, Benny was fortunate to be amidst some of the most famous jazzmen […]

I have read stories about chefs who prefer peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to their haute cuisine dishes. Many athletes famously refuse to watch games involving their professional sport. And countless actors and actresses avoid watching their movies or television shows. I guess being around those subjects and items all day long tempers, if not […]

As a sucker for any list that purports to list the “Top 20” of anything or anyone, I am surprised that we have never undertaken such a list for the performers on our cruises and other jazz musicians. For anyone wondering what is meant by G.O.A.T. and Mt. Rushmore candidates, the first stands for the […]

Last week, I shared with you some insights from our 8.23 STL Jazz Fest Show in St. Louis which featured Gregory Porter, Eric Marienthal, Niki Haris and others. Again, it was outstanding. The Saturday night show on 8.24 featured the amazing Brian Culbertson supported by a great show with Mindi Abair and Eric Marienthal. All […]

Resolutions should not be made only at New Years. Though the calendar changes from one year to the next, that day is not a bright line for much. Perhaps it signifies a new semester, but not everyone goes to school. For most of us, it is simply the end of the holiday season and time […]

STL Jazz Fest, our land-based homage to all facets of our jazz programs, began last night in grand fashion. The evening included performances by our Music Director Eric Marienthal and his quintet, which included Kevin Turner, Carnell Harrell, Nate Phillips and Chris Miskel. Joining the band was a true Jazz Cruises’ mainstay, the great Niki Haris. […]

Many schools will reopen this Monday, August 19. Seeing schools open before Labor Day is a shock to my system as, at every level of my education, the day after Labor Day was “Back to School” day. Back then, you started your summer activities or job in mid-June and continued until mid-August. From there, you […]

We are spending a lot of time preparing for the 25th Anniversary of The Jazz Cruise celebration. The lineup of musicians is set. With fewer than 30 staterooms available to reserve, our “guest list” (aka “passengers”) is nearly set. All that remains is to make sure that our programming reflects the strength of the musicians […]

A few months ago, I was bemoaning the “loss” of two important and meaningful events and relationships in my world of jazz. The Vail Jazz Organization announced that it would not produce its annual Vail Jazz Party in ’24 and John Ernesto announced his retirement from his role with Berks Jazz Fest, which did not […]

In a recent interview, Kirk Whalum bemoaned the fact that too often the music played under the “smooth jazz” umbrella suffers from a lack of individualism as compositions are dictated by the parameters of the format and less expressions of the musicians. Kirk, of course, is one of the most talented, respected and beloved musicians […]