The Weekender

OUR TAKE: Creating a Jazz Memory

Earlier this week, we announced the details of The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’25.1 & ’25.2. One could easily ask “why now?” There are many reasons, ranging from that is what we have done for many years to providing a path for those who are missing the ’24 Sailings to make sure that does not happen again. So, we moved forward, created a new website, finalized an itinerary, and, most importantly, created a lineup.

Creating a lineup for The Smooth Jazz Cruise is both incredibly easy and painfully difficult. Easy because we know all the players and can approach them with a phone call. Difficult for the very same reason. We know them all and not selecting someone for the cruise can be excruciating. For the upcoming ’24 Cruises, in honor of our 20th Anniversary of sailing, we invited the guests to vote for the headliners, so we have been “off the hook” in terms of blame for a bit. But, for the ’25 Cruises, it was on us.

Of course, we have a core of performers who regularly sail on the cruise. And, we have a bevy of others who rotate in and out of the lineup. That is the simple part. The more difficult part is making it special, creating a Jazz memory for our amazing guests. Finding that special someone is tough. There are very few George Bensons or Michael McDonalds. Even fewer iconic bands, particularly bands with original members. I saw the Beach Boys recently. Not yet a cover band, but darn close.

Then it hit us. Rather than find a cool superband from the past, we could create an even better superband using iconic performers from some of the past’s greatest bands. It did not take very long to assemble this group. From Fourplay, we secured the great songwriter and pianist Bob James. Chick Corea’s Elektric Band produced our drummer, the amazing Dave Weckl. Fourplay and other groups led us to Mr. Magic Fingers, guitarist Lee Ritenour.

Finding a saxophone icon and a great bassist was the easiest reach of all. David Sanborn has been a special friend of our cruises for more than a decade. Locking him up for this gig was mandatory! His superband heritage is legendary and includes Paul Butterfield Blues Band, The Eagles, Saturday Night Live Band and so many more. And, as the other musicians whisper behind his back….he is David —-ing Sanborn!

If you need assistance naming the bassist, then you have not been on our cruises, read our messages or been involved with Jazz Cruises in any way. Marcus Miller, a/k/a The Franchise, is the only person for this job. He played with Sanborn in the Saturday Night Live Band and famously was the music director and bassist for Miles Davis.

Like all great bands, our superband needed a name! No lie, it took longer to agree upon the name than it did to assemble the group. I am not sure if that reflects how excited these players were to come together or how slow I am to choose a name. Both sides of that argument have merit. I will not list the names that were considered and discarded. We needed a name that oozed with being the best, on top of the genre, yet reflected the shared nature of the venture.

The winning name is The Summit. The band is the “sum” of several parts, and they are the pinnacle of excellence in their music genre. That this is also the name of the ship we are using gives us ample opportunity for onboard signage, etc. Personally, I love the name, particularly since it embodies the notion that becoming a great musician is like climbing a mountain. You work and work, climb and climb, but you do not know if you have reached the top until you have done so.

Quite mystical! Not really. What we have here is five legendary musicians who will spend the next few months exchanging song titles, charts and ideas before coming together to rehearse and get ready for the cruise. Each member has performed with one or more of the other members in the past, but the 5 of them have never performed as a unit. Miraculously, David Sanborn and Lee Ritenour have never performed together at all. I am guessing that they will find a way to make this work. Just kidding, of course they will.

The most famous combination formed by this group was when Sanborn, James and Miller combined for the album Double Vision, a recording generally referred to as the very best “Smooth Jazz” album ever. Though the album was a huge commercial and critical success, the songs were never performed live by them until nearly 30 years later. And, where was this breakthrough concert? Where else, it was on The Smooth Jazz Cruise! A very successful tour followed.

My philosophy in producing cruises is to create a program that I would like and then hope, like crazy, that there are another 2,000 people who feel the same way. Stated differently, while “creating a Jazz memory” for me, we are sharing that experience with others. Doing this for others is what makes it special.

NOTE: Apparently, The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’25.1 & ’25.2 hit the right chord with our guests. Though guests sailing in ’24 have a few weeks to rebook their staterooms for ’25, those not sailing may act now to secure their place in line to select a stateroom for ’25 by completing a Pre-Sale Reservation. As of Friday, nearly 550 Pre-Sale Reservations have been submitted. Coupled with the traditional rebooking rate of current guests, that famous line uttered nearly 50 years ago comes to mind… ”you’re gonna need a bigger boat”!

By Michael Lazaroff, Executive Director of The Jazz Cruise, The Smooth Jazz Cruise, Botti at Sea and The McDonald & LaBelle Cruise. Feel free to express your views or pose questions to him at [email protected].


“As We Speak with David Sanborn” Launches

David Sanborn, who will be performing with the Jazz superband, The Summit, on The Smooth Jazz Cruise sailings in 2025, has just launched a podcast, As We Speak With David Sanborn, in which he interviews major figures in the world of Jazz.

Kicking off the series from WBGO Studios this week are two episodes with vocalists who are no stranger to Jazz Cruises audiences: Kurt Elling and Cecile McLorin Salvant. Future guests include Sonny Rollins, Terri Lyne Carrington, John McLaughlin and Maria Schneider.

“This podcast is a great opportunity for me to talk in depth with old friends and new, all of whom I’ve long admired,” David said. “I truly hope everyone enjoys these conversations as much as I did when I spoke with them.”


New Album from Kurt Elling & Charlie Hunter

For the last few years, Kurt Elling has been recording and performing with guitarist Charlie Hunter in a project they call SuperBlue. Playing with much groove, the two are usually backed by a stellar rhythm section from the Jazz Funk band Butcher Brown, but when they’re not available they use various first-call players such as Nate Smith and Julius Rodriguez. In addition, they also call upon a funky horn section from Brooklyn called Huntertones.

Their latest album, SuperBlue: The Iridescent Spree, has just been released and features a kaleidoscopic collection of new songs, dynamic reinventions, and surprising covers. “I feel like there’s still room to grow with this project,” Kurt explained. “That’s always the prime motivator. That there’s more for me to discover as a writer and as a singer and as a bandleader or co-band leader. We’re going down a road, let’s see how far the road goes.”

Kurt and Charlie are touring with SuperBlue all over the U.S. for the next three weeks.


Mug Shots

Autumn S. – Michigan
Luis O. – Buenas Aires


Each guest on the 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].


Your Weekly Jazz Cruises Update
Our Cruises – Moving Out & Moving In

Fall is the time to move out your summer wardrobe, move in your patio furniture and move forward with your winter music cruise vacation plans.

At Jazz Cruises, Fall is the time to move for sale the few remaining staterooms for The Jazz Cruise ’24 (Some Veranda, Ocean View and Inside Staterooms, <40 in all) and Botti at Sea ’24 (17 Staterooms, All Inside). To make this happen and to clear our showroom of the ’24 staterooms for the ’25 model year, the prices on our remaining inventory are moving down. Promo code: FALL

In the spirit of out with the old and in with the new, earlier this week The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’25.1 & ’25.2 were launched! Those sailing on a ’24 Sailing of The Smooth Jazz Cruise have from now through November 17, 2023, to rebook their current stateroom and those who are not sailing in ’24 may complete a Pre-Sale Reservation during that same period which establishes their priority for a reservation.

’24 Cruises

The Jazz Cruise ’24
18 Veranda Staterooms
Fewer than 20 Ocean View and Inside Staterooms
Special FALL prices for Verandas, Ocean View and Inside Staterooms
To learn more about the activities and events on The Jazz Cruise ’24, go to www.thejazzcruise.com, click on Booked Guests and review Get Ready Letter #4.

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’24.1 & ’24.2
All Staterooms are JOIN WAITLIST
No Available Staterooms

Botti at Sea ‘24
17 Inside Staterooms
Special FALL prices for Inside Staterooms
No Additional Staterooms Available

McDonald & LaBelle Cruise ‘24
Balcony, Ocean View & Inside Staterooms Available
Special FALL prices for Verandas, Ocean View and Inside Staterooms

PLEASE NOTE: FALL PRICES END 10.20.23
Use PROMO CODE FALL for special prices on The Jazz Cruise ’24, Botti at Sea ’24 or McDonald / LaBelle Cruise ’24.

’25 Cruises

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’25.1 & ’25.2
Now thru November 17, 2023
Guests sailing on The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’24.1 & ’24.2 may rebook their current stateroom.
All others may complete a Pre-Sale Reservation which establishes their priority for ’25.

The Jazz Cruise ’25
Launch of The Jazz Cruise ’25 is scheduled for late November 2023.

Botti at Sea ‘25
Launch of Botti at Sea ’25 is scheduled for late November/early December 2023.

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