OUR TAKE: His Name Will Live On

Last weekend, while working at the office on the programming for one of our cruises, I received an email from one of our guests. Knowing my fondness for and recent visit with Sue and Lee Berk, the guest wanted me to know that Lee had died of a heart attack the evening before. Lee Berk was 81. A graduate of Brown University and the Boston University School of Law, Lee dedicated his life, first, to music education, and then to the production of music events. Jazz was his passion and his mission.

Some of you know the back story here, but for those who do not, Lee’s father, Lawrence Berk, was the founder and first president of a music school that has become one of the beacons of music education in the world, Berklee College of Music. Never to be confused with the northern California (Berkley) campus of the University of California, Berklee is the reversal of “Lee Berk.” This cheeky name game somewhat belies the substance of a very important and wonderful man. Try this on for size, in 2004, Lee was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun from the Emperor of Japan for strengthening Japanese and American cultural ties. Pretty impressive stuff.

Lee is best remembered as succeeding his father as the President of Berklee College of Music, serving in that capacity from 1979 – 2004, and spearheading an amazing growth of the size, stature, and student enrollment of this iconic institution. Besides serving the requirements of the elite members of the music community, Lee was instrumental in providing opportunities for young musicians of need in the Boston area and taking that concept worldwide. That initiative lives today under the Berklee Global Partners’ banner.

Here is where the obituary ends and the personal connection begins. Lee Berk was one of 6 men who have influenced my career path in life and in music. With his passing, only one remains.

I first met Lee (and Sue) on the inaugural sailing of The Signature Jazz Cruise in 2015. This program was on the luxurious Seabourn cruise line and featured an amazing itinerary in the Mediterranean Sea. Our port of embarkation was Monte Carlo. After dining at a seaside restaurant on the night before sailing, about 8 of us were walking back to the hotel and someone mentioned that the harbor, unlike others, did not have a fishy smell. Agreeing, I quipped that it was because the fish could not afford to live in Monte Carlo!

Though we had a laugh that night, this cruise was anything but funny! Our main attraction, Diana Krall, cancelled just a few days before sailing. Looking back, that may have been a blessing as her replacement was Chris Botti whose first cruise, Botti at Sea ’24, is now fully reserved. He was an amazing host.

In booking their stateroom, Sue called our office and spoke to Senior Guest Representative, Jamey Powell. Jamey is a jazz whiz and knew right away that Sue’s husband was the namesake of the music school. Jamey’s excitement was overwhelming. When anticipating meeting someone of status and fame, I hope for the best, but try to be ready for the worst. From the moment I met that couple, I knew that they were very special, not in the sense of fame, but, rather in the sense of graciousness and compassion. You could see their love of music and each other in their eyes and in the way that they spoke.

In a quiet, professional, and always kind way, Lee began a tutorial with me about music, the best ways to present jazz, new production ideas and more. He was very appreciative and complimentary of the way that we treat and respect musicians. He told me stories of how other music presenters, even some very well-known ones, lacked the generosity that musicians deserve. He was a great sounding board for learning where the line was between doing the right thing and failing to do so. When he saw something that we were doing that he did not like, he would send me a note. His notes were like a scavenger hunt. There were always compliments and general musings, but somewhere in the body of the note the true purpose was revealed. Getting bawled out never felt so good.

Months ago, Sue called Paula and me and told us that they were headed for St. Louis in early October and could we have dinner together on Thursday, October 5. Of course, we accepted. In the interim, we were invited out of town for that same weekend. Our hosts wanted us to arrive on that Thursday along with the other guests. Hopefully politely, we demurred and told the hosts that we would be there as early as possible on that Friday. Thursday night was for the Berks.

Not sure why this was so important, but we took them to what most people think is the best restaurant in St. Louis. We sat, drank wine, ate, and talked for three hours. I remember getting in the car and telling Paula how much that dinner meant to me. Being able to share time with someone whose knowledge of music and whose ability to be kind and considerate far surpassed anything I could muster was exhilarating, cleansing, and inspirational. On the plane ride the next morning, I spent time embracing how Lee went about life. Strong, but humble. Driven, yet patient. Committed, and, at the same time, open and compassionate.

In reading the news of his death, I could not help but think of that lyric from Don McLean’s American Pie.
I can’t remember if I cried
When I read about his widowed bride
But something touched me deep inside
The day the music died.

As I shared with Sue, I can remember. I did cry. Though the music did not die entirely, a large part of the reason that I love our music so much is no longer here. I hope that every time you hear the name Berklee College of Music, you will remember that the school is the namesake of a very special man.

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].

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Samara Joy Releases Holiday EP Album

We know, it’s not even Halloween, and you’re getting Christmas music coming your way already. Last week it was the pianist, Christian Sands. This week saw the release of Samara Joy’s EP A Joyful Holiday on Verve Records.

The six-song collection from the vocalist who will be sailing on Botti at Sea ’24 features many musicians familiar to Jazz Cruises audiences, including Sullivan Fortner (piano), David Wong (bass), Kenny Washington (drums) and Pasquale Grasso (guitar).

Samara, who was raised in the gospel tradition with the McClendon family, will be performing these tunes and more with her family in a show they call, appropriately, “A Joyful Holiday.” Jazz Cruises is proud to present two of those concerts – Dec. 10 at The Longhorn Ballroom in Dallas and Dec. 12 at The Factory in St. Louis.

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Sean Mason Releases His Debut Album

Pianist Sean Mason, who will be sailing on The Jazz Cruise ’24 as a member of Catherine Russell’s band, has just released his debut album, The Southern Suite, on Blue Engine Records, the in-house label of Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Backed by his band of Tony Glausi (trumpet), Chris Lewis (tenor saxophone), Felix Moseholm (bass), and Domo Branch (drums), Sean explores the music and culture of his upbringing in North Carolina. “This album is situated at the intersection of ‘renaissance’ and ‘street culture’,” explains Sean. “Each song represents a deviation from traditionalism and the cultural norms that I often felt forced to conform to, leading me to embrace the convergence of such paradoxical concepts and embody them through the musical language.” 

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Mug Shots of the Week

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].

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Getting Ready to Cruise!

You will continue to receive more Get Ready emails from us that will help you plan your cruise. On Thursday, October 19th, the first Botti at Sea ’24 webinar was held and we shared some helpful additional information. You can watch / listen the webinar it is entirety by clicking here.

In November, we have two more webinars planned, one for The Jazz Cruise and one for The Smooth Jazz Cruise. We will be discussing all aspects of the cruise and sharing insights as to the best way to prepare for the trip. You will be able to submit questions in real time and we will do our best to answer them during the call. We encourage you register. Below is the schedule of upcoming webinars.

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’24

Live Guest Webinar – Thursday – November 2, 2023 • 3pm ET
Hosted by Executive Director Michael Lazaroff  

The Jazz Cruise ’24

Live Guest Webinar – Thursday – November 16, 2023 • 3pm ET
Hosted by Executive Director Michael Lazaroff  

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