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 and provides our guests with an amazing music experience. To do so, several of us, especially Music Director Eric Marienthal and Production Manager Brian Rachko, spend hours and hours mapping out how each venue will be utilized during each day and night.
Several others are involved as we each approach the performance schedules from different viewpoints and champion different constituencies. For instance, our Food & Beverage team checks out the shows in terms of dining times and how soon or how late we can use the main dining room. My role is the simplest. I look at every show and event from the vantage point of the guests. My sole governing precept is what is best for the guests. From a musician or production point of view, a show may be best in a certain venue and at a certain time. But if doing so negatively impacts the guest experience, then we move the show to another place and time.
Some conflicts are inevitable and we cannot produce a schedule that enables guests to see every show when they wish. The Jazz Cruise presents over 200 hours of music and programming. Since no venue holds the entire manifest, there must be more than one show at any given time and guests will need to make choices.
In most cases, the choices are between or among a variety of great shows. Some of those shows will be repeated, but some are one-offs. Careful planning is the watchword. This “embarrassment of riches” is exacerbated by the overwhelming number of programming opportunities, including sets that recognize heritage performers.
Jazz fans love to honor tradition and celebrate past stars. More than any other music genre, honoring the centennial birthday of a jazz musician is a thriving part of jazz shows, recordings, and commentary. ’25 is the centennial celebration of James Moody, Mel Torme, Oscar Peterson, George Wein, Jimmy Smith and Johnny Mandel, among others. I mention these names as each of them have performed either on The Jazz Cruise or its predecessor on NCL. The Jazz Cruise ’25, in addition to celebrating its own Silver Anniversary, will feature the careers of Moody, Peterson, Wein and Mandel in various ways.
When it comes time to share the lineup for The Jazz Cruise ’26, we will present programming which will focus will be on the centennials of Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Tony Bennett, Bucky Pizzarelli and Ray Brown. Add a drummer to that group and you have one of the greatest bands ever! Evidently, 1926 was a very good year for birthing jazz greats. Though the nostalgic tributes are exciting, emotional and educational, I cannot forget what Christian McBride said on one of his radio shows about the great jazz tradition.
Christian said that remembering the great jazz musicians of the past is an essential element to enjoying and learning about jazz, but paying that same amount of attention to the players of today is an essential element to keeping jazz relevant and growing. His plea was for fans to purchase one recording from a current performer for every recording of a deceased performer. Do not forget the past but realize how important today’s music is.
Next week will mark the 65th anniversary of the release of Kind of Blue, an album of only five songs. A total of 45 minutes of music. Yet, it remains one of the best-selling jazz albums this year and every year since 1959. Is that fact a tribute to the genius of the album or jazz fans’ belief that the best jazz has already been recorded. For those who fight the notion that jazz is waning, turning around the purchasing habits of jazz fans is a great place to start.
For the past 25 years, The Jazz Cruise has celebrated the glorious history of jazz. We have tried to present music that lives in the Great American Songbook as well as tunes that many of the names mentioned above wrote, arranged or presented in some manner. Our modern contribution to this type of programming is our never-ending search to present young and exciting performers who embrace this music and, to a certain extent, make it theirs. Nothing excites our guests more than watching a new musician on the scene present great jazz.
Taylor Eigsti, Emmet Cohen, Veronica Swift, Samara Joy, Joey Alexander and others have performed on The Jazz Cruise before turning 22! Brandon Goldberg joins that group on The Jazz Cruise ’25. We will continue to seek out “new blood” and we will continue to include new music on our other cruise programs. Just as it is not possible to attend every show on The Jazz Cruise, it is not possible to present every aspect of jazz. But, by all means, we will continue to try!
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 [email protected].
Guests of Jazz Cruises:
Important August Dates to Remember
8.14.24: The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.1 & ’26.2 (SJC ’26.1 & ’26.2) is Announced!
8.15.24: Guests on The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’25.1 & ’25.2 May Rebook Their Current Stateroom for SJC ’26.1 & ’26.2
8.15.24: Anyone wishing to Sail on SJC ’26.1 & ’26.2 may complete a Pre-Sale Reservation for those programs
8.21.24: Next Edition: Jazz Notes
8.23.24: STL Jazz Fest – Jazz Cruises presents Gregory Porter/Alonzo Bodden/Eric Marienthal/Niki Haris at The Factory in St. Louis ($45/Person)
8.24.24: Pre-STL Jazz Fest “Wine & Jazz” Wine Tasting with Mindi Abair & Eric Guerra at The Gallery in St. Louis
8.24.24: STL Jazz Fest – Jazz Cruises presents Brian Culbertson/Alonzo Bodden/Eric Marienthal/Mindi Abair at The Factory in St. Louis ($45/Person)
8.30.24: Jazz Cruises’ Office Closes at 2PM ET for the holiday weekend
esperanza spalding & Milton Nascimento
Bassist/vocalist esperanza spalding, who will sail with us on Botti at Sea ’25, has collaborated with the legendary Brazilian jazz singer-songwriter Milton Nascimento for a new recording, Milton + esperanza, featuring 16 tracks that celebrate and reimagine Nascimento’s beloved classics, along with new pieces written by esperanza with Nascimento in mind, and interpretations of The Beatles’ “A Day In The Life” and Michael Jackson’s “Earth Song.” Guests include Dianne Reeves, Lianne La Havas, Maria Gadú, Tim Bernardes, Carolina Shorter, Elena Pinderhughes, Shabaka Hutchings, Guinga and more. The album features esperanza’s core band of Matthew Stevens (guitar), Justin Tyson and Eric Doob (drums), Leo Genovese (piano), Corey D. King (vocals, synths), and several Brazilian musicians, including Orquestra Ouro Preto, percussionists Kainã Do Jêje and Ronaldinho Silva and Lula Galvão.
John Pizzarelli at Sunset Jazz in Bistango
The summer concert series Sunset Jazz in Bistango, produced by our friends John McClure and Joe Rothman, continues with a show on August 20 and 21 by John Pizzarelli and his trio featuring Isaiah J. Thompson and Mike Karn. Held at the Bistango Restaurant in Irvine, CA, the series concludes with performances by the Byron Stripling-Bobby Floyd Quartet (September 4) and the Chuck Redd-Tom Ranier Quintet (September 17).
Jazz Cruises’ ’25 Programs
The Jazz Cruise ’25
Celebrating its 25th Anniversary
The Last 30 Staterooms…Act Now!
The plans for the 25th Anniversary sailing of The Jazz Cruise ’25 are spectacular. The cruise is in Open Booking, which means that anyone may reserve any available stateroom. The remaining inventory, totaling fewer than 30 staterooms, is comprised of Veranda and Inside Staterooms.
The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘25.1 & ‘25.2
Starting its 3rd Decade
Both Sailings Fully Reserved
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 ’25.
Botti at Sea ’25
Every Night is a Night on the Town
New Performer – Diana Krall!
Botti at Sea ’25 is nearly 80% reserved. Anyone may reserve an available stateroom 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! Diana Krall and Peter Cincotti have recently been added to the lineup!
Journey of Jazz ’25
Jazz Life at Sea & On Land
Reserve Now – Excursions Menu Available Soon After Labor Day
Jazz Cruises’ newest program, Journey of Jazz, hosted by Marcus Miller & Gregory Porter, is in Open Booking. Though not sailing for 13 months, the cruise is more than 65% reserved. Menu of land-based excursions in Victoria and San Francisco to be announced soon after Labor Day! Reserve your stateroom now to be eligible for events at that time.
Mug Shots of the Week
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
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].