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 of them killed it. A virtually sold-out crowd were on their feet from the first moment Eric walked on the stage and stayed upright through Mindi’s brilliant tunes as well.
The only sitting took place immediately thereafter as our Comic King Alonzo Bodden did another hilarious set that was even funnier than his set on Friday night. Granted, measuring hilarity is not an exact science. I admit to playing favorites in this case. being prejudiced in this case because, at my age, I remember the jokes from the most recent show better than ones the night before.
Brian came out in full form with his red and black clad music gladiators all lined up and ready to do battle. They killed whatever it was that they were trying to slay…and then some. I saw the set list before the show. I asked Brian Rachko, our Production Manager Extraordinaire, whether BC and Co. could complete all those songs in the allotted time. It was massive.
Rachko laughed and uttered a pearl of smooth jazz wisdom, “Of course not, but there is no stopping BC from trying.” Ain’t that the truth.
One last takeaway from the Saturday events, Mindi and her husband, Eric, hosted one heckuva wine tasting event for our cruisers before their show. Eric clearly knows his stuff. Even a few of the guests who consider themselves sommelier material confessed to learning something new. Once we went past the fact that wine comes from grapes, it was all new to me.
Bottom Line: St. Louis – Smooth Jazz – Tons of Fun
Last weekend, as we foreshadowed in earlier editions, Paula and I attended the 30th anniversary of the Vail Jazz Party. Cathy Stone, co-founder with her now deceased husband, Howard, produced the event as a tribute to Howard. His goal was to get the festival to
the 30th and she made it happen.
Joining us in Vail were my daughter and her husband. They were accompanied by the little ones. Two Welsh Corgis. One of them took ill during the weekend and was promptly brought to the Vail vet. I said that correctly. There was only one on duty.
Back to the Vail Jazz Party. With the weather being picture perfect, you could almost make a polka band sound good, but the Vail Jazz Party took no chances and invited some of the very best musicians around. John Clayton, Wycliffe Gordon, Lewis Nash, Bill Cunliffe, Dick Oatts and Terell Stafford did double duty as performers and instructors for the Vail Jazz students who were invited to learn more music during the week.
Additional star performers included Niki Haris, Ann Hampton Callaway, James Morrison, Adrian Cunningham, Obed Calvaire, Bobby Floyd, Steve Kovalcheck, Konrad Paszkudzki, Diego Figueredo and more.
As she is apt to do, Niki dominated the stage with her Gospel Show on Sunday morning. She had a full band, an amazing choir, a tent full of guests and the majesty of the Rocky Mountains and blue skies as a backdrop. Talk about a stacked deck. No need to deal from the bottom to win that hand.
Yet, though she had it all right in front of her, she avoided the easy route of allowing the circumstances to rule and she became the center of everyone’s attention and admiration. Her sincerity, her singing and her speaking were more impressive and inspiring than the mountains. Her heart shown brighter than the blazing sun.
It was a magical 90 or so minutes. The best part was watching my wife and daughter relish every note. They have been to more than their fair share of gospel shows, and they have seen and heard Niki many times, but this show that day seemed to hit them both right between the eyes.
Of course, reality took over the minute the show ended and both went to our favorite spot in Vail for wine. I am calling that gesture the natural extension of the spiritual nature of the show and its impact on their souls. They called it Sauvignon Blanc.
Bottom Line: Vail – Great Jazz Event – Spiritual Awakening
So ends our Tale of Two Cities and Two Jazz Shows. Very different in music selection, locale and takeaways. Very similar in fan reaction. They loved them both.
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]
Important Information for Fans of
The Smooth Jazz Cruise
The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.1 & ’26.2 have been announced. If you wish to reserve a stateroom on either sailing, you should act now. The required action depends upon your current cruise status.
Guests Sailing on The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’25.1 & ’25.2. If you have a reservation on either of the ’25 sailings, from now through September 15, 2024 (’25 Guest Rebooking Period), you have the exclusive right to rebook your current stateroom for a ’26 sailing. Rebooking is a simple process. Click on Rebooking and follow the prompts. Please refer to the email you received on August 15, 2024 for Your Personal Online Reservation Token that is required to book online. (NOTE: If you have not rebooked your current stateroom by September 15, 2024, that stateroom will be returned to inventory and will be available to those who have completed Pre-Sale Reservations. If you wish to reserve a different stateroom or sail on a different week than you are sailing now, please contact the office before September 15, 2024 to start that process.)
Guests Not Sailing on The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’25.1 & ’25.2. Guests not sailing in ’25, but who wish to reserve a stateroom for a ’26 Sailing are urged to complete a Pre-Sale Reservation immediately. Doing so establishes your priority to reserve a stateroom once the ’25 Guest Rebooking Period ends. The order in which you will be selecting a stateroom will be determined by your sailing history with Jazz Cruises and the date of your Pre-Sale Reservation.
A record number of Rebooking and Pre-Sale Reservations have been completed at this time, so please move forward as soon as possible.
’25 Guest Rebooking Period ends on September 15, 2024!
New Albums
Two favorite performers of our programs have just released new albums.
Richard Elliot’s Straight Up Down
Saxophonist Richard Elliot, a favorite of The Smooth Jazz Cruise guests, has released Straight Up Down, his 21st recording as a leader. An inspired collection of nine tracks, eight of which are originals. The album shines a light on Richard Elliot’s signature soulful and bluesy approach which seamlessly combines his technical prowess and unbridled passion with the finer elements of jazz, blues, pop, R&B and rock. “I feel incredibly fortunate that I am allowed to do this as a career and even more grateful that I have been able to do it for as long as I have,” Richard says. “It’s all about being honest and truthful in my music and never taking it all for granted.”
Kurt Elling’s Wildflowers, Vol. 1
Kurt Elling, a perennial headliner on The Jazz Cruise, has just released a “surprise” album—Wildflowers, Vol. 1 — featuring pianist Sullivan Fortner and, on one track, fellow vocalist Cecile McLorin Salvant. Conceived, recorded, mixed, mastered and released between August 23 and 30 in 2024, this spur-of-the-moment album features a carefully curated selection of tracks, each bringing its own unique flavor to the mix.
Standout pieces include the heartfelt “A Wish (Valentine),” featuring special guest Cécile, a haunting rendition of Wayne Shorter’s “Ana Maria,” a vibrant reimagining of “Things Ain’t What They Used to Be” with lyrics by the iconic Jon Hendricks and a soulful jazz interpretation of Mumford and Sons’ “After the Storm.”
Monterey Jazz Festival
Experience the Monterey Jazz Festival set against the breathtaking backdrop of Monterey, California. One of the world’s longest-running jazz festivals, this iconic event has hosted legendary performers like Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie and Dave Brubeck since 1958. Don’t miss the 67th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival September 27 – 29, featuring 350 artists across five stages, including Samara Joy, Blind Boys of Alabama, Mavis Staples, Hiromi, Stanley Clarke and more. For tickets and details, visit https://montereyjazzfestival.org.
Jazz Cruises’ Programs
The Jazz Cruise ’25
FULLY RESERVED
Celebrating it’s 25th Anniversary
The Jazz Cruise ’25 is fully reserved. Since the cruise does
not sail for several months, there will be cancellations and staterooms will become available. Stateroom vacancies are filled from the Waitlist, which is not lengthy right now. If you wish to sail on The Jazz Cruise ’25, we urge you to JOIN WAITLIST now.
The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘26.1 & ‘26.2
Lineup Just Announced!
’25 Sailings Fully Reserved
Both sailings for 2025 are fully reserved. Guests not sailing in ’25 who wish to sail in ’26 are encouraged to go to thesmoothjazzcruise.com and complete a Pre-Sale Reservation for The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26. Doing so is the best way to establish your priority for a stateroom on those sailings.
Botti at Sea ’25
Every Night is a Night on the Town
New Performers Announced – Diana Krall and Peter Cincotti
Botti at Sea ’25 is nearly 90% reserved. Act NOW to reserve one of the remaining staterooms (Veranda, Ocean View, Inside).
Journey of Jazz ’25
Jazz Life at Sea & On Land
Reserve Now – Excursions Menu Available Soon
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! Reserve your stateroom now to be eligible for events at that time.
Mug Shots
Georgia
Oklahoma
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].