Our Take: 8.1.26

August Hits Different

Today is August 1, the first day of the last month of what most of us consider to be Summer. The Fall Solstice, the official end of Summer and start of Fall is September 22, but once August is over and Labor Day has passed, the weather may be summerlike, but the activities and the mindset is Fall. This phenomenon is now fully engrained in our school calendar. Mid to late August has replaced the day after Labor Day as the start of the school year in most areas.

For Jazz fans, both August and September are rich with festivals and events. Here is a sample of the festivals available:

August ’26 Jazz Festivals

• NoMad Jazz Festival (New York, NY):
  August 2–8, 2026. Pop-up events kick off the week, followed by mainstage performances at Madison Square Park on August 7–8. 
• Telluride Jazz Festival (Telluride, CO):
  August 7–8, 2026. A scenic mountain-town tradition bringing eclectic jazz lineups. 
• San Jose Jazz Summer Fest (San Jose, CA):
  August 7–9, 2026. A massive multi-day urban festival in the heart of downtown San Jose. 
• Long Beach Jazz Festival (Long Beach, CA):
  August 8–9, 2026. Smooth and contemporary jazz performances by the waterfront. 
• Los Angeles Jazz Festival (Los Angeles, CA):
  August 7–23, 2026. Spanning multiple locations across the city with wide community programming and outdoor stages. 
• Charlie Parker Jazz Festival (New York, NY):
  August 28–30, 2026. Free neighborhood-centric outdoor concerts celebrating the legendary saxophonist. 
• Boston Jazz Fest (Boston, MA):
  August 28–29, 2026. Held at the Seaport District’s Maritime Park. 
• John Coltrane International Jazz & Blues Festival
  (High Point, NC): August 29–30, 2026. An annual celebration honoring Coltrane’s powerful musical legacy. 

September ’26 Jazz Festivals

• Vail Jazz Party (Vail, CO):
  September 4 – 6, 2026. Annual gathering of straight-ahead jazz fans for over 30 years. Beautiful setting and presentation.
• Chicago Jazz Festival (Chicago, IL):
  September 3–6, 2026. A premier free admission festival drawing huge crowds to Millennium Park over Labor Day weekend.
• Detroit Jazz Festival (Detroit, MI):
  September 4–7, 2026. The world’s largest free jazz festival taking over Hart Plaza and Cadillac Square.
• Lowcountry Jazz Festival (Charleston, SC):
  September 4–6, 2026. A popular Labor Day weekend gathering of contemporary jazz artists.
• Old Webster Jazz & Blues Festival (Webster Groves, MO):
  September 19, 2026. A local favorite family-friendly outdoor street festival right in the St. Louis area.
• Monterey Jazz Festival (Monterey, CA):
  September 25–27, 2026. One of the longest-running continuous jazz festivals globally, held at the Monterey County Fairgrounds.

For us at Signature Cruise Experiences, August can be confusing, not because of any particular problem or concern, but it is difficult to target an identity upon which to focus. Immediately, we are in the final stages of planning for The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.3 and Chris Botti at Sea III, two west coast sailings the first of which sails from Vancouver to Los Angeles September 11–18 and the second reverses the itinerary and is sailing from September 18–25. 

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.3 has been fully reserved for months, but a few staterooms do remain available for Chris Botti at Sea III. There is still time to take advantage of lower Cruise Prices and something new, our Sail Now, Pay Later payment plan. Los Angeles to San Francisco to Victoria to Vancouver. Josh Groban, Melody Gardot, Boz Scaggs, Elvis Costello and, of course, our host Chris Botti. Not a bad way to start your Fall.

While we concentrate on those sailings, it will not be too much longer before we start one of the most ambitious lineups of sailings in our 26+ year history.

SCE’s ’27 Programs

David Foster ’27 (1.12.27 – 1.17.27)
Journey of Jazz ’27 (1.17.27 – 1.24.27)
The Jazz Cruise ’27 (1.24.27 – 1.31.27)
The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’27.1 (1.31.27 – 2.7.27)
The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’27.2 (2.7.27 – 2.14.27)
Top Shelf Country Cruise ’27 (3.7.27 – 3.14.27)
The Yacht Rock Cruise (9.12.27 – 9.18.27)
Botti at Sea ’27 (10.6.27 – 10.13.27)
The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’27.3 (10.13.27 – 10.20.27)

For those unfamiliar with The Yacht Rock Cruise, stay tuned for the announcement of the lineup and other details.“Yacht Rock” music is largely soft rock vocals from the ‘70s and ‘80s and has become the chosen music of those seeking a lifestyle that is consistent with yachting. Though the theme is certainly campy and kitsche, the music is first rate and this cruise will bring together many of the top performers who have been adopted by those following the Yacht Rock genre.

None of Yacht Rock is jazz or even close. Obviously, neither is Top Shelf Country Cruise. Both the David Foster and Chris Botti cruises have a jazzy element to them, but if only one category could be assigned to the cruises, it would be Adult Contemporary.

Is Signature Cruise Experiences changing its focus? Now that is a question worth discussing. I guess the answer depends upon how you define our “focus.” With three sailings of The Smooth Jazz Cruise and our sailings of The Jazz Cruise and Journey of Jazz, more than half our programs fall squarely in the world of jazz. While the other programs veer from that core, the Adult Contemporary cruises continue to provide the music that appeals to a certain generation and demographic. 

In all of our jazz programs, there has always been a touch of Adult Contemporary music, particularly with respect to vocals. Perhaps that is the best way to look at the divergence of programs. As for Top Shelf Country Cruise and The Yacht Rock Cruise, the dots become more difficult to connect to our roots. However, though the music may be different, our intent and approach remains the same. 

We will produce the most authentic and top notch cruise programs in the world. We will pay attention to details and to serving our guests. That is our mission and nothing short of making everyone happy is acceptable. Thanks for listening.

Most of the time, I write this note solely for you. Today’s note helped me out as well. Sometimes you need to take a step back and see what is going on around you to make sure that you are on the right track and doing the right thing. Hopefully, you feel that we are doing just that.

By Michael Lazaroff, Executive Director of The Jazz Cruise, The Smooth Jazz Cruise, Chris Botti at Sea, Journey of Jazz, David Foster: The Hitman Cruise, Top Shelf Country Cruise and The Yacht Rock Cruise. Feel free to express your views or pose questions to him at michael@scecruises.com.

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Partner Events

Two of our partners have events coming up this month.

Milestones: A Miles Davis Centennial Celebration

On August 21-23, our friends at KSDS FM 88.3 are presenting a massive celebration of the life and music of Miles Davis in this, the centennial year of his birth.

Held at the Wyndham Bayside Hotel in San Diego, “Milestones” features a robust schedule of concerts, rare film screenings, panel discussions and special presentations. Performers and speakers include Charles McPherson, Jon Faddis, Nicholas Payton, Jeremy Pelt, Terrell Stafford, Gilbert Castellanos, Bobby Watson, Ernie Watts and many others.

“Over three days and 16 concerts, audiences will experience the complete arc of Miles Davis’s musical journey, performed by musicians with deep personal and artistic connections to that history,” said Ken Poston, KSDS Station Manager. “It is an experience that cannot be duplicated anywhere else.”

Markham Jazz Festival

On that same weekend (Aug. 21-23), clear across the continent, the Markham Jazz Festival will be held on Main Street Unionville in Markham, Ontario, Canada.  This free festival features noted Canadian-based jazz artists, including Ranee Lee, Jean-Michael Pilc, Nancy Walker and many others, performing on three stages up and down the Main Street of that charming heritage village.

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Signature Cruise Experiences Upcoming Programs

SCE Sailings in ’26

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