Kim Kelley
August 23, 2025
Our Take: Lineups for the Future are Reminders of the Past
Historically, August is the month that we try to finalize our lineups for next round of cruise programs. No, not the ’26 Cruises, those have been set for months and…
August 20, 2025
Jazz Notes: 8.20.25
Sails and Sales This time of the year is a mixture of activities and emotions. Summer is ending. School terms are starting. Vacations are nearly complete and business plans for…
August 16, 2025
Our Take: Four Weeks Until Journey of Jazz ’25 Sails
Journey of Jazz ’25, Signature Cruise Experiences first Fall sailing in nearly two decades, sails in four weeks. For those with great memories, The Jazz Cruise began as a Fall…
August 9, 2025
Our Take: Producing Music – Then and Now
Using technology in the production of music is hardly new. Much of it enhances the music, reduces the cost and improves the quality of the product. Much of it, however,…
August 6, 2025
Jazz Notes: 8.6.25
Our Tribute to the Newport Jazz Festival The year was 1954. Elaine and Louis Lorillard hired pianist George Wein to create a “family-friendly seaside jazz event.” Reacting to their disdain…
August 2, 2025
Our Take: How Do You Get To Birdland?
Most of you know the iconic, and likely apocryphal, story of the tourist walking down Broadway seeking directions to a famous destination. The tourist bumps into someone that we used…
July 30, 2025
Jazz Notes: 7.30.25
It May Not Be Jazz, But It Sure Is Cool! Both David Foster and Michael McDonald have performed on a Signature Cruise Experiences jazz program.
July 26, 2025
Our Take: 48 Days Before Journey of Jazz ’25
Years ago, we produced a jazz tour of New York. It was a glorious few days. We visited the Apollo Theater, Birdland, Blue Note, Dizzy’s Club and more. Marcus Miller…
July 23, 2025
Jazz Notes: 7.23.25
The Weather is “Hot”….So is Jazz! They say that you cannot change the weather. That is true if you stay in one place and do not move. Part of the…
July 19, 2025
Our Take: Polls
In this week’s edition of Jazz Notes, our jazz guru, Lee Mergner, analyzed the recent DownBeat Critics’ Poll which ranked jazz musicians, vocalists, bands, festivals and more. Highly subjective and…