I was able to enjoy several shows during Jazz Appreciation Month. All were good, but, on one night, I was treated to one of those jazz experiences that not only exceeded your expectations, but will be part of your musical memory for a long time. The venue was Jazz St. Louis, the most prominent jazz […]

When someone says, “you know who it is after hearing one name,” they generally mean a first name. On Chris Botti at Sea III (’26), the headliners joining Chris for this Fall ’26 sailing are known to us on a “first name only” basis. When you say Elvis, Boz, Melody, Peabo and Regina, the identities are […]

Tomorrow is International Jazz Day Tomorrow evening, the International Jazz Day All-Star Global Concert will take place at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. It is a star-studded event that features a wide array of national and international talent, many of whom have performed on our cruises over the years. Cruise Hosts Marcus Miller and Gregory […]

From its inception, our company, now named Signature Cruise Experiences (SCE), has contributed to funds and foundations that promote jazz education and those who provide relief and assistance to jazz musicians in need. Our contributions have been sent to organizations from New York to Los Angeles and countless recipients in between. Over the years, many […]

More Jazz Appreciation Month Musings Jazz Appreciation Month is in full swing and we couldn’t be enjoying it more. Jazz is the driving pulse behind the energy of our guests and the excitement about our programs. Let’s look at some of the highlights and what’s coming up. Christian McBride Was Here Earlier this year, many […]

Recently, we added land-based excursions to our programming on several cruises. Sometimes words are used to describe something without regard to their true meaning. I wondered if “excursion” was one of those words. It was not. The Oxford Dictionary defines “excursion” as “a short journey or trip, especially one engaged in as a leisure activity.” […]

Jazz Appreciation Month: A Tale of Two Stories When I think about Jazz Appreciation Month, I wonder if that means that we should be proselytizing and advocating to others to appreciate jazz or if this is a call to consider what we appreciate about jazz? Both are legitimate and worthwhile pursuits. Trying to share the […]

It was the Summer of 2000 when we began to advertise our first cruise program, The Jazz Cruise 2001. We went to some office supply store and used their mimeograph machine to churn out 1,000 copies of a flyer. Sometimes I can still smell the ink. I would share whether I liked that fragrance or not, […]

The Anatomy of a Cruise Lineup Ever wonder how a lineup is created for a particular cruise? Lord knows, we wonder how it happens all the time. What could (and perhaps should) be a methodical, calculated process of selecting talent that works for the program and forms an identifiable karma all its own is often […]

Tomorrow is Easter Sunday. I spent some time this week researching jazz tunes that have an Easter theme or connection. Irving Berlin’s “I’m Putting All My Eggs in One Basket” popped up. The history of the tune and the common meaning of this idiom drew my attention immediately. First introduced by Fred Astaire and Ginger […]