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homecoming the cruise

OUR TAKE: The Gift of Celebration

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Later this week, folks will be celebrating Christmas, Hannukah and Kwanzaa. While these holidays do not cover the entire world, it is a very good start. Each holiday has its own underpinnings and origins, but the messaging is very similar. It is time to be thankful, humble and grateful for family, friends, colleagues and the […]

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Monty Alexander Martini Making

Jazz Notes: 12.18.24

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Home for the Holidays Starting on Saturday, December 21, 2024, Signature Jazz Cruises’ offices will be closed until Thursday, January 2, 2025. Usually, we are unable to experience time off between Christmas and New Year’s due to the early January cruising schedule. For 2025, our ship, Celebrity Summit, will be in drydock in mid-January so […]

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DUKE ELLINGTON AND ORCHESTRA THE WEEKENDER

OUR TAKE: Jazz & World War II

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Frequent readers of this column know my reverence for Winston Churchill and my interest in all matters surrounding World War II. Our world today has conflicts, but none of them are so clearly a clash between good and evil as was World War II. The strength and determination of the United Kingdom to stand, virtually […]

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SIGNATURE JAZZ CRUISES HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

OUR TAKE: The Gift of Jazz

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They say that nearly 70% of all holiday gifts are purchased this weekend. My wife and I are part of that group, as we spend the weekend making our list, checking twice and purchasing gifts for both the naughty and the nice. Most of our world is comprised of very nice people, but there are always a few […]

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THANKSGIVING WEEKENDER

OUR TAKE: The Weekend Before Thanksgiving

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For those who follow this column, you may remember that I love Thanksgiving. The menu is simple, known by all, but flexible enough to highlight individual and family heritage recipes. No gifts. No Thanksgiving Eve. Lots of amazing leftovers. Who could ask for more? Thanksgiving is late this year, but it seems like Christmas is being celebrated earlier than […]

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ROY HAYNES WEEKENDER

OUR TAKE: Roy Haynes – American Drummer

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Talk about a legend. None bigger than Roy Haynes, a true original American drummer, who died this week at 99. He sailed with us twice on The Jazz Cruise years ago, each time we believed would be the last time and each time we thought he would simply go through the motions. Wrong and dead […]

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QUINCY JONES

OUR TAKE: Quincy Jones – Jazz Man

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Not sure that anyone in the history of music was more influential than Quincy Jones. His career spanned over seven decades. Known worldwide for his work with Michael Jackson, composing the music for the highly-acclaimed television series Roots and the production of “We Are The World,” Jones has been awarded nearly every honor in music, including 28 […]

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FALL BACK THE WEEKENDER

OUR TAKE: Fall Back, Foul Off, Fell Flat, Feel Fine, Free Country

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One strategy for success is to throw as much as you can against the wall and hope that something sticks. That is the mantra for this edition of Our Take. There is so much swirling around these days with Fall in full swing that, rather than an in-depth look at one subject, we will hop around […]

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EDDIE HIGGINS

OUR TAKE: A Life Well Lived

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Dick Golden is the host of a Saturday morning jazz show on SXM called American Jazz. He was our Jazz Historian on The Jazz Cruise for several years and was a delightful and insightful addition to our team. Steeped in all things Tony Bennett, Dick’s focus was largely Post-World War II jazz with a hard […]

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