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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

At the risk of criminal redundancy, my spectator sports are jazz and baseball. My active sports are tennis and drums. My skill level for either of my active sports does not rise above the level of “not bad for someone your age.” Though some take that as a compliment, I find it to be a […]

Welcome to Signature Cruise Experiences! Quoting Shakespeare is not one of my fortes. Though he is touted to be the finest author ever, understanding the true meaning of his words requires patience and understanding. If his writing is so good, why is there a cottage industry of study guides for each of his plays? One […]

Today finds me in Los Angeles. Though our (Paula and me) stay will be very brief, we are excited, honored and humbled to be participating in tonight’s Los Angeles Jazz Society’s 2024 Jazz Tribute Concert & Awards event. The amazing Alonzo Bodden is the host of the soiree, John Clayton is the Musical Director and […]

Benny Golson died last Saturday. He was 95. Which means he was born in 1929 and remained active as both a player and a composer through 2024. His life nearly coincided with the entire history of jazz in America. Growing up in Philadelphia, Benny was fortunate to be amidst some of the most famous jazzmen […]

I have read stories about chefs who prefer peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to their haute cuisine dishes. Many athletes famously refuse to watch games involving their professional sport. And countless actors and actresses avoid watching their movies or television shows. I guess being around those subjects and items all day long tempers, if not […]