In keeping with that framework, here are some jazz cruise facts for you to consider:

• Ken Peplowski was interned at Woodlawn Cemetery Conservancy in a private ceremony yesterday, May 12. Ken’s resting place is within a special portion of the cemetery dedicated to jazz musicians. Signature Cruise Experiences was honored to fund that ceremony and both Paula and I were privileged to attend.
• The Memorial Service/Concert for Ken Peplowski will be held in St. Peter’s Cathedral on Tuesday, May 19. See Lee Mergner’s note with the details. We thank Lee for his participation in the event, including the creation of a memorial slide show. Unfortunately, I will not be able to share in that celebration.
• Fans of The Smooth Jazz Cruise, please know that The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.3 is fully reserved and The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’27.1 and ’27.2 have very limited availability. SJC ’27.1 does have a few Veranda and Concierge Staterooms remaining, but other than that, the inventory is Ocean View and Inside Staterooms only. SJC ’27.2 has fewer than 25 staterooms available, all of which are Ocean View and Inside Staterooms.
• The 2026 NEA Jazz Masters tribute concert is being rescheduled for fall 2026, featuring honorees Rhonda Hamilton, Carmen Lundy, Airto Moreira and Patrice Rushen.
• Though they are not pure jazz programs, both Botti at Sea III and David Foster: The Hitman Cruise offer top of the line entertainment presented by some of the most famous names in music. Keep checking your emails for a special offer to all our jazz fans to join hosts Chris Botti and/or David Foster for an amazing event.
• Did you know that you can nominate an artist for an NEA Jazz Master Award? Submit your nominee here: https://www.arts.gov/honors/jazz/make-nomination-nea-jazz-masters

One of our goals with both The Weekender and Jazz Notes is to be a billboard for jazz events, new recordings and more. We are committed to presenting any information that you may wish to share under the following terms:

• The subject must be of the highest caliber and likely to be of interest to a significant number of our readers.
• Though the subject may be of a commercial nature, it must also reflect the artistic or educational goals of our messaging.
• Requests for publication must include hi-res art accompanying the text. Even in the jazz world, one picture is worth 1,000 words.
  

Submit any material directly to Lee Mergner at lee@scecruises.com. Materials will be edited to fit available space and the SCE voice.

Ken Peplowski’s Celebration of Life

As Michael mentioned above, the memorial service for Ken Peplowski will be held at Saint Peter’s Church in NYC on Tuesday, May 19 with doors opening at 5 PM ET.  For those in town at that time, admission is free, but seating is limited. Anyone wishing to attend in person needs to reserve their seats through an EventBrite page HERE. For the many jazz fans and friends of Ken who are unable to attend in person, the event will be streamed on Saint Peter’s YouTube page HERE. 

This celebration of Ken’s life features both personal remembrances and musical performances from his friends and colleagues. Among the artists participating in the event are several longtime favorites of The Jazz Cruise guests, including John Pizzarelli & Jessica Molaskey, Catherine Russell, Shelly Berg, Tierney Sutton, Paquito D’Rivera, Matt Wilson, Martin Wind and Ted Rosenthal.

In addition, as a prelude to the service, I put together a photo slideshow of almost 150 photos contributed by a few dozen of Ken’s friends and family. The photos depict Ken with many of the people in his life – family, friends, fans and fellow musicians. You can view that 9-minute video HERE.   

Lee Mergner
Jazz Consultant

Tomorrow!
David Foster: The Hitman Cruise Encore Livestream 
5.14.26 / 4PM ET

Join us for the David Foster: The Hitman Cruise Livestream on May 14 at 4PM ET to meet the lineup, including exciting new additions, learn about the ports, get the details about events performances and learn why one sailing is never enough!

Jazz Cruises Conversations’ Podcast

The latest episode of the Jazz Cruises Conversations Podcast features a session from The Jazz Cruise earlier this year in which old friends John Pizzarelli and Jeff Hamilton share the kind of conversation that could only happen when two people have shared enough bandstands to stop performing for each other. No moderator was necessary. 

Jeff takes you back to his first night playing with Oscar Peterson, the Ray Brown philosophy of career preparation and what it actually takes to pack a bag when you’ve been on the road since 1974. John traces his unlikely path to singing back to a Nat King Cole reissue, a last-minute Stash Records session, and a father who never missed a teaching moment — even when the lesson arrived as a one-liner. Stories about Bucky, Paul McCartney, James Taylor and the future of straight-ahead jazz fill out the second half with audience questions that are as good as the answers.

Emmet Cohen’s Artistry Masterclass

“Emmet’s Place Live: An Artistry Masterclass” is a free online conversation with pianist Emmet Cohen about what it means to build a life in music today. Drawing on his experiences with Emmet’s Place, touring, collaboration, mentorship and community-building, Emmet will reflect on the artistic, personal and practical lessons that have shaped his path. The session will explore questions of voice, purpose, audience connection and how musicians can create lives around the music they love with greater clarity and intention.  The session takes place today, Wednesday, May 13 at 3PM ET and anyone can sign up for free.

Signature Cruise Experiences Upcoming Programs

SCE Sailings in ’27

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘26.3

9.11.26 – 9.18.26
34th Sailing of “The Greatest Party at Sea”

Known as “The Greatest Party at Sea,” The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.3, which departs from Vancouver on 9.11.26 and sails to Victoria, BC and San Francisco, before terminating in Los Angeles on 9.18.26 is fully reserved. If you wish to try to join the cruise, go to the website and JOIN WAITLIST for any stateroom category you wish. All cancellations for this cruise will be filled from the waitlist.

Botti at Sea III (’26)

9.18.26 – 9.25.26
The West Coast Edition – The Perfect Music Experience

When The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.3 docks in Los Angeles, we will turn around and head back to Vancouver (via San Francisco and Victoria BC) under the guidance of superstar Chris Botti. Chris Botti at Sea III will be the perfect combination of a topflight music cruise and exciting excursions.  

Joining Chris on the cruise are several icons of the world of music:  Elvis Costello, Boz Scaggs, Melody Gardot, Peabo Bryson, Regina Belle and many others. When in San Francisco, guests may take winery tours in Napa and Sonoma, spend the day on the Napa Valley Wine Train, sample the finest cuisine in San Francisco and much more.  

Another menu of excursions awaits guests when the cruise docks in Victoria, BC. Trust us, this is the perfect music experience!

SCE Sailings in ’27

David Foster: The Hitman Cruise ’27

1.12.27 – 1.17.27

Stay Tuned for the Lineup and Detail

David Foster: The Hitman Cruise ’26 (Foster ’26) was a runaway hit program. From the first note to the last song, the brilliance of David Foster was evident in every show and event. 

The lineup for David Foster: The Hitman Cruise Encore Sailing ’27 includes Michael McDonald, Dianne Reeves, Leslie Odom Jr., Katharine McPhee, Erich Bergen and more.

This cruise is now in Open Booking, where anyone may reserve any available stateroom.

The Jazz Cruise ’27

1.17.27 – 1.24.27

Still the Greatest Jazz Festival at Sea

The Jazz Cruise is the first program that Signature Cruise Experiences ever produced. Since its first sailing in 2001, The Jazz Cruise has been the world leader in presenting “straight ahead” jazz at sea. 
 
The Jazz Cruise has reached “fully reserved” every year it has sailed and The Jazz Cruise ’27 is on its way to reaching that goal again. Open Booking began on February 24, 2026 and the cruise is nearly 80% reserved.  

Journey of Jazz ’27

1.24.27 – 1.31.27

Now in Open Booking

Journey of Jazz ’27 will be an amazing cruise program featuring hosts Marcus Miller and Gregory Porter, a full lineup of great musicians and vocalists, a special two days in New Orleans which features Wynton Marsalis and a group of his hand-picked musicians.

In its second season, Journey of Jazz proudly combines the very best music with opportunities to live the jazz life and learn more about the history of jazz. As an example, Journey of Jazz ’27 will present Ledisi as a main show performer on the ship. In keeping with the theme of the cruise, Ledisi will perform her universally beloved Tribute to Dinah (Washington) program.

Journey of Jazz ’27 is in Open Booking.

The Smooth Jazz Cruise

  ’27.1 (1.31.27 – 2.7.27)
  ’27.2 (2.7.27 – 2.14.27)

The Greatest Party at Sea presents its customary back to back weeklong programs in the Caribbean. Tampa is the port of embarkation and disembarkation for the first time and both sailings will call on Ocho Rios, Jamaica and Grand Cayman.

The star studded lineup is led by hosts Marcus Miller and Boney James and features Brian Culbertson, Jonathan Butler, Candy Dulfer, Kirk Whalum, Peter White and more.

Both sailings are in “Open Booking” and both are nearly 95% reserved at this time.

Botti at Sea IV (’27)

10.6.27 – 10.13.27

Chris Botti Takes His Cruise from Boston to Quebec

A Canadian itinerary in the Fall is one of the most popular cruise itineraries in the industry. Fall colors, beautiful scenery, hands on adventures in famous ports-of-call. If nothing else was taking place on the ship, a cruise with these features would be in high demand. So, when Chris Botti decided to take his amazing cruise program from Boston to Quebec City, with a full complement of the entertainers and performers that you have grown to love and expect, not only was he gilding the lily, but he was creating one of the top music cruise experiences ever offered.

Stay tuned for more programming and reservation procedure details. As is always the case on a Signature Cruise Experiences program, guests on Botti at Sea III (’26) (’26 Guests) will be able to rebook their current staterooms and those who are not ’26 Guests will be eligible to submit a Pre-Sail Reservation which will establish their stateroom selection priority after the ’26 Guests complete their rebooking procedure.
 
Look for most of this to happen around 8.15.26!

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘27.3

10.13.27 – 10.20.27

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘27.3 program will feature an exciting combination of our customary great music, vibrant Fall colors and other special events. 

This cruise is currently in Open Booking, during which anyone may reserve any available stateroom.

The post Jazz Notes: 5.13.26 appeared first on Signature Cruise Experiences.

As I wrote earlier, with two more cruise programs to present at sea, it was difficult to fully explore my feelings about the loss of my good friend, Ken Peplowski. Though I have not fully embraced what happened that afternoon (Monday, February 2), I do know that Ken lost his battle against cancer and many of the ramifications of being very sick. Coupled with battling the Pandemic, Ken’s struggles to be healthy, active and relevant were overwhelming.

Ken was a member of our planning team for The Jazz Cruise. Even when he was the most ill, Ken worked for the cruise in terms of programming, talent selection and show creation. Just as the identity of an executioner is hidden for fear of retribution, Ken’s role as a decider of who performed on The Jazz Cruise was a secret. Not all his opinions were followed blindly, but, when the call was close, Ken’s view weighed heavily. 

Often those discussions led to more personal matters. For the most part, Ken was his own agent and manager, so securing gigs and creating opportunities for his career was “on him.” I never knew the extent of success he was having in doing so, as his illness impacted his opportunities, both in reality and in perception. Some folks were reluctant to hire Ken, not knowing if he would be able to perform on the required date.
 
For the most part, Ken was optimistic about his future, but every so often, he would open up about how hard it was for him to find work, especially work that he loved. Particularly difficult was seeing others being offered what used to be his gigs. I would imagine that phenomenon to be a theme among older musicians, but, in Ken’s case, the issue was exacerbated by his illness.
 
Having just jotted down the sentence above, I need to remind myself that Ken was not that old! His illness found him in his early 60s, an age where most are still active, particularly musicians. If there were ever a profession where growing older gracefully could be achieved, music would be at or near the top of the list. One of Ken’s best friends was Houston Person who is still performing at 90, as are Benny Goldson, Kenny Barron and Ron Carter. The Heath brothers performed in their nineties as did Jimmy Cobb and others.
 
In some respects, Ken’s concerns about his being able to continue to work was more serious than it seemed. If active, he would have a lot of years to fill and support. Those who know Ken know that being on the bandstand is what gave him life, sustained him and lifted his spirits. So, when we heard that he had failed to show up for a show on The Jazz Cruise with Shelly Berg on that fateful afternoon, many anticipated the worst.
 
I will not delve into or speculate about Ken’s personal life. I know that his two children live in Sweden and he would visit them as often as he could. And, of course, there was Corker, his beloved dog who provided Ken with years of love and affection.
 
On the ship Ken shared with us that his cancer was in remission, that he was eating better and feeling better. He also spoke of how arduous the recent years had been for him. He could still quip with the best of them, however, his ability to joke about himself was not as keen as it once was. Not quite a Pagliacci, but you could see a tear on his face when he was clowning.
 
I do not know the precise cause of his death, nor does it matter at this point. In my mind, his burdens, illnesses and problems triggered something in his body that resulted in his death. He had fought a great fight, but, at this point, he could not answer the bell for the next round.
 
For those who remember how I started this piece, I am about to return to my original premise, that being what is the most important and significant four-letter word. I concur with those who believe that “love” is important. Without “love,” one lives a lonely and cold life.

But, without “hope,” there is no life at all. Crimes are committed by people with no hope. Wars are fought by people with no hope. Consequences are meaningless if you have no hope. No matter how bad things are, if you can see light at the end of the tunnel, you can muster the energy and resolve to turn things around. If you can summon the strength to reach what you believe to be the “other side,” then you have hope and that hope will propel you, at least until hope becomes only a glimmer.

Ken was loved. We all loved him. I believe that the struggle to survive became overwhelming and his mind reacted accordingly. His reservoir of hope was empty and he could not find any way to refill what was once there.

When the idea of maintaining hope is mentioned, two sports references come to mind, Dan Jansen and Jim Valvano. Despite his great non-Olympic success, Dan Jansen had never won an Olympic medal after having competed in seven Olympic races over a ten-year period. Twice, not only did he fail to win, but he failed to even finish, having fallen on the ice. His last chance saw him nearly fall again, only to rally, surpass the World Record and win a Gold Medal.
 
NC State basketball coach Jim Valvano, who led his team to the National Championship over a heavily favored Houston team, famously fought cancer for several years. Near the end of his life, at the 1993 ESPYs, Valvano told the world, to face adversity with strength. His motto, “Don’t Give Up. Don’t Ever Give Up” became the rallying cry for a generation of cancer victims and survivors.
 
To me, jazz, even at its most melancholy, dark and sad iterations, is a symbol of hope. As we sit, listen and try to anticipate the next note, we are hoping that the sound will inspire us, move us forward, and enlighten us. Nothing is perfect and we are often disappointed, but our hope continues.
 
Maintaining and nurturing hope may be the essential step to being happy, engaged and meaningful. Embracing music, in my mind, is a great way to do so. Never stop listening. Never stop finding new tunes to hear or songs to sing.

With music to inspire you and lift you up, you will never stop looking for something good. You will be inspired to summon your ability to survive and achieve. Most importantly, you will never give up hope. Think of all the inspirational songs that have led us to achieve and have hope.

As corny as this may seem, hearing our National Anthem at the ceremonies of each Gold Medal winner at the recent Winter Olympics was inspirational. We sing our alma mater and our favorite team’s fight song. Every couple has a song they call their own. These are not songs of love. These are songs of hope. Hope for strength, resolve, kinship and the goal of a better day ahead.

Yes, love is wonderful, but love is often outside our grasp, outside our control. It requires two people being on the same page at the same time. “Hope” comes solely from within you. Only you can surrender your hope for the future.

Next time you sense a dip in your reservoir of hope, turn on your music, look in the mirror and summon the courage to move on.

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 and Top Shelf Country Cruise. Feel free to express your views or pose questions to him at michael@scecruises.com.

The Jazz Cruise Lands at Birdland

Well, not exactly. But, for the month of March, our friends at Birdland Jazz Club in NYC are presenting several of our favorite artists from The Jazz Cruise.

John Pizzarelli and his trio perform there March 3-7, followed by the Anat Cohen Quartet (March 10-14), Kurt Elling & the Future of Jazz Orchestra (March 18-21) and Emmet Cohen’s Celebration of the Miles and Trane Centennial (March 24-28). Tell Gianni, who hosts Birdland at Sea in the Cosmopolitan Dining Room every night of The Jazz Cruise, that we sent you his way.

Signature Cruise Experiences Upcoming Programs

Sailing in the Next 12 Months

Botti at Sea III (’26)

9.18.26 – 9.25.26
Chris Botti hosts a West Coast Cruise with Amazing Talent and Fabulous Excursions & Events

Botti at Sea III (’26) is in Open Booking. Anyone may select any available stateroom and complete a reservation. 

The lineup has been set for a few months. Joining Chris Botti will be Elvis Costello, Boz Scaggs, Melody Gardot, Peabo Bryson, Regina Belle, Emmet Cohen, Veronica Swift, Candy Dulfer, John Splithoff, Morgan James, Benny Benack III, Kandace Springs, Harold Lopez-Nussa Trio ft. Gregoire Maret and more. The cruise will sail from Los Angeles to Vancouver, with calls in San Francisco and Victoria. 

Last week, with Chris Botti participating, Signature Cruise Experiences held a livestream for both booked guests and those interested in sailing. Members of our team detailed the events, shows and special excursions that this cruise offers in a 60+ minute video presentation which you can see below.

Botti at Sea III incorporates two experiences. First, is another edition of our famous cruise programs with nightly special shows, hours of additional music and intimate and insightful opportunities to learn more about our performers.

The second aspect of the programs is a robust offering of excursions and events when we dock in San Francisco (overnight) and in Victoria, BC (full day). You can visit wineries in Napa or Sonoma, tour Napa Valley on the Napa Valley Wine Train, dine at the finest restaurants, see special shows at SFJazz, and more. Each of these events are curated, produced and presented by us.

To learn more about the cruise and the amazing excursions, check out the Botti Cruise Livestream Video on-demand on our website and on YouTube.

The Smooth Jazz Cruise

  ’26.3 (9.11.26 – 9.18.26)

  ’27.1 (1.31.27 – 2.7.27)
  ’27.2 (2.7.27 – 2.14.27)
3 Sailings of “The Greatest Party at Sea”

Known as “The Greatest Party at Sea,” The Smooth Jazz Cruise has sailed over 30 times since 2004. Year after year, there is a waitlist for staterooms and the cruises hit Fully Reserved earlier and earlier.

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’26.3 is fully reserved. Guests wishing to sail on the cruise should Join the Wait List now.  Any cancellations by current guests will be filled by the Wait List.

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘27.1 and ‘27.2 are both in Open Booking. ’27.1 is more than 80% reserved and ’27.2 is more than 90% reserved. Please note that the itineraries for both sailings have been updated.
 

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’27.1
Tampa – Cozumel – Grand Cayman – Tampa

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’27.2
Tampa – Grand Cayman – Ocho Rios – Tampa

David Foster: The Hitman Cruise ’27

1.12.27 – 1.17.27

Stay Tuned for Lineup and Details

David Foster: The Hitman Cruise ’26 (Foster ’26) was a runaway hit program. From the first note to the last song, the brilliance of David Foster was evident in every show and event.  As you recall, David wanted to learn more about how the cruise programs unfold before he casted the lineup for David Foster: The Hitman Cruise Encore Sailing ’27.

That time is right around the corner. Once the lineup is announced, guests on Foster ’26 will be invited to finalize rebooking of their staterooms after which those with Pre-Sail Reservations will be eligible to select a stateroom and complete a reservation. There is still time to complete a Pre-Sail Reservation (no deposit or obligation required). Just click below. 

The Jazz Cruise ’27

1.17.27 – 1.24.27

Still the Greatest Jazz Festival at Sea

The Jazz Cruise is the first program that Signature Cruise Experiences ever produced. Since its first sailing in 2001, The Jazz Cruise has been the world leader in presenting “straight ahead” jazz at sea. 
 
Rebooking for The Jazz Cruise ’26 Guests is complete. Guests with Pre-Sail Reservations are selecting staterooms and completing reservations now. Open Booking, when anyone may reserve any available stateroom, begins today, February 24, 2026.

The Jazz Cruise reaches Fully Reserved every year and staterooms for The Jazz Cruise ’27 are being reserved faster and sooner than ever.

Journey of Jazz ’27

1.24.27 – 1.31.27

Now in Open Booking

Journey of Jazz ’27 will be an amazing cruise program featuring hosts Marcus Miller and Gregory Porter, a full lineup of great musicians and vocalists and a special two days in New Orleans which features Wynton Marsalis and a group of his hand-picked musicians.

In its second season, Journey of Jazz proudly combines the very best music with opportunities to live the jazz life and learn more about the history of jazz. As an example, Journey of Jazz ’27 will present Ledisi as a main show performer on the ship. In keeping with the theme of the cruise, Ledisi will perform her universally beloved Tribute to Dinah (Washington) program.

Details for the overnight stay in New Orleans are nearly complete. There will be special jazz shows in the city, dining at iconic New Orleans restaurants (Brennan’s, Commander’s Palace, Arnaud’s and more), tours of the city on land and by ship and much more. Each event in New Orleans will be curated, produced and presented by Signature Cruise Experiences.

Journey of Jazz ’27 is in Open Booking. You may select and reserve any available stateroom at this time. This may be the jazz experience of the year.

RESERVE A STATEROOM ON JOURNEY OF JAZZ ’27 

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Botti at Sea ’27

10.6.27 – 10.13.27

Chris Botti Takes His Cruise from Boston to Quebec

A Canadian itinerary in the Fall is one of the most popular cruise itineraries in the industry. Fall colors, beautiful scenery, hands on adventures in famous ports-of-call. If nothing else was taking place on the ship, a cruise with these features would be in high demand. So, when Chris Botti decided to take his amazing cruise program from Boston to Quebec City, with a full complement of the entertainers and performers that you have grown to love and expect, not only was he gilding the lily, but he was creating one of the top music cruise experiences ever offered.

Stay tuned for more programming and reservation procedure details. As is always the case on a Signature Cruise Experiences program, guests on Botti at Sea III (’26) (’26 Guests) will be able to rebook their current staterooms and those who are not ’26 Guests will be eligible to submit a Pre-Sail Reservation which will establish their stateroom selection priority after the ’26 Guests complete their rebooking procedure.
 
Look for most of this to happen around 8.15.26!

The post Our Take: Four Letter Words that Matter appeared first on Signature Cruise Experiences.

It’s rare that we have to give bad news to for our guests and the community at large. But on February 1st, the final day of The Jazz Cruise ’26, Ken Peplowski died suddenly. Ken was 66.The cause of his death has yet to be determined.

Since 2021, the clarinetist / saxophonist / bandleader had been suffering from multiple myeloma. He battled the often fatal disease with a unique combination of courage, fortitude and humor. After all, humor was just one of Ken’s many remarkable gifts. He was without question the quickest and sharpest wit amongst all our artists. Ken always brought joy to every gig or occasion. No one came away from a conversation with him without a laugh or smile. His humor was both incisive and self-deprecating. He would as easily make fun of you as he would himself. A truly rare combination.

Ken earned the respect of his fellow musicians because of his dedication to the craft. As a musician, his virtuosity on the clarinet may have only been surpassed in his time by his close friends Anat Cohen and Paquito D’Rivera. Though both would argue that point, it was fitting that his last days were spent playing with those two. 

Ken, who worked with Benny Goodman, said that the legendary clarinetist and Artie Shaw had a huge rivalry. “Those days are gone now, because we realize there’s few enough of us, so we need to support each other and just get up there and have fun.” Indeed, when I introduced him during this sailing of The Jazz Cruise, I said that we had the three greatest clarinetists of our time onboard. He said quipped, “Well, we have Anat and Paquito, so who’s the third one?” 

Ken was also a remarkable tenor saxophonist, with a soft and fluid sound that was influenced by Zoot Sims, Stan Getz, Ben Webster and many other tenor greats. “For me, I spend most of my time practicing on clarinet, because that’s the more unforgiving instrument,” Ken told me. “The technique transfers over to the saxophone. When I pick the saxophone up, it’s all about reminding myself of what I want it to sound like. I’m not saying I achieved this, but my goal for sound on tenor would be people like Ben Webster and Zoot Sims.” Ken reached that goal, as evidenced well documented on the more than 50 recordings he released as a leader on various jazz labels. Buy them. Stream them. Listen to them. You won’t be disappointed.

During a Listening Party on The Jazz Cruise this week, he spotlighted his most recent album, Unheard Bird. He was so proud of what he had produced with the previously unreleased arrangements for saxophone and strings that Charlie Parker had commissioned before his untimely death in 1955. Every August during the last few years, Ken presented material from that project at Birdland, a venue which he would return to year after year.

Ken was also an amateur musicologist with a vast knowledge not only of jazz history, but also of non-jazz genres. He may have been one of the most knowledgeable Beatles fans that you could meet. He could tell you just about anything from their seminal recordings. If you were good friends with him, you could receive various bootleg recordings from those golden years. Who woulda thunk that a guy so associated with mainstream jazz had that in his quiver?

In the coming days, weeks, months and years, you will hear tributes galore to Ken’s musical genius and personal qualities. Below is a short note from Michael Lazaroff, Executive Director of Signature Cruise Experiences, about his memories of Ken.

For myself, I considered Ken a good friend, someone with whom I could pick up the phone and talk to for an hour or so about life, music, politics, sports, comedy, literature, film…well, you get the idea. He was a friend to me, but he was a friend to many people. That was clear when he went public with his illness and the jazz community, including fans and fellow musicians, came forward during his time of need with support (both economic and emotional). It was the least that we could do for someone who gave us so much joy for so long.

Let us all remember Ken with a laugh and a smile.

Lee Mergner
Jazz Consultant

Ken Peplowski – Behold the Entertainer

Separating Ken Peplowski from The Jazz Cruise in my mind, is nearly impossible. I cannot remember any sailing of The Jazz Cruise that did not include Ken. The good reason is that there were none. Whether it was the Welcome Show, The Jazz Cruise Hall of Fame Show, Name that Tune or his legendary performances with Anita Berry’s Big Band, Ken was always front and center, someone who engaged the audience with a laundry list of self-effacing jokes, contrived puns, and enough “Dad” jokes to fill a book.

Not quite Henny Youngman, but neither was he David Letterman.

But the humor ended when the music started. I do not know any musician who respected the bandstand more than Ken. He was always prepared, loved performing with his fellow musicians, and, man, could he play! His dedication to excellence and professionalism was integral to who he was.

So when Ken did not show up for a 4 PM show that featured Shelly Berg, one of his closest friends and colleagues, you knew that something was wrong. Our worst fears were soon confirmed. Ken had died.

Personally, very little of this has sunk in yet. Over time, I will grasp what happened and try to rationalize and understand the travails that Ken was enduring. No matter how hard you try, you cannot walk in another man’s shoes. You can empathize and console, but you are the third party in this triangle of person and tragedy.

Sometime in August, we will open a spreadsheet and begin to program The Jazz Cruise ’27. All those spaces that are customarily filled with the initials “KP” will need to be addressed. Trust me, no one can fill those spaces like Ken did. He was a friend, a great musician and one of the very best entertainers ever.

Michael Lazaroff
Executive Director

The post Jazz Notes: 2.4.26 appeared first on Signature Cruise Experiences.

With our first sailing (The Jazz Cruise ’25) not until January 28, 2025, we have more time this year, but we continued our tradition of this holiday, nonetheless. In part, because the break comes at a good time, as you will learn below, and, in part, because my first ever trip to Wimbledon, while heavily-insured, is too tempting to cancel. Yes, we believe in purchasing Travel Insurance as well as advising our guests to do so! To keep up appearances as a supporter of the art of jazz, we will be visiting Pizza Express and Ronnie Scott’s while in London.

Believe it or not, one of the artists we will be seeing is our very own Marcus Miller, who has a long set of shows at Ronnie Scott’s. For years, our UK friends have jumped the pond to spend time with us listening to jazz. Just the beginning of our theme for this note, “flipping the script.”  

I mentioned that this time of the year is a perfect “break” for us. Our year is divided into four parts, in terms of our focus — January and February we spend at sea mostly, presenting our programs. March through the end of June sees us in full launch mode for the sailings of the next year. Mostly, we are reserving staterooms, finalizing lineups and sharing that information with our guests.

The time after July 4th through Halloween is spent in two ways: We are either creating and finalizing the programming for the upcoming cruises or preparing lineups and other information for the launch of the next set of cruises. These activities are not linear. We flip back and forth all the time, dedicating certain days for Performance Schedules, Programming and Special Events and some time for new lineups, website improvements and guest correspondence. Once we hit Halloween, it is full go on the production of the upcoming sailings. When we are closer to those dates, we can share some stories with you.

By now, you have either forgotten or no longer care to learn about why this note is titled “Flipping the Script.” Sorry, but I cannot let you off that easily. In part, out of curiosity and, in part, to either confirm or deny our recent conclusions, rather than us telling you something, we are asking you to “tell us what you think.”

Specifically, share with us the 3 – 5 aspects, events or elements of one or more of our cruise programs that you enjoy the most and 3 – 5 of such items that you would prefer us to either delete or modify in some way. Please identify the cruise you are assessing somewhere in your note. We would hate to remove an item on Cruise #1 that was a sticking point on Cruise #2!

Bullet points are sufficient. No need to explain in detail why you like or dislike something, but, if you believe that a description would assist us, feel free to add one. Send your notes to us at info@scecruises.com. We may respond back to you asking for more information or posing questions for you to consider. Your participation would be greatly appreciated. Let’s shoot for all incoming guest emails be delivered to us by June 30. And all responses from us by July 31.

From the inception of our cruise programs, we made it clear that our goal is to present the type of cruise programs that our guests want to experience. Given the popularity of the programs, we sometimes lose sight of the fact that not everything we do is loved by all and that we may not realize what elements of the cruises are “gold” to our guests. We think we know these things, but it has been a while since we have asked you to share.

Granted, most of our guest information is gathered anecdotally and our guests, never known for their shyness, frequently share their thoughts with us via email or by phone. We do our very best to respond in a timely manner, but sometimes the volume of emails causes us to miss one or two or not respond as we would like to do. By this process, you sending us your comments by email, we will have the holiday time to carefully review each submission.  

St. Louis to London is a long plane ride. Reading your mail will make that trip go by very quickly.

By Michael Lazaroff, Executive Director of The Jazz Cruise, The Smooth Jazz Cruise, Chris Botti at Sea, and Journey of Jazz. Feel free to express your views or pose questions to him at michael@scecruises.com

Ken Peplowski’s Live at Mezzrow

Clarinetist and saxophonist Ken Peplowski, a longtime regular of The Jazz Cruise, has just released his second album of the year. Live at Mezzrow was recorded at the intimate jazz club in NYC and features Ken with Ted Rosenthal, Martin Wind and Willie Jones III, performing several jazz classics as well as some lesser-known gems.

“This is my favorite way to record,” Ken explained. “I like to work on song material for a year or two, find some interesting tunes that are not so often played, revive some tunes that I haven’t played in years, and just go in with friends and record in a set up like a band on stage and play through the music, warts and all, and that’s exactly what we did.”

MidSummer Vacation July 4 – 14, 2024

As mentioned in the “Our Take,” the offices of Jazz Cruises will be closed starting at 2:00 PM ET on July 3 through July 14 for a Midsummer Vacation. We will reopen at the usual time (10 AM ET) on Monday, July 15, 2024. During this time, guests may complete reservations online, check their Jazz Cruises account and submit questions to us at info@scecruises.com. Responses may take a bit longer, but we will answer all questions submitted.

All of us at Jazz Cruises wish you and yours a happy, fun and safe July 4th holiday. Whether you spend it on the beach, at a pool, on the deck or just lounging, every holiday deserves a few hours of great jazz! Do not live without it!

Jazz Cruises’ ’25 Programs

The Jazz Cruise ’25
Celebrating its 25^th Anniversary
The Last 90 Staterooms…Act Now! 

The plans for the 25th Anniversary sailing of The Jazz Cruise ’25 are spectacular. The cruise is over 94% reserved and is currently in Open Booking, which means that anyone may reserve any available stateroom. The remaining inventory, totaling just over 80 staterooms, includes Veranda, Ocean View and Inside Staterooms.

BOOK NOW

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘25.1 & ‘25.2
Starting its 3^rd Decade
Both Sailings Fully Reserved

With both sailings being fully reserved, guests wishing to sail on a ’25 sailing of The Smooth Jazz Cruise should JOIN WAITLIST now. Cancellations will be filled exclusively from the WAITLIST. WAITLIST guests qualify for special terms when reserving a stateroom on The Jazz Cruise ’25 or Botti at Sea II.

JOIN WAITLIST

Botti at Sea ’25
Every Night is a Night on the Town
New Performer – Diana Krall! 

Botti at Sea ’25 is over 65% reserved. Anyone may reserve an available stateroom by calling the office during regular business hours or doing so online. It was this time last year that there was a “run” on staterooms, so act now! Diana Krall has just been added to the lineup! 

BOOK NOW

Journey of Jazz ’25
Jazz Life at Sea & On Land 
Reserve Now – Land Events Menu Soon

Jazz Cruises’ newest program, Journey of Jazz, hosted by Marcus Miller & Gregory Porter, is in Open Booking. Though not sailing for 15 months, the cruise is more than 65% reserved. Menu of land-based events in Victoria and San Francisco to be announced in late July! Reserve your stateroom now to be eligible for events at that time.

BOOK NOW

1-Day Tickets to STL Jazz Fest Are On Sale Now!

Mug Shots of the Week

Guests on the ’24 jazz cruises received The Weekender mug, which we hope you will use with your Saturday morning coffee while you read the latest edition. Please share a picture of yourself & your mug with us so that we can include it for the 100,000+ folks who receive The Weekender each Saturday.

Tag us @thejazzcruise @bottiatsea @thesmoothjazzcruise #jazzcruises and #theweekender. Email your photo to MugShot@scecruises.com.

The post OUR TAKE: Flipping the Script appeared first on Signature Cruise Experiences.

Jazz Appreciation Month on Watercolors

Botti at Sea’25
The Botti Vibe

One of our long time guests who sailed with us on the inaugural sailing of Botti at Sea ’24 also joined us last week for the McDonald – LaBelle Cruise. Commenting on how delightfully different both cruises were in terms of atmosphere and tone, she said that the three day cruise featuring Michael McDonald and Patti LaBelle was like a sprint to the finish line. One explosion of energy at levels that would burn brightly for the time allotted and then stop. Very exciting and very stimulating.

She then took up our definition of Botti at Sea and moved it forward. Internally, we call the cruise the “Botti Vibe.” She offered that the Botti Vibe must be enjoyed over a 7 day period. Like a fine wine and a great dinner, Botti at Sea is meant to be savored. Every day is another adventure in paradise and every night is a night on the town featuring the finest performers in the world. With Chris Botti being the ultimate Master of Ceremonies, that sailing was a “dream vacation” for her. As she said, the Botti Vibe is the ultimate live entertainment experience at sea. So much to enjoy. So much to experience.

Botti at Sea II (’25) is in Open Booking now. Anyone may select and reserve any available stateroom.

Ken Peplowski’s Unheard Bird

Ken Peplowski, one of our longtime headliners and hosts on The Jazz Cruise, has just released a new album Unheard Bird, that features a collection of arrangements that the legendary Charlie “Bird” Parker commissioned for strings but never got a chance to record. Parker released the classic Bird with Strings album in 1950 and it was one of his most popular recordings. Ken performs a different set of arrangements in this album that also features Terell Stafford (trumpet), Glenn Zaleski (piano), Peter Washington (bass) and Willie Jones III (drums), backed by an orchestra conducted by Loren Schoenberg. Among the 14 songs they recorded are classic standards such as “Yesterdays,” “I Cover the Waterfront,” “You Go to My Head,” “Stardust,” and “Summertime.”

Oscar Peterson’s The Africa Suite

On June 12, SFJAZZ is presenting the U.S. premiere of Oscar Peterson’s “The Africa Suite” which was composed in 1979 but was never recorded or performed in its entirety during his lifetime. The concert, which will also include a full performance of Oscar’s 1964 “Canadiana Suite,” will be anchored by a core quartet featuring Benny Green, Russell Malone, Jeff Hamilton and John Clayton, as well as special guests Kenny Barron, Gerald Clayton, Tamir Hendelman and Robert Hurst. John, who arranged the suite, will conduct the Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. “When I met Oscar he was composing ‘The Africa Suite’ and spoke of it in concert when he played ‘Nigerian Marketplace’ or ‘Peace,’” explained Kelly Peterson, Oscar’s wife and executor of his estate. “One of the goals I set for myself after Oscar’s passing was to present the full suite in concert, the completion of a work he had never been able to perform in its entirety. Add John Clayton’s vision and gorgeous arrangement, and it is exhilarating to hear, and feels like our gift to Oscar. This is truly the fulfillment of a dream.”

LEARN MORE

STL Jazz Fest 2-Day Tickets Available! Individual Tickets On Sale 5.31!

2-Day Tickets are now available on Ticketmaster for STL JAZZ FEST. 1-Day Tickets will go on sale Friday, May 31. For details about the festival and how to purchase tickets, see below:

STL JAZZ FEST
Produced by Jazz Cruises
The Factory – Chesterfield (St. Louis) Missouri

FRIDAY AUGUST 23, 2024
Eric Marienthal Quintet, featuring Niki Haris
The Comedy of Alonzo Bodden
GREGORY PORTER

SATURDAY AUGUST 24, 2024
Mindi Abair with Eric Marienthal & Friends
The Comedy of Alonzo Bodden
BRIAN CULBERTSON

  Doors 6 pm / Showtime 7 pm

TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW

Jazz Cruises’ ’25 Programs

The Jazz Cruise ’25
Celebrating its 25^th Anniversary

The plans for the 25th Anniversary sailing of The Jazz Cruise ’25 are spectacular. The cruise is over 86% reserved and is currently in Open Booking, which means that now anyone may reserve any available stateroom. Staterooms with Verandas remain in inventory along with Ocean View and Inside Staterooms.

BOOK NOW

The Smooth Jazz Cruise ‘25.1 & ‘25.2
Starting its 3^rd Decade

With both sailings being fully reserved, guests wishing to sail on a ’25 sailing of The Smooth Jazz Cruise should JOIN WAITLIST now. Cancellations will be filled exclusively from the WAITLIST. WAITLIST guests qualify for special terms when reserving a stateroom on The Jazz Cruise ’25 or Botti at Sea II.

JOIN WAITLIST

Botti at Sea ’25
Every Night is a Night on the Town

Botti at Sea II began “Open Booking” on March 5, 2024 and is over 60% reserved. Anyone may reserve any available stateroom either by calling the office during regular business hours or doing so online.

BOOK NOW

Journey of Jazz ’25
Jazz Life at Sea & On Land

Jazz Cruises’ newest program, Journey of Jazz ’25, hosted by Marcus Miller & Gregory Porter, has completed the Pre-Sale process and began Open Booking on April 30, 2024. Like a race care, this program as gone from 0 – 60(%) sold in the blink of an eye. 

BOOK NOW

Mug Shots of the Week

Guests on the ’24 jazz cruises received The Weekender mug, which we hope you will use with your Saturday morning coffee while you read the latest edition. Please share a picture of yourself & your mug with us so that we can include it for the 100,000+ folks who receive The Weekender each Saturday.

Tag us @thejazzcruise @bottiatsea @thesmoothjazzcruise #jazzcruises and #theweekender. Email your photo to MugShot@scecruises.com.

The post OUR TAKE: Jazz Appreciation Month appeared first on Signature Cruise Experiences.