OUR TAKE: AT SEA EDITION #4 – THE SMOOTH JAZZ CRUISE ’24 CELEBRATES ITS 20th ANNIVERSARY

It is Day 3 of the second week of “The Greatest Party at Sea”! Just as we experienced last week, everyone is in a celebratory mood as we continue our two-week celebration of the 20th Anniversary of The Smooth Jazz Cruise. The opening song, which features every headliner on the cruise was a rousing success. We took the Lionel Ritchie song, “All Night Long”, and crafted our own version which we called “All Cruise Long”!

Not all parodies work, but when sung by DW3 and performed by the entire lineup of The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’24.1, it was a super hit. Once again, the sold-out cruise crowd was on its feet dancing, applauding, and singing along. Though this was the 3rd and 4th time that song was presented, the musicians made it seem just like the first time.

Once the song was completed, the stage featured our two hosts, Marcus Miller and Boney James, along with our uber-comic Alonzo Bodden. They welcomed our guests, shared a laugh or two and then proudly launched the full music programming for The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’24.2.

Last week we reviewed some of the many shows that had already taken place during Day 1 and Day 2 of The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’24.1. Jeffrey Osborne was not mentioned as he did not join the cruise until the midway point of that week. For The Smooth Jazz Cruise ’24.2, Jeffrey performed last night (Day 2) and will present his second show tonight (Day 3).

As always, Jeffrey killed it. Over the 20-year span of The Smooth Jazz Cruise, no vocalist has been more popular than Jeffrey Osborne. That comment is more than a mere observation. When the guests voted for the lineup for The Smooth Jazz Cruise in ’24, Jeffrey garnered more votes for “special guest” than all previous special guests combined! The fans of the cruise wanted to tell Jeffrey, as clearly as possible, that “You Will Be Mine”!

In Jeffrey’s interview with Marcus Miller, they talked about “The Woo Woo Song” in depth. Jeffrey shared the tale of how his daughter led the charge with the record label to change the name of the tune from “You Will Be Mine” to “The Woo Woo Song”. The result, of course, is that both names now adorn the tune. They say compromise is the art of making both sides feel that they won even if they lost. In this case, with a song like that, and a singer like Jeffrey Osborne, there are only winners.

The popularity of The Smooth Jazz Cruise grows each year. Both ’25 sailings of The Smooth Jazz Cruise are now fully reserved. For some, the cruise is simply that, a cruise program, but for many, the program has transcended into a very special annual event, one that enables them to take a break from the world and enjoy great music with great friends.

As was the case last week, thanks for listening and I am off to a Coffee Talk in the Rendezvous Lounge to share this edition of The Weekender with our guests and answer whatever questions they may have about the cruise and Jazz Cruises. A Saturday morning with coffee and The Weekender… feels like being home.

By Michael Lazaroff, Executive Director of The Jazz Cruise, The Smooth Jazz Cruise, Chris Botti at Sea and The McDonald & LaBelle Cruise. Feel free to express your views or pose questions to him at [email protected].

Photo Credit: John Abbott

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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 [email protected].Jazz Cruises’ ’25 Programs

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