Jam Cruise 22: Day 1 (Saturday, February 7)
[Thanks as always to the amazing Jam Cruise photographers for their tireless work!
Feature image by Jason Myers.]
Saturday was sail-away day for Jam Cruisers on MSC Divina. Check-in was flawless, although the traffic into the port was hideous (so many ships departing the same day).
I first went to the Masters Camp at Sea for their initial meet-and-greet. Melody and Vaylor Trucks and the entire staff (I need to learn more names!) made all the campers feel welcome and excited for the next three days.
You always want a banger for the sail-away set on Pool Deck, and there is nobody more bangin’ than Cimafunk, the Cuban James Brown on steroids, and his band. They crushed their set, as always. It ended ten minutes short, so I decided to zip to the theater to catch a bit of The Wood Brothers.
And that was when the first JAM CRUISE MOMENT occurred. I heard sounds emanating from the Atrium on my way to the theater, incredible vibes. On stage was D’Vibes (Deshawn D’Vibes Alexander) and his band, absolutely killing it. I only caught the tail end, but what a tail! The Fitzkee Brothers (Alex, drums, and Drew, bass) were the rhythm section, with a fine guitar player and superb female vocalist. They knocked out a great tune, then jumped on Funkadelic’s “I’ll Stay.” Vaylor Trucks took over guitar duties as they launched into the ABB anthem “Dreams.” Because that wasn’t fabulous enough, they called Melody Trucks to the stage to sing. And if that weren’t enough, Peter Levin (Gregg Allman Band, Trouble No More, Masters Camp at Sea) took over piano duties. Well, actually there were often three or maybe four hands on the keyboard! And, to my ears, nobody every played the “Dreams” bass line better than 21-year-old Drew Fitzkee.
WOW. I headed back to the Black and White Lounge (the wrong direction) all the way to the theater to hear briefly The Wood Brothers (and superb sound!). Then it was back to the B&W for Parlor Greens, an amazing organ trio with Adam Scone on Hammond B3 and the remarkable Jimmy James on guitar. In JC tradition, Skerik came to to blow a couple of bar walker tunes.
My main objective for the evening was to see The Disco Biscuits, who I understand crushed the pre-party show Friday night. The set built and built until, about 45 minutes in, they hit that jam, and it was non-stop brilliance from there on out.
So that meant I missed The New Mastersounds, who played their last U.S. set New Year’s Eve in Denver. I will have to wait for their Tuesday Pool Deck set.
BALTHVS had knocked us out at Suwannee Hulaween. Just as they began, I saw drummer Santiago Lizcano having an extended workout with the band’s brand new bass player… in her first show with the band! I think her name is Sarah; will confirm. She was a goddess! Balthazar Aguirre finally joined them, broken guitar string repaired.
My first thought, especially with this badass bass player, is that they remind of a funky, steroid-infused Khruangbin. This was just a full-on dance party, and the crowd crowding the tiny Brews at Sea stage on deck were dancing right along. Twisting their setlist up, they opened with a solid “Help on the Way > Slipknot” and tumbled in to more great originals (“Ashes”) and jaw-dropping covers (“Disco Inferno”). During “Turkish Coffee” Balthazar walked through the crowd and up over the raised part on the pool deck while Sarah (??) also stepped off stage.
This, for me, was THE set of the day. THIS IS THE SHIT!!!
Aussie Lachy Doley had the closing Pool Deck set, blowing it out on Hammond B3 and the vaunted whammy clavinet, which he used with abandon. During the set, he hit, “I’m a Man,” a killer “Use Me,” and a tune he worked with Bootsy Collins with a grounding in “Give Up the Funk.”
DONE. As you can see, I missed six sets. Because you cannot see and hear everything, and the first day is light by comparison to what is on the horizon (Cuba right now) throughout the remainder of the family gathering known as Jam Cruise.
Blessed to be here and blessed to hug so many friends new and old!
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