Jam Cruise 22: Day 4 (Tuesday, February 10)
[Thanks as always to the amazing Jam Cruise photographers for their tireless work!
Chris Baldwin, Gabby Barbieri, Ariel Opal Feldman, Jason Myers, Zach Smith, Josh Timmermans & Dave Vann]
This was a full day at sea, filled with music, family, hugs, merch, JAM Talks with John Medeski, Bob Moog Foundation Synth Playground, costume contest, the Positive Legacy auction, fabulous album covers and costumes, and more wonderful food and drink. Full indeed!
Fireside Collective had the honor of opening the day with a fine Pool Deck set to set the tone for all that would follow. The Garden Pool Deck featured Mihali and then Flying Mojito Bros.
There is one set each year where EVERYBODY knows ALL the words: Lebo’s Yacht Rock. Sammi Garett was with him plus a crack band as they invited up a cavalcade of stars to sing favorites such as “Lotta Love,” “Smooth Operator,” “Brandy,” “Kid Charlemagne,” and “Rosanna.”
Down in the Black & White, Masters Camp at Sea was holding its final performances, with the Participant Orchestra leading off with such gems as “Blue Sky,” “Come On in My Kitchen,” and the jaw-dropping “Revival”! And who was the first person to sing on opener “Blue Sky”? That would be our very own Annabel Lukins Stelling!! The Masters crew knocked out more great ABB tunes such as “Hot ’lanta” and “Don’t Keep Me Wondering.” Bravo/brava to all. More to come about Music Masters Collective, Roots Rock Revival, and the importance of music education.
As noted, you cannot see and hear everything, and once again I missed many great shows such as Everyone Orchestra and Ivan Neville’s piano set.
I was absolutely positive I would be there for the second set from BALTHVS, the Colombian trio with New York resident Sarah Elaz playing her second show with the band and crushing it! They played their tune “Ashes,” then a medley of a Dead tune and “Blue Sky.” They dove into a deep psychedelic jam that emerged as the disco-fied “Shakedown Street,” so good! There were ballads, thumpers, and fine Latin-tinged tunes, including Gabor Szabo’s “Gypsy Queen,” the one you know as the second half of Santana’s “Black Magic Woman” jam. What a great Jam Cruise debut they had.
The New Mastersounds were gifting us these two JC sets after completing their Ta-Ta for Now U.S. tour New Year’s Eve, and they came out roaring. By turns they played funk, old school R&B, and jazz. Kanika Moore joined in for the song “They Got Our Passports (??).” WE have discussed early and often the importance on most of the jam scene for powerhouse rhythm section; you won’t find any better than Simon Allen and Pete Shand.
Nearing the end, they gifted me my two favorite songs, first the magnificent “Yokacoka,” with Eddie Roberts and Joe Tatton shining, then the delightful “Nervous” (BA-ba-DA-ba-DA – who needs a horn section?). They closed with two more quick tunes, and we all say thank you… for a real good time.
The Sweet Lillies are their very own force of nature. They play wonderful original music and anchor The Spot nightly, but on Jam Cruise, you get Jam Cruise moments galore. There was that jaw-dropping rap going on and guests Melody and Vaylor Trucks and Joe Marcinek. Then Queen Kanika and Sammi Garett grabbed the mics for – what else? – “Dancing Queen”! Ivan Neville, George Porter Jr. and others continued to up the ante. SWEET Lillies indeed!
I really wanted one shot at the Golden Jazz Lounge for Adam Deitch, Ari Teitel, and Sam Fribush. However, you could either sit and hear nothing but people talking or stand and be jostled like in a mosh pit. SIGH.
Annabel introduced Karl Denson, reminding us that he was one of the few who has been on all 22 Jam Cruises, noting that the Tiny Universe had been on 20. The hard-edged set featured “Hang Me Up to Dry,” a lovely “Satisfied” with vocalist Danielle Barker and Denson on flute, and much more.
But I headed to the theater to right the wrong I committed by missing the Pool Deck set by Medeski Martin & Wood. I was so blown out by this performance that I have already posted a review of that set. PLEASE read it here. Legendary. This is why we Jam Cruise.
I had in mind to see Parlor Greens on Brews at Sea, but my brain was over-sated. The group sounded great, with Jimmy James teasing “Soul Man” before jumping into “Iron Man.”
I really loved the first set from Chalk Dinosaur and dipped into B& W for just a bit more, just a great dance party. Eli Winderman joined them for a bit on Hammond B3.
I was ready for Diggin Dirt, reprising the Pool Deck set from two years ago that fell into their laps with a schedule change. This time they embraced the JC mantra of guest sit-ins, with Ricky Giordano (KDTU), Craig Brodhead (Cool Cool Cool), Karl Denson, Jimmy James (Parlor Greens), Chris Brouwers (Cool Cool Cool), and Jonathan Lloyd.
Everything was working, with dual saxes, dual guitars, a superb rhythm section, and the one and only Zach Alder soul-shouting throughout the fine set. The last 15+ minutes was straight-up James Brown, with an opening jam that then became the legendary “There Was a Time” (ref. James Brown at the Apollo, Vol. II) with four horns and Jimmy James and the JB groove. MAGIC.
