I feel like a broken record. Year after year, I say Jam Cruise was the best yet. But I really mean it. This year as we sailed on our 9th cruise. It was not only a paramount event, but there was something mystical happening on board.
I believe most of you know, but I have been a part of Cloud 9 Adventures since Jam Cruise 1…gratefully.
I was at the Boulder Theater the other night for a super jam featuring Jam Cruise favorites George Porter, Jr. & Karl Denson. At setbreak, I went backstage and hung with Karl for a few. Here was a recap of our convo:
Karl: “Annabel, Jam Cruise was so great this year.”
Me: “I KNOW!”
Karl: “How does it keep getting better?”
Me: “Trust me, I can’t even tell you. But I feel the same way.”
I had another conversation with a guy that night that just experienced his first Jam Cruise. He proceeded to tell me that he had expected to have fun, but there were indescribable aspects of it that he keeps trying to tell people about but just can’t.
Even Dave Schools wants to come back on board.
The lifeboat drill is one of my favorite parts of the cruise. Before we set sail, all passengers are required to put their jackets on and proceed to their muster stations. I run around the ship with my camera yelling, “you MUST muster!” Seeing the artists wearing the orange jackets cracks me up Schools and posed PERFECTLY for this photo.
Let’s talk about Schools for a minute. He was DEFINITELY a skeptic about the cruise. In fact, he thought it would be a nightmare. When I hung with him at Jazzfest last year, he said, “Annabel, I’m only coming on because it’s good for the band (Stockholm Syndrome).
Yet, he just wrote a blog called “Confessions of a Jam Cruise convert.” Jam Cruise is so special that even the skeptics become lovers.
My dear boy Anders Osborne…I wanted him on board so badly. The main reason was because I want the Jamband scene to embrace him. The obvious selfish reason was so that I could spend time with him and see him perform. Anders and I have been friends since I was in college (’94) and I have supported his career ever since. I gushed to the crowd over his show the first night and without knowing it, he came and kissed me on the cheek. It was sweet.
If it weren’t for the Grateful Dead, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. It helped shape my identity. Enter Jam Cruise…the most life-changing event for me since the Dead. Now let’s bring Bob Weir on board and combine the two magical events. Bob had so much more fun on board than anyone could have imagined. He sat in with 3 bands: KDTU, God Street Wine & Some Cat From Japan! If we can get Bob Weir to feel comfortable enough to let go and let the improv vibe happen, we know we’re doing something right!
Back in 2000, Robert Randolph started playing in a hole in the wall bar in NYC called the Lakeside Lounge. I was there. When he started his residency at the Mercury Lounge, I was there. When I needed a job and his manager put me on a train every day to New Jersey to help assist, I was there with bells on. The Family Band has been a vital part of my life for over a decade. After Robert’s debut on board JC8 with the Word, it didn’t take a lot of arm-twisting to get him back with his band. This happens on Jam Cruise all the time. Bands/fans come on knowing it will be a good time, but they leave counting the days till next year. We can add The Family band to that popular group.
Just another perfect day at sea…I mean come on, a floating music festival in the Caribbean? Even though I help run the event, I am still in awe at how extraordinary it is.
Artist activities are one of the highlights on board every year. Here my boy Chef Karl participated in a “Spicy Chef” competition. Needless to say, his outfit was adorable.
One of the most cherished parts of my career has been the deep and meaningful friendships that have developed with the musicians. And one of the most important relationships has been with Bruce Hampton. Yes, he’s a talented musician who has been around forever. Yes, he’s “out there,” but he’s truly one of the warmest and most caring people I’ve ever met.
But let’s go back to his persona of being “out there.” I write the bios for the program and for the past two years, I took a deep breath and created scenarios that matched his personality so closely that his wife is going to use this year’s as inspiration for their next tour poster. Do they make sense? No. Does it matter? Not at all. Here you go…
JC8
All hail the king! For years, Col Bruce Hampton was stranded on a desert island. There, he learned how to play guitar and became “one” with the natives. Each month, they had a celebratory bonfire on the sand and everyone danced around Bruce. He told the members what their birthday’s were and played a little tune to welcome the next year of life. He was rescued by a family of otters that happen to fall in love with one of his songs. They put him on their back and safely brought him to the side of the MSC Poesia where Julie McCoy recognized his southern sound and had the crew bring him onto the pool deck where we found him….still singing, still smiling….still Bruce. WELCOME HOME!
JC9
Last time we checked in with Col Bruce, he was training the manatees to sing the National Anthem off the coast of Cuba. All seemed well except that he kept sending smoke signals shaped like bow ties which could only mean one thing: he was hungry. So we sent Dave Schools out on a rowboat with a few turkey sandwiches. Julie McCoy had begged him to come back on board Jam Cruise, but he resisted, insisting that the manatees were close to perfecting their song. He said, “Look for sneakers in the sky. That will mean I’m ready.” Ok, you’re the King.
While we realize it’s easy to have bands immersed in the jamband scene want to come back on board year after year, when artists of Maceo Parker’s caliber request to come back on for a 3rd year in a row, we are doing something right. On JC8, we invited his whole band. They fell in love. He immediately filled out a pre-book form that said in big bold letters, “Please have the Maceo Parker Band back.” It was very cute. So we made him our Super Jam host on JC9 and boy did that work out well! First of all, he is the hero to most of the funk musicians on board anyway. Second of all, we invited the other members of the JB Horns on as special guests: Fred Wesley & Pee Wee Ellis. So THIRD OF ALL, the gifted artists that congregated on that stage were staggering. The James Brown-esque vibe was virtually surreal. Random musicians snunk up on stage with tambourines just so they could say they sat in on the never-to-be-seen-again experience.
Once upon a time, a guy and his guitar came on board Jam Cruise 2. That guy ended up playing a set in the Mermaid Lounge mixed by Michael Franti. That SAME guy ended up winning American Idol. That very same guy went on to launch a career in soul music, drenched in bluesy rock goodness. And what do you know? That very same guy ended up in an outstanding Super Jam in Denver with the likes of Karl Denson, Ivan Neville and Tony Hall. People were BLOWN away. Enter Jam Cruise 9…Taylor Hicks was immersed in the vibe and added character, charm and insatiable flair to all who played with him.
Here is the beautiful MSC Poesia. We started Jam Cruise 1 on a perfectly beefed up dinghy called The Regal Empress. We moved onto Carnival for a year until we found our home with MSC. They love us and we love them. It’s a harmonious relationship.
When I see a musician that loves his job so much that he smiles from ear to ear every single time I see him, I can’t help but feel there is a higher power guiding all of us. John Staten, KDTU, is one of those musicians.
On Jam Cruise, there are “dreams come true” every moment of every day. Danny Louis & Dave Schools have been friends of mine for years. Having them on board was something out of this world for me, sorta surreal. Also, while sailing, I RARELY stay in one spot for more than 5 minutes. I’m running around from show to show making sure things are running smoothly. However, during the Stockholm Syndrome set, I could barely leave. I was so drawn to the show. I was so proud of their power & so proud of our event. I went to thank the boys afterwards and Danny & Dave said it wouldn’t take much to pick me up. Dave also said he couldn’t really take me seriously in the zebra ears. Cute.
So there’s a venue called the Zebra Bar on the Poesia. (Side note: we also have a very active message board.) Last year, they started an unofficial theme night called “Zebra Night.” About 30 kids dressed up and it was a cool idea. THIS year, word got out and there were HUNDREDS of us were all zebraed out. It was a fabulous display of “word of mouth.”
I already mentioned that the Grateful Dead helped shape who I am today. Got it. But actually getting to hang out with Billy Kreutzmann was beyond cool. Whenever we would start a convo about karma, morals, values, relationships, he would flash me his steal your face necklace and I would flash him my dancing bear tattoo. “I got the memo, Billy,” is what I would say. In return, he kept saying, “I like you, Annabel.” Yup, warms my heart.
Let’s go back to the friendship piece of Jam Cruise. Ron Johnson and I are literally brother & sister separated at birth. We talk like two kids who have known each other our whole lives. People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. He’s a lifer.
The LOVELY Allie Kral displayed beauty, grace & talent on board. I stole her for a moment during the autograph signing for a photo. During the autograph signing, all the artists give us 2 hours of their time to let their fans dote over them. It’s a very special time for the passengers and from what the artists have told me, they appreciate it too because really, if it wasn’t for fans, would bands exist?
I know that I just gushed about Ron Johnson being my “brother” but I think Ivan and I were twins separated at birth. We meet on a deep and spiritual level that I just can’t describe. We connect in a way like two people meant to be in each other’s lives. And I have no problem giving him shit if he gets out of line.
The Gentle Giant, Zach Deputy, is one of the greatest hidden talents. He starts to sing, strums his guitar, and mouths drop wide open. He’s so unassuming; he’s beyond sweet and a true pleasure to have on board.
Kraz….I could write a whole piece about this guy. I’ve been a fan since Lettuce hit the east coast in the early 90’s. That was even before Soulive was a band! So for around 15 years, I’ve been captured by Kraz’s sound. And ever since Jam Cruise started, we became great friends. I mean the kind of friends that talk on the phone and share secrets. Real friends. It makes me so happy to be in his life.
Jesus what do I do with this guy? Love him to pieces!!!!! I am proud to say that I have had a hand in supporting the New Mastersounds career since they started to cross the Atlantic. I’m a funk girl, so when they first came on the scene, they played at Langerado in Florida and I happen to mention to Simon that we MAY put an offer in for them on Jam Cruise. So what did Simon do? He announced on stage that they were going to be getting a Jam Cruise offer. Thank god my boss didn’t kill me but I definitely had “words” with Simon. Well, this was their 3rd time on Jam Cruise and they played better than ever before. I am also so impressed with Simon who had a fantastic costume for each of the theme nights, including the UNOFFICIAL Zebra Night!
Sweet Jenny…an angel sent from heaven with a voice that soars through the sky and touches our hearts. Even at 4:00am in the Disco, I can’t imagine not being around her. She’s literally a gift that was sent to all of us from God. Nuff said.
Sleeper Set of the week – Big Gigantic boys, Dominic Lalli & Jeremy Salkan are really making a name for themselves. I’ve known Dom for years through the Motet in Boulder. He’s always been an ubber talented sax player but seemed to get lost in the shuffle. We put them in our contest called Vote to the Boat last year. They didn’t win but seemed to have a bunch of fans behind their music. I had seen them a handful of times in the past but it had been a while. All I knew is that they were the first band that participated in our contest that we had ever made an official offer to.
I was BLOWN away at how good they had gotten, how danceable their music was and how they held a crowd in an ongoing beat for hours. It was hands down the Sleeper Set of the cruise. I don’t think anyone realized how outstanding their set would be. Bravo Boys!
Jam Cruise is a music lovers dream come true. We have all spent time in fields of mud with nasty porta-potties and 60,000 people in line to get a bottle of water. Jam Cruise is complete opposite of that. Warm tropical weather, cabin steward making your beds, intimate setting, constant interactions with the artists, building friendships that grow each year on board and so much more. But it’s really about the music, the 4 shows going on at once right near each other – none of them crowded, the collaborations, the never-to-be-seen-again jams, the vibe.
What is true happiness? By definition, it’s state of well being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. I feel all of those and so many more when it comes to Jam Cruise.
