How we spent our vacation: Jazz

Rich_by_the_Bay

Rich_by_the_Bay

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Just returned from a bit of self-indulgence called the Playboy 2009 Jazz Cruise, celebrating a combination of my 60th b'day, our 38th anniversary and a collection of other excuses to party. DW agrees that this was one of the best vacations we ever took.

Holland-America from Fla to St. Barts, on-ship entertainment by some of the world's elite jazz musicians, plus you got to hang around with them and enjoy (and participate in [wish I had known]) spontaneous jam sessions. I know that jazz is not everyone's cup of tea, but this was about "straight ahead" jazz, more like the 1960s, mostly acoustic music, think Miles Davis, Cannonball Adderly, Sarah Vaughn plus a bunch of new promising artists. We had Herbie Hancock, James Carter, Marcus Miller, Keb Mo, James Moody, Dianne Reaves and a bunch more. Met tons of other passengers and our table of 8 turned into party central.

So, I've gained a few pounds, got a big grin on my face, and gave myself an extra day off tomorrow before returning to work. Next jazz stop will be New Orleans jazz fest in April.

Doin' my part to help end the global recession.
 
Sounds like a great time Rich. :) I didn't know you could toot a horn....
 
bbbamI said:
Sounds like a great time Rich. :) I didn't know you could toot a horn....
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Did it professionally for 4 or 5 years back in the 60s and early 70s, backup bands for known musicians, then jazz quartet and night clubbing. Talk about great jobs - 3 nights a week, $7 an hour, all the Michelob we could drink, and all the waitresses we could catch (the Michelob limited the waitress-catching).

This cruise has me dusting off the trumpet and scanning Craig's List for a startup band.
 
Looks like that "10% retired" is going to traded in on "10% musician" pretty soon!
 
Rich_in_Tampa said:
This cruise has me dusting off the trumpet and scanning Craig's List for a startup band.
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DH has been in a couple of bands in the past few years. It got to the point where the gigs barely paid enough money for gas. He didn't care, he just wanted to play. :cool:
 
sounds great rich!
Cannonball - that takes me back - he, Nate, Walter Booker, Joe Zawinul, Roy McCurdy gave an hour seminar in my jazz class...wonderful beautiful music and people.
 
Danny said:
sounds great rich!
Cannonball - that takes me back - he, Nate, Walter Booker, Joe Zawinul, Roy McCurdy gave an hour seminar in my jazz class...wonderful beautiful music and people.
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Marcus Miller was doing an "artist in residence" gig at the Berkeley music school in Boston where he ran into an alto sax player (student age 21) whom he invited on this cruise. Kid's name was Alex Hahn (sp?), and he is very gifted and plays with the expression of a 40-something..

That kind of thing is still going on but with the cutbacks in subsidies for the arts starting in the Reagan years there are more kids scratching records on turntables than learning how to play keyboards, horns, bass and guitars. It was good to see some resurgence in young talent on the ship.
 
Glad to hear that you had such a great time. Happy 60th Birthday!
 
Playboy, eh? Did you have to wear a "bunny" costume, too, or was that just for the crew?
 
brewer12345 said:
Playboy, eh? Did you have to wear a "bunny" costume, too, or was that just for the crew?
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The pleasures were strictly audio, alas. There was a pajama party by the pool one night, but everyone was so distracted by the music it didn't matter.

What is interesting is that this is a first collaboration between the well-established Jazz Cruises, LLC and Playboy. The purchasing power of Playboy allowed for the all-star lineup. No bunnies, but in a sure sign of my advancing age, I'd rather hear Herbie Hancock than look at the playmate of the year. Well, maybe both at the same time.
 
Rich_in_Tampa said:
The pleasures were strictly audio, alas. There was a pajama party by the pool one night, but everyone was so distracted by the music it didn't matter.

What is interesting is that this is a first collaboration between the well-established Jazz Cruises, LLC and Playboy. The purchasing power of Playboy allowed for the all-star lineup. No bunnies, but in a sure sign of my advancing age, I'd rather hear Herbie Hancock than look at the playmate of the year. Well, maybe both at the same time.
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Happy Birthday and a Happy Anniversary Rich and your better half!:greetings10:
 
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