Jam Cruise 19 Concludes with Synergetic Sets, Guests and More
Photo Credit: Hana Gustafson
Jam Cruise hosted its final day of fun yesterday, Feb. 12. The floating festival wrapped its 19th edition at sea with captivating performances and all-star sit-ins guaranteed to keep attendees talking about their unmatched experiences until the next ship sets sail.
Music on early Saturday afternoon kicked off with Neighbor on the Pool Deck, where they paid homage to the late Burt Bacharach, who passed away earlier this week at 94. During their frame, the Massachusetts-based ensemble debuted “What The World Needs Now” as a homage to the iconic pop composer.
Over at the Garden Pool, Mahali delivered a set that stretched just over an hour while Karina Rykman dipped into her soaring catalog of tunes back on the Pool Deck. Paul Hoffman followed up after Mihali, performing an intimate seaside gig perched high above the turquoise Caribbean water.
The highly talked about Yacht Rock frame brought many musicians to the stage. Covers included takes on “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl),” originally penned by Looking Glass, amongst others–which kept the crowd grooving through the afternoon and joining in song when the band delivered recognizable numbers.
At the same time Yacht Rock was jamming on the Pool Deck, Neal Francis sat at the piano in the Atrium and worked through some choice material. Elsewhere on the ship, Dave Watts Super Jam brought many players to the stage, including Karl Denson, The Horn Section, Shira Elias, and others. Renditions of “Grease is The World” and “Take Me to The River” were particularly well received.
Positive Legacy’s Silent Auction occurred in La Luna Piano Bar and overlapped with the Yacht Rock frame. While folks were placing bids on an array of goods, Doom Flamingo’s Ross Bogan treated folks to a selection of tunes, including a powerful rendition of the Grateful Dead’s “Ship of Fools.”
While Umphrey’s McGee played on the Pool Deck, Oteil & Friends dug into their set in the Pantheon Theater. The ensemble’s frame featured an extensive sit-in by Lamar Williams Jr. and appearances by other guests, Roosevelt Collier, Ivan Neville, Isaiah Sharkey and Denson. The set gave attendees a glimpse at the cosmic connection between musicians, ignited by the excitement of the final night aboard.
On the other side of the boat, a massive display of rhythm was produced by Butcher Brown, who welcomed a plethora of horns and guests. After midnight, SunSquabi cut into their hour-and-a-half frame on the Pool Deck. Meanwhile, Galactic brought the funk to the Pantheon, where they ran through “Balkan Wedding,” in addition to other tunes.
Toward the tail end of Galactic, Collier arrived in the Jam Room, where he welcomed friends and collaborators during one of the final performances of the 19th iteration of the special event. As the buoyant affair came to a close, so did the last set by DJ Airwolf, who finished off the six-day production on the turntable.
With the 19th annual event in the books, folks eager to return can pre-book for Jam Cruise 20 here.
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