Best of Jam Cruise 2020, Day 5: Electron’s Atrium Set, Marcus King’s SuperJam and More
As Jam Cruise 2020 entered its final day, event organizers continued to tango with intense winds, which led to a number of schedule changes.
Thankfully, Jam Cruisers and musicians alike rolled with the punches and – in turn – created countless memorable moments during their final day on the boat.
Below, check out some of our Jan. 11 highlights.
Everyone Orchestra’s All-Star Team
After Cory Wong’s pool deck set got moved to the indoor Atrium, Jam Cruise attendees piled into the Pantheon Theater for Everyone Orchestra’s star-studded outing.
Members of the spontaneous collective included first-time E.O. participant Samantha Fish as well as Holly Bowling, Dan “Lebo” Lebowitz, Karina Rykman, Shira Elias, Greg Ormont, Leo Pelligrino, Carl Harvey and more.
Images from Jam Cruise’s “Positive Legacy” trip flashed via slideshow behind the band, adding even more meaning to the entirely-improvised set.
“It’s a color party and we’re all part of the rainbow. I love it!” Matt Butler told the crowd, referencing Saturday’s “Color War” Theme.
Marcus King’s SuperJam
“I have to tell you this guy has been so stellar… This is exactly what we want in a SuperJam host,” Cloud 9’s Annabel Lukins said as she introduced Marcus King’s SuperJam.
Flanked by Lettuce’s Nigel Hall, among others, King began his set with “Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday” by William Bell, and continually invited a revolving cast of musicians to jam along with him.
Guests included Ivan Neville, Tony Hall, Robert “Sput” Searight, Luther Dickinson, Eric “Benny” Bloom, Roosevelt Collier, Alfreda Gerald, Nicki Bluhm, Karina Rykman, Ryan Ziodis and more.
The collective dedicated The Isley Brothers’ “Work to Do” to all the hardworking musicians onboard, and later offered The O’Jays “Family Reunion” in memory of the late Kofi Burbridge.
Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe vs. The Elements
“Are you guys ready for a dance party?” Lukins said as she introduced her dear friend Karl Denson and his Tiny Universe band.
Due to ongoing heavy winds, Denson’s set was moved across the pool deck from the main stage to the significantly-smaller Brews At Sea stage, creating an intimate – and very breezy – setting for originals like “What If You Knew I’d Let You Down” as well as covers like Cold War Kids’ “Hang Me Up To Dry” to the Allman Brothers favorite “One Way Out.”
Nicki Bluhm even made an appearance singing on her collaborative Karl Denson Track “My Baby.”
Holly Bowling Goes Deep
While many music fans were getting funky nearby with Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, it was Holly Bowling’s pensive Atrium set that proved to be one of Saturday’s top musical moments.
A take on Phish’s “It’s Ice” bled into the Grateful Dead’s “St. Stephen” and “William Tell Bridge/The Eleven” before circling back to “It’s Ice,” and Bluhm appeared for fans once again to offer an impressive vocal performance on “The Strange Man” by Patty Griffin.
Bowling then called up her Ghost Light bandmate Tom Hamilton for a far-reaching version of “The Wheel,” noting beforehand, “Last time Tom and I were on the boat together we were just forming this band Ghost Light… This feels like a milestone.”
Electron’s Final Hurrah
With the wind outside becoming too much to bear, Electron’s main stage-closing set was switched last minute from the pool deck to the Atrium, not unlike the memorable moe. performance from the night before.
“This is Jam Cruise right here… Magic happens before our eyes. We can’t control the weather but we can control the fun,” Lukins told the horde of fans gathered for the set.
“This is the greatest honor of all time… I feel like this Jam Cruise family is my own family,” bassist Marc Brownstein added before launching the band into “Little Lai,” with guitarist Tom Hamilton beginning the tune on one of the room’s plush couches.
However, it wasn’t long before Hamilton (and every single person in the three-story room) were rocking to cuts like “Shelby Rose” and a set-closing version of Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb.” (Star Kitchen drummer Marlon Lewis also added auxiliary percussion through the entire set.)
Jam Cruise 2021 has already been confirmed and you can learn more about the event here.
