Photo: Dave Vann

On Friday, February 14, 2025, Jam Cruise left Miami for its 21st annual festival on the water. The latest edition of the beloved event commenced on Valentine’s Day, adding a love-tinged layer to night one, from songs of affirmation to the night theme: Jam Cruise is for Lovers. 

Collaboration was the pinnacle on night one, not just the dance between couples, but the festival lineup’s embrace, a tone set by funk tastemakers Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, who welcomed Artist At-Large Vaylor Trucks, who added Southern rock licks that seemed to embrace his father’s legacy.

While Denson added a heavy layer of funk on the Pool Deck, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong embraced the notion of tenderness and fun in the Pantheon Theater, covering Stephen Stills’ “Love the One Your With,” featuring an extra instrumental layer elicited via The Horn Section. Snarky Puppy’s MJ Lettieri sat in, too. 

Before Lettieri’s arrival, Greg Ormont joked about his entrance, mentioning a guy with a guitar and a series of bump-ins prior to boarding and the initial hours on the boat, which led to the serendipitous team-up that produced “Poseidon.” 

Cool Cool Cool’s Shira Elias and Sammi Garett also stepped up, joining Pigeons for their sit-in heavy delivery. Dogs in a Pile keyboardist Jeremy Kaplan also added to the frame.

Charleston, S.C.’s The Psychodelics welcomed Kanika Moore, bringing former Doom Flamingo bandmates together, with backbeat Sean Bing keeping count. 

Meanwhile, the Pickin’ Lounge got a full dose of bluegrass from Hot Buttered Rum’s Erik Yates. The latter, along with his bandmate, Nat Keefe, started the set in duo form [guitar and banjo], performing “Ramshakle Shack on the Hill” before letting the audience in on their plan to add players as the set progressed slowly–which brought special guest Allie Kral [and others] out for a conversation between string instruments. 

Before night turned to morning, STS9 kept the audience on their feet and dancing for the entirety of their set. Notably, the band brought out a rare guest, tapping Denson for a sax solo. Hitting on the night’s theme and holiday, the group covered Bob Marley’s “Could This Be Love,” projecting an island vibe. 

Across the deck, the Brews at Sea Stage was lit up by Club D’Elf–the appearance served as the band’s Jam Cruise debut, adding another layer of excitement to the live performance.

Late night, more bluegrass magic was produced by The Sweet Lillies, who took over The Spot for an impromptu jam. Songs persisted with Pink Talking Fish’s takeover of the Pool Deck, which coincided with Jazz Fest 2025’s poster girl and her band, Tank and the Bangas. 

PTF also hit on the love-soaked theme, offering their take on The Rolling Stones’ “Loving Cup,” which also doubled as a nod to Phish, considering their 30-plus-year history performing the number [Phish debuted “Loving Cup,” in 1993, most recently covering it on Aug. 31, 2024, during their run at Dick’s]. 

Funk and New Orleans flavor were the sonic centerpieces, igniting what felt like early access to the Crescent City’s most jovial musical celebration of the year. 

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