The excitement in the air was palpable. We pulled up to port in a van from our parking garage with passengers who were clearly not joining us on our venture. We dropped them off and continued to the next port. When we pulled up to the MSC Divina, it was apparent that this was our ship and our people. Everyone was eagerly waiting to embark on a one of a kind journey. Whether you were a “lifer,” “repeat offender” or a first timer, we all knew we were in for one hell of a voyage, Jam Cruise 20. Let’s go!
Over 30 bands from far and wide shared their musical talents on eight official stages and a few unofficial stages. The main stage, The Pool Deck Stage, was built in what was normally a pool on any other cruise. The pool was drained earlier in the day, the floor was dried and a stage was built. There is nothing like being able to watch one of your favorite bands perform on a beautiful stage, feeling the sea breeze swirling around, while enjoying the ocean waves as they guide us, dancing, swaying and jammin’ together.
Our Sail Away Toast was just after sunset. We kicked off the week with Lettuce on the Pool Deck Stage as they led us on our maiden voyage while we sailed further away from the lit Miami coastline, casting our own lit scene out into the ocean. Lettuce’s entrancing horns, funky beats and leveling bass line really brought us to life as it started to sink in… what a week we were in for! We were all jammin’ in our jammies for the first official theme of the week and ready to groove the night away. The marathon had begun, good thing I was comfy. Next up, Medeski, Martin & Porter ft. Aba Diop in the Pantheon Theatre. Aba Diop is a master percussionist from Senegal. Together they created a fusion of jazz, blues and funk with a twist of electronic and West African influences. DJ Logic joined in and brought their sound to a whole new level.
It is impossible to catch all the music on Jam Cruise due to scheduling overlap, human needs, and other fun distractions along the way to the next show. We knew what was next though, moe. I was excited to see what they had in store for us back out on the Pool Deck Stage. Moe. has refined their style and sound over the past 30 years while using their creative prowess to keep their fans engaged. Their ability to improvise and span across many genres is incredible to watch and listen to. I am a fan of Jim Loughlin’s incorporation of xylophone and percussion. I particularly enjoyed their song, “Mexico” and their invite of Daniel Donato up on stage with them. When “Okayalright” was played, the entire pool deck joined in the singalong knowing everything was going to be okay, and more (moe.) than alright.
We took a breather with some food and self care back in our room before heading back out. We caught the end of The Magic Beans on the Brews at Sea Stage and watched them work their magic with their neo-jams. When they were done, all we had to do was turn in the opposite direction and we were facing the Pool Deck Stage again. We made our way up to our spot, we called it the ‘kiddie pool,’ stage left, for Tauk Moore ft. The Horn Section and they gave us a rockin’ good time. TAUK has been on a tour run with Kanika Moore, lead vocalist of Doom Flamingo to create a high energy and soulful fusion with what TAUK does best, rock. Their collaboration of soul, rock, and funk paired with The Horn Section, left it a show not to be missed. Kanika’s voice and energy is iconic.
We stayed as long as we could but I knew The New Mastersounds were already playing in the Pantheon Theater. I had to catch the end of their set. It was good that most bands that overlapped another would at least start later and end later. There were times where we had to make the decision to watch the first half of one band and the second half of another. The New Mastersounds were no exception. After not being in the states for years, we were eager to see what they had in store for us. It was mere days ago that I had the privilege of seeing The New Mastersounds on their returning tour at WhipperSnap Music Fest along with Cool Cool Cool and other artists who were featured on Jam Cruise 20. I couldn’t get enough. It was 3:30 a.m. now, and The Black and White Lounge was the move, otherwise known as the ‘Jam Room,’ for Georges Porter Jr. & LEBO’s hosted jam. We closed down the lounge in our loungewear. Jammin’ in our pjs was a great way to get comfortable and cozy with the ship and all our mates for the first night.
We had a ‘day at sea’ the following day, the first day of JC20. Jam Cruise offers plenty of activities during the daytime with all-you-can-eat soft serve ice cream, brews at sea, drum clinics, yoga, scavenger hunts, arts and crafts, kickball, costume contests, wellness clinics, bingo & more! The weather was beautiful. It was a perfect day for our Garden Party. My partner in crime and I kicked the day off with flowers and sunshine on the Pool Deck with J & The Causeways. They brought the energy we were all feeling with their soulful lyrics and sassy horn section. Jordan Anderson’s voice is everything you want it to be and more. Jelly, vocalist of Galactic, joined for a few songs in the true spirit of the jam. No matter who was singing you could feel that true NOLA style in every song.
Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country was up next on the Pool Deck. By now more of the jamily had joined our Garden Party on deck as little flowers and insects were sprouting up everywhere. Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country’s songs’ melodic and rhythmic twang seemed to match the wind as it was picking up. Small droplets of water began blowing sideways. The cosmic band kept playing and gaining momentum. The stage crew had to eventually scale the side of the speakers and take down the mermaid banners artfully designed by Jeff Wood during this set. Everyone managed to batten down the hatches and hold it together as we cruised past the storm. Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country took us on a thrilling ride. Everyone’s hair, wings, leaves, pedals, mushroom caps, gnome hats, and snail trails were blowing in the wind. The Garden Party Theme Costume Contest was next, hosted by Kanika Moore and Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph, at the Brews At Sea Stage. We had some down time after that to get ready and fueled up for the rest of the evening.
We met back up in the kiddie pool at the Pool Deck for Cimafunk. They were so much fun. Their AfroCuban-Funk styles and hyped energy, had us all dancing and embracing the latin beats. Their 9-piece band from Havana showed us how to have a good time. From there, we coasted forward to the Pantheon Theatre for Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew Remain In Light. Jerry Harrison, Grammy winning keyboardist and guitarist of The Talking Heads takes the stage alongside Adrian Belew, studio guitarist for King Crimson, recorded, performed and toured with Bowie, Zappa, Talking Heads, Nine Inch Nails, and so many more. Together with Cool Cool Cool they played a killer Talking Heads set. Remain in Light kindled and ignited the crowd in a nostalgic trance and had everyone singing along to songs, “Cities,” “Psycho Killer” and more. Now it was time for Perpetual Groove on the Pool Deck. All the garden creatures were out and raging. We were riding the rails to our favorite southern psych rock heroes. It was so great to see Perpetual Groove on Jam Cruise after being a fan for over a decade and knowing they have been a part of Jam Cruise since almost the beginning.
The next show I was excited for was Eddie Roberts & The Lucky Stokes in the Golden Jazz Bar. Shelby Kemp’s Mississippi-based southern guitar style along with Tampa Bay, Florida based Galbraith sisters, makes for a rocking good time. Taylor slaying on drums and Ashley holding down the bass lines alongside Shelby Kemp and the masterful Eddie Roberts of The New Mastersounds, created a southern rock fusion quartet not to forget.
Lettuce was next in the Pantheon Theatre. Grabbed a midnight sandwich and headed that way to catch these cats tossing the garden salad we had created in the crowd with our fellow sprouts and spuds. Michael Mirele’s visuals took us to the tea party of Alice in Wonderland through otherworldly landscapes as Lettuce serenaded us into dimensions of dub and bliss. Franc Moody brought us back out to the pool deck for a funky disco dance party as we all worked on our “Dance Moves.” This London duo and their touring band had the whole ship bustin’ moves with their unique sounds and magnetic energy. My night was almost over, but I had to pop by DJ Logic’s birthday party in the Disco Lounge and followed it up with Isaac Teel and Kanika Moore in the Jam Room to top the night off.
We woke up in Montego Bay, Jamaica. My SIGT sister from another mister (Jenn) and I had the privilege of joining Positive Legacy’s efforts at Robin’s Nest Children’s Home in the mountains of St. James, Jamaica. We had an afternoon of improving road access, painting school walls, cutting back foliage, and making hula hoops with the kids. Over 30 bikes and scooters were donated to the children. Once we had completed our tasks, we concluded with a traditional meal of jerk chicken, rice and beans, and fresh squeezed papaya juice while enjoying a celebratory music jam. Matt Butler of Everyone Orchestra brought together, Pete Shand of The New Mastersounds, Alric “AC” Carter of TAUK, Karl Denson with Ricky Giordano, Daniel Donato, and more. Even some locals got up to sing and play with the ensemble. It was a wonderful way to spend our time off the ship in Jamaica. We assisted around the grounds as best we could. This non-profit raised over $33,000 to help the environmental and humanitarian efforts in this community. A Positive Legacy is such a crucial and wonderful part of Jam Cruise and its very existence, uniting people through music. “One world united in music.”
We made our way down the mountain on some of the newly resurfaced roads, back to the ship in time for Steel Pulse on the Pool Deck while we watched the sun set beside the stage over Montego Bay. It was pretty righteous. We decided to enjoy the show from the second story balcony of the pool deck as the members sang and played throughout the crowd. They ended their set with their own version of “Roll Away the Dew.” It was perfect. Once they were done, we had time to get our paint speckled and sweat drenched clothes off from our day of service, and get ready for a dazzling evening, starting with Cory Wong. The theme of the night was Zebras and the crowd had on their stripes, dancing in every direction. Cory Wong and friends put on a high energy show in their tracksuits, like they were going to outrun our herd. Petar Janic, the drummer, drove us all into a frenzy. The crowd was a daze of dazzled zebras if I ever saw one.
We meandered back to the Pool Deck for a bit of Keller Williams and a bite to eat. Heading back to our room, we caught some of The Sweet Lilles in the Atrium. The Atrium is encircled with glittering staircases on each level above us. All the jammers were garbed in their stripes, grazing over The Sweet Lillies’ harmonic folk songs and serenading strings. Thanks and praises were given to Annabel for all the hard work and effort she puts into this amazing music festival. It was one of those special moments. Then we took that sparkling staircase up to see moe. in The Pantheon Theater. This was their second set on the ship and offered a much more intimate show. We rocked it out until it was time for the next. Made our way back out to the Pool Deck to cool off for Cool Cool Cool. Their depth and variety always has the crowd dancing and singing. After some wind in our stripes we had to get over to Dumpstaphunk’s only set on the ship, back in the Pantheon. The range in harmony with the brass along with Ivan’s soulful tones and Tony’s slappin bass, took me back to NOLA for a wild, funky good time. After that, it was out to the Pool Deck for the end of Chali 2NA & Cut Chemist before hitting the watering hole for my pre-bedtime meal.
We anchored outside of Grand Cayman and made our way to the beach for some fun in the sun and crystal blue waters. We managed to get a nice tan in preparation for the unofficial theme, Neon Night. We lucked into a cabana with friends of friends from Atlanta and wound up right next to members of moe. Just a little bit of Jam Cruise magic! It is truly such a privilege to be among such talent on Jam Cruise. Whether you’re in the sand, on the deck, dancing in the elevator, or in the dining hall, you never know who you will bump into. We made it back on board with some time to spare and prepare for this evenings’ shows.
First up, The New Mastersounds on the Pool Deck. They had a plethora of guests up and kicked off the evening right. Up next, Everyone Orchestra, orchestrated by Matt Butler, and everyone was excited. Matt asked various musicians aboard the ship to join his orchestra. Members included; Duane Betts (guitar), Ivan Neville (keys), Brett MConnell (bass) Mike Dillion and Jim Loughlin on percussion, Michelangelo Carubba (drums), Nikki Glaspie (drums), Josh Schwatrz, and more! Conductor Matt Butler, had his back to us on stage and gestured towards everyone in the orchestra with a dry erase board in one hand and a baton (marker) in the other. As the songs progressed he would write notes to the musicians with key changes, dynamic additions and lyrics. With his geometric neon decorated tailcoat and top hat, Matt Butler led the Everyone Orchestra into the lyrics, “How Lucky are We?” Soon the crowd was glowing even brighter, embracing how lucky we truly are to be here, with everyone, on this boat in the middle of the sea moving and grooving to this improvised orchestra of talent, as happy as could be.
We made it in time for the second half of Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe on the upper deck of the Pool Deck Stage and enjoyed catching some sea breeze with friends while Karl’s smooth sax and occasional flute had us all feeling good. So good, that we took a beat to recharge and eat before coming back out to the Pool Deck for Galactic. They threw down right off rip and ended with Jelly singing “Highway to Hell.” There was a moment where I felt the whole ship on that highway with me. Then we were off to see the rest of Franc Moody while we could. We zipped back over to a very crowded and luminous Pantheon Theater and got to experience their energy up close and personal. While their setlist was rearranged from their first set in the week, we couldn’t get enough of their feel good sounds in songs like “Dopamine,” “Charge Me Up” and “Dream in Color.” Their song “Dance Moves,” will forever be ingrained in my head. Franc Moody’s members’ distinct and colorful mohawks matched the electric and neon energy in the room. The boys were eventually brought to the stage floor by their final song, “Dance Moves,” as the keyboardist mashed the keys with his feet and the guitarist was sprawled out on the ground allowing the guitar to make whatever sounds it pleased. We all needed a breather after that performance.
Next stop was at the Brews at Sea Stage for Proxima Parada, meaning “next stop” in Portuguese. They brought a light hearted and indie vibe to the ship. It was a refreshing stop in our musical ventures of the evening. The main goal was to make it to the Purple Party: A Tribute to the Music of Prince at 1:45 a.m. We made it, and boy did they not disappoint. Featuring members of the Magic Beans, Cool Cool Cool, and more, this Prince tribute kept us dancing the rest of the night away.
The morning of day 5 on Jam Cruise 20 on the MSC Divina was bitter sweet, it was the final day. My cabin mates and I were sure to pack and gear up for disembarkation before making our way out to the pool deck for Lebo’s Yacht Rock. We got the tail end of the Brews at Sea IPA of the day, and enjoyed some soft serve ice cream with the Butlers’ on their honeymoon before making our way to the Positive Legacy Silent Auction. So many goodies were displayed and ready to be bid on. Many of them were made by Jam Cruisers who donated their talents, time and efforts for the cause. Tickets and other items were donated by the musicians. It was fun to watch. I enjoyed seeing many happy jammers raise money for a great cause. Once the bidding was over, it was time to get into character for Jam Cruise 20’s last official theme, TV Characters. We made our way back out to the Pool Deck for Mike D’s Super Jam. This was the jams of all jams. Annabel, or better known as Sally O Malley from an SNL skit, welcomed Mike D and his hand picked band to the stage. They started with Taylor Galbraith on drums, Eddie Roberts on guitar, a fabulous horn section and of course Mike D doing his thing on the xylophone and percussion. Other musicians who jammed included Stanton Moore, Eric Krasno, Harry Waters, Jim Loughlin, Nikki Glaspie, Karl Denson, and more. Featuring songs by Ween, “Bananas & Blow”, and “It’s Gonna be a Long Night” we all knew that it probably would be a long night. Mike D’s Super Jam ended with “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” sung by Harry Waters, Roger Waters of Pink Floyd’s, son. It was a special way to commemorate the last night on Jam Cruise.
We had the privilege to hear from Steel Pulse again in the Pantheon, reliving our reggae and island vibes of the week. After that, Perpetual Groove was at the Black and White Lounge. Long time fans were there to indulge perpetually in their groove. P Groove invited Ansley Stwewart, Daniel Donato, Duane Betts, and Jonathan Lloyd on trombone throughout their set on songs like, “Too Close to the Sun,” “Walkin in Place” and “Diggin in the Dirt.” It was such a great show and everything felt so right.
We celebrated our fan-dom with a classic Black and White Lounge mirror selfie with the set list. We grabbed some food and did a little selfcare before making it back out to the Pool Deck for Lotus. I was only at Lotus briefly, it was hard to leave, but I had to make it back into the Pantheon Theater for Galactic’s last show. Everyone was embracing their TV character’s as much as we were embracing Galactic’s tight and syncopated energy. I was thoroughly satisfied. Now, there was only one thing left to do; end the night in the Jam Room with Marc Brownstien (of the Disco Biscuits) and Chali 2na. Chali 2na’s towering stature made us all feel a little closer as we closed out Jam Cruise 20 with some funk and hip-hop with Adam Deitch crushing the beats. It was the cherry on top of this delicious treat of a music festival.
We were up bright and early the next day. Some of us choose not to bother with sleep. Disembarkation started at 7a.m. We were all moving slowly, but mostly because we just didn’t want to leave. We were well taken care of by Jam Cruise, Cloud 9, the musicians, the crew, the staff, and our jamily. It was hard to say goodbye. The past 5 days had been filled with so many great shows, good fun, and lifelong friends. Of all the Shows I Go To, Jam Cruise offers an experience that you have to live through, in order to appreciate what us jammers will do, for some of the best shows to go to.
It was a pleasure to join the jamily again and a privilege to spread the word about Shows I Go To.
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Jamcruise 20 Festival Review by Christina Wright /// @christinathefashionista /// @showsigoto
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- The Commission Beer Chamber
- Kingfish Records (Clearwater)
- Nora's Sugar Shack!
- Park Ave CDs
- Montgomery Drive Presents
- RT-Art Printing
- The Mary Jane 'High-Quality' Art Gallery
- The Owl's Attic Vintage Shop
- Broken Strings Brewery
- American Combat Club
- Lazy Moon Pizza
- Ten10 Brewing
- Leguminati
- Mutiny Ocala
- The Tipsy Skipper
- Conrad's Beer Shanty
- AKT Shirt Printing
- Smartpunk Records & Shop
- No Clubs Presents
- DaddyKool Records
- Galactic G Skateshop