Photos: Birdland Jazz Club Sets Sail on the Jazz Cruise '26

The Jazz Cruise '26 put out to sea on January 27 and brought together 100 of the most highly acclaimed and celebrated musicians on the planet for the sail. Also on board was one of the most knowledgeable and appreciative audiences we’ve ever encountered filling the totally booked Celebrity Summit’s Staterooms. Started in 2001 by travel agent Anita E. Berry and now headed by her son Michael Lazaroff, the week has been an exciting musical adventure for us, attending performances and hanging with these super stars of the Jazz world during breakfast, lunch, and dinner. ( Guitarist extraordinaire John Pizzarelli is not only funny on stage, watch out if you encounter him at the breakfast buffet or hosting his Pizza making class). Emmet Cohen the Cruise Host is a multifaceted jazz pianist and composer and is one of this generation’s pivotal artistic figures. Downbeat praised the “nimble touch, measured stride and warm harmonic vocabulary” he employs to communicate with other musicians and audiences at what he terms “the deepest level of humanity and individuality.”  His personality and muscianship provided the perfect energy for an inspiring week at sea.

Gianni Valenti, owner of Birdland, presents great music at his legendary club on 44th Street in NYC but you should See the shows he hosts at Sea during the Birdland segments of the cruise. Titled “Tonight’s Voice of Birdland” and “Birdland on The Jazz Cruise”, they are the late and late late shows on the Jazz Cruise’s extensive performance schedule and discussion events. The camaraderie between entertainers and audiences is unique, with land based performer stage presence formalities thrown to the wind as artists and fans interact with each other during the shows. The joy of excellent musicianship and entertainment are shared 24/7 by all on board. Sideman are cheered by audiences akin to crowd reaction when Baseball players are introduced at All-Star Games, and just as football players after scoring a touch down are saluted, musicians get high-fived and fist bumped by band members during the final notes of their jazz solos. Virtuosity, improvisational prowess, spellbinding vocal agility, and yes, even key and tempo changes are cheered by the savvy jazz passenger fans who completely fill the seats at the numerous performance venues on the ship.

The musicianship on Jazz Cruise '26 overflowed with a dazzling abundance of talent with most folks re-booking for The Jazz Cruise '27 before the ship returned to port. Enjoy these photos of the Birdland segments (my home court) They are just the “tip of the iceberg” (oops, wrong idiom). The final All-Star Jam Session lasted well into the morning hours and was an historic musical event. Sorry not to discuss all the shows during the week but here is a list of “passengers” who participated on Jazz Cruise '26: Emmet Cohen (Host), Ron Carter, Paquito D’Rivera, Chucho Valdès, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Monty Alexander, Houston Person, Kurt Elling, Catherine Russel (Event Host) , John Pizzarelli, Jessica Molaskey, Jeff Hamilton, Anat Cohen, Janis Siegel, Veronica Swift, Matthew Whitaker, Randy Brecker, James Morrison, Sean Jones, Terell Stafford, Bria Skonberg, Benny Benadc lll, Bigon Watson, Eddie Allen, Eric Marienthal (Music Director), Ken Peplowski, Gary Smulyan, Ted Nash, Camille Thurman, Godwin Louis, Troy Roberts, Alexa Tarantino, Jimmy Greene, Ada Rovatti, Rickey Woodard, Wycliffe Gordon, John Allred, Mariel Bildsten, Michael Dease, Juliane Gralle, Shelly Berg (Artistic Director), Renee Rosnes, Benny Green, Mathis Picard, Tadataka Unno, Vitor Goncalvez, Julius Rodriguez, Ben Paterson, Lafayette Harris, John Clayton, Nicki Parrot, Reuben Rodgers, Jon Hamar, Mike Karn, Philip Norris, Luke Sellick, Clark Sommers, Tal Ronen, Matthew Parrish, Lewis Nash, Herlin Riley, Joe Farnsworth, Kyle Poole, Payton Crossley, Marcus Finnie, James Shipp Jason Brown, Domo Branch, Vincent Ector, Dan Wilson, Matt Munisteri, Tal Mashiach, Niki Haris.

Emmet Cohen & Gianni Valenti

Michael Lazaroff

John Pizzarelli

John Pizzarelli & Gianni Valenti

John Pizzarelli

John Pizzarelli

Gianni Valenti & Dee Dee Bridgewater

Gianni Valenti & Dee Dee Bridgewater

Dee Dee Bridgewater

Dee Dee Bridgewater

Dee Dee Bridgewater

Gianni Valenti & Veronica Swift

Benny Benack lll, Veronica Swift, Mathis Picard

Veronica Swift

Mathis Picard & Veronica Swift

Emmet COhen & Veronica Swift

Shelly Berg & Veronica Swift

Kurt Elling & Veronica Swift

Janis Siegel & Gianni Valenti

Janis Siegel

Veronica Swift & Janis Siegel

Emmet Cohen & Mathis Picard

Emmet Cohen

Mathis Picard & Emmet Cohen

The Jazz Cruise 26'

Emmet Cohen & Bria Skonberg

Isabella Leonardo, Gianni Valenti, Anat Cohen

Benny Benack lll

Benny Benack lll

Benny Benack lll

The Jazz Cruise 26'

Benny Benack lll & Emmet Cohen

Camille Thurman

Camille Thurman

Jeff Hamilton & John Pizzarelli

Jeff Hamilton & John Pizzarelli

John Pizzarelli

Isabella Leonardo & Gianni Valenti

Eda Sorokoff, Isabella Leonardo, Bria Skonberg

Herlin Riley Quintet

Emmet Cohen & Benny Benack lll

Gianni Valenti & Anat Cohen

Anat Cohen