THE NINTH ANNUAL JAZZ PARTY AT SEA

NOVEMBER 15--22,2009

   Aboard Norwegian Lines M/S Norwegian Jewel

This years Jazz Cruise will be sailing round-trip from Miami to Roatan, Bay Islands; Belize City, Belize; Costa Maya, Mexico; Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas

ARTISTS APPEARING:

CYRUS CHESTNUT TRIO: Everybody asks "When is Cyrus coming back?", so we invited this wonderful pianist and his trio and they said "Yes". Cyrus began playing the piano at the age of five and soon progressed to playing at the Baptist church of his hometown in Maryland. He attended the prestigious Berklee College of Music and was awarded the Eubie Blake Fellowship, the Quincy Jones Scholarship and the Oscar Peterson Scholarship consecutively! Cyrus formed an association with Betty Carter who told him to "take chances" and "play things I have never heard"; well he certainly does that. He writes brilliant tunes and plays gospel from his soul. We know you will love this trio.

BENNY GOLSON QUARTET: Multi-talented and internationally famous jazz legend, Benny is a composer, arranger, lyricist, producer and tenor saxophonist of world note. Benny is one of the few musicians who can claim to be a true innovator and can boost a performing and recording career that literally redefines the term "jazz". Benny has written 8 standards for jazz repertoire, he has recorded over 30 albums, written numerous TV and film scores and he has also composed and arranged music for: Count Basie, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Sammy Davis Jr, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, George Shearing........ the list goes on and on. He has been honored with many Doctorates, lectures extensively and still has some time to play for us. We are very proud and honored!

DR. LONNIE SMITH TRIO: Lonnie is considered by many to be the world's top jazz organist, he also plays piano but it's his association with his Hammond B3 that makes him renown. His mother was the major musical influence in his childhood. He then formed a long-term partnership with George Benson on guitar, however he has now produced over 30 albums under his own name. In 1967, he met Lou Donaldson and they recorded many albums for Blue Note. Lonnie has also performed at prominent Jazz Festivals with Grover Washington Jr., Ron Carter, Dizzy Gillespie and of course Lou Donaldson. He has also played with many greats outside jazz; Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight, Etta James. He calls himself "Doctor" and wears a turban to all his shows for "No Particular Reason". We have every reason to welcome him back - he is wonderful!

DONALD HARRISON QUARTET: Donald played saxophone with Art Blakey's Jazz messengers in the 80's and co-led a group with fellow New Orleanian Terence Blanchard for many years. He is being called "one of the most important musicians of the new millennium" by CBS. He is the originator of the Nouveau Swing Style, which is the freshest thing to come out of New Orleans in years. He produces, writes, sings and plays many different instruments. His playing credits include: Roy Haynes, Jack McDuff, McCoy Tyner, Nat Adderley, Miles Davis and Lena Horne, the list is endless. Through his talent, Donald has developed into one of the most significant artists to emerge in the last 20 years.

ERIC ALEXANDER: Boasting a warm, finely burnished tone and a robust melodic and harmonic imagination, tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander has been exploring new musical worlds from the outset. He started out on piano as a six-year-old, took up clarinet at nine, switched to alto sax when he was 12, and converted to tenor when jazz became his obsession during his one year at the University of Indiana, Bloomington (1986-87). At William Paterson College in New Jersey he advanced his studies under the tutelage of Harold Mabern, Joe Lovano, Rufus Reid, and others. "The people I listened to in college are still the cats that are influencing me today," says Alexander. "Monk, Dizzy, Sonny Stitt, Clifford Brown, Sonny Rollins, Jackie McLean, Joe Henderson--the legacy left by Bird and all the bebop pioneers, that language and that feel, that's the bread and butter of everything I do. Eric has appeared in many capacities on record, including leader, sideman, producer as well as composing a number of the tunes he records. By now, Alexander has lost count of how many albums feature his playing; he guesses 60 or 70. While he has garnered critical acclaim from every corner, what has mattered most has been to establish his own voice within the illustrious bop-based jazz tradition.

Grace Kelly Quintet: Having studied saxophone since the age of ten, she is rapidly making her way up in the jazz music world. Grace's talents far outstrip others her age. Now just sixteen, Grace has already recorded and/or performed with many notable musicians including: Lee Konitz, Phil Woods, Dave Brubeck, Hank Jones, Wynton Marsalis, Marian McPartland, Harry Connick, Jr., Russell Malone, Rufus Reid, and many others. Grace began her musical career with classical piano lessons at age six, but soon changed to jazz because she had the propensity not to stick to the notes on the page but wanted to make up her own melodies. Grace wrote her first song "On My Way Home" at age seven. After sitting in with her at a jazz fest, Phil Woods said, "I gave her my hat! That is how good she sounded!". She is the first alto player to get one. Hooray for the future of jazz and the alto

Bobby Watson Quintet with Terell Stafford, Larry Willis, Curtis Lundy and Eric Kennedy: A saxophonist, composer, producer and educator, Bobby Watson has been a first-call musician for nearly three decades. He is immensely talented and has recorded more than 100 original compositions. He was the musical director the Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, the group, created in 1955 by late drummer, who died in 1990, showcased a rotating cast who eventually became consistent members of a who?s who of modern jazz. After completing his tenure as a Jazz Messenger (1977-1981), the gifted Watson became a much-sought after musician, working along the way with a potpourri of notable musicians, peers, elder statesmen and colleagues including, but not limited to: drummers Max Roach and Louis Hayes, fellow saxophonists George Coleman and Branford Marsalis, celebrated multi-instrumentalist Sam Rivers and trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. In addition to working with a variety of instrumentalists, Watson has served in a supporting roll for a number of distinguished and stylistically varied vocalists including: Joe Williams, Dianne Reeves, Lou Rawls, Betty Carter, and Carmen Lundy. Welcome aboard!

Deborah Brown: This sensational Kansas City born singer has literally wowed the world with her magnificent voice. It seems there isn't a country Deborah has not toured in. She has recorded 11 albums as leader and featured in numerous other recordings as special guest soloist. She has bowled us over at previous Annual Jazz Parties At Sea and is back with that wonderful big voice and great sense of humor. She has sung and recorded with Clark Terry, The Basie Band, Ed Thigpen, Benny Golson etc. She has been known for her late night jam sessions aboard the ship - what a gal, Welcome back Deborah!

Mike Kocour: Pianist Michael Kocour was born and raised in the Chicago area. He received his bachelor's degree in mathematics from the University of Illinois in 1985 and went on to a Master's degree in music theory at Northwestern. Throughout his teaching career in Chicago, Kocour cultivated a career as an in-demand pianist, working with artists such as James Moody, Benny Golson, Ira Sullivan and Dizzy Gillespie. Kocour also performed around town as a Hammond B3 player, and maintained a regular trio called Monk's Dream with pianist Steve Million and drummer Robert Shy. In 2004, Kocour left his familiar stomping grounds of Chicago to take over as director of Jazz Studies at the Herberger College of Fine Arts at Arizona State University. We are pleased to welcome him back.

Joel Spencer: Not a first time participant on the Annual Jazz Party At Sea, Joel Spencer has been a Professional Musician and Music Educator for the past 25 years. Joel has performed with a number of internationally known jazz artists in Chicago and throughout the world. These appearances have included such artists as Weather Report alumnus Wayne Shorter, David Liebman, Hank Jones, Cedar Walton, Clark Terry, Michael Feinstein, Cissy Houston, the Red Rodney Quintet, Joe Williams, Scott Hamilton, John Campbell, Dorothy Donegan, the Count Basie Band, Wynton Marsalis, Benny Golson, and pianist/conductor Daniel Barenboim of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. While Spencer is predominately recognized for his career accomplishments as a jazz artist and recording musician, his career has not been limited to performance only. Joel has always maintained a very active schedule as an educator and clinician while pursuing his career as a performer.

Kelly Sill: Kelly Sill has worked for over 30 years in the Chicago area as a house bassist for Rick`s Cafe Americain, George`s, The Jazz Showcase, Pop`s, and The Green Mill. His concert venues include the Chicago Jazz Festival, Ravinia, the Red Sea Jazz Festival, the Elkhart Jazz Festival, and Orchestra Hall in Chicago. Kelly has performed with a number of notable musicians, Hank Jones, Woody Shaw, Dave Liebman, Snooky Young, Cedar Walton, Red Rodney, Eddie Harris, Johnny Hartman, Tommy Flanagan, Joe Henderson, Billy Eckstine, Don Menza, Clark Terry, Ruth Brown, Red Holloway, and Ira Sullivan, just to name a few. He returns to grace our Annual Jazz Party At Sea stage once again.

Phil Woods This dynamic, world revered saxophonist, flutist in fact nearly all wind instruments, is back again by public demand. Phil is also a composer, arranger, bandleader and jazz genius. He is now writing his own compositions, so you can be some of the first to hear them. Not only is Phil an award winning performer but one of the best entertainers you will see in a long while. Phil is a huge fan of our young phenomena Grace Kelly. Watch out for these two!

Paulinho Garcia Born in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Paulinho began his musical career at the age of 9 he was singing in a Sunday children's show for the city's principle radio station. Until his arrival in the US in 1979 he performed and produced his own radio commercials, four of which received national awards. After his move to Chicago, he was the recipient of the "Best Jazz Entertainer" award for the year 2001 by the Chicago Music Awards. Paulinho has toured the world and performed for us before with Greg Fishman, Two For Brazil. We are delighted he is joining us this year; he will be performing tracks from his new CD's "Tempo Feliz" and "Two for Brazil Goes to the Movies". His voice is like silk.

JUNIOR MANCE TRIO this well loved pianist is known for his soulful, bluesy style, but he is also excellent at playing bop standards. He has been playing professionally since he was ten. He has played with the who's who in jazz but in the early 60's he formed his own trio and has been a leader ever since. Junior has been inducted into "The Jazz Hall of Fame", which is indeed well deserved. Junior will feature Jackie Williams on drums. We can't wait to welcome this charming gentleman back to our 8th Annual Jazz Party At Sea.

DANA HALL We should use his full title, Professor Dana Hall. This wonderful drummer and jazz educator has been dominant on the international music scene since the early 90's. The artists that Dana has performed, recorded and toured with are extensive. To name but a few: Ray Charles, Branford Marsalis, Betty Carter, Slide Hampton, Joe Williams, Bud Shank, the Woody Herman Orchestra, Mulgrew Miller, Roy Hargrove and our own Phil Woods. He is also a member of the Terell Stafford Quintet and Music Director of the Chicago Jazz Ensemble amongst many other institutions. He is absolutely world class and we are very honored to welcome him to our 9th Annual Jazz Party At Sea.

Larry Gray demonstrates an impressive versatility and an uncommon musical curiosity. Originally a jazz guitarist, Larry switched to the double bass and quickly developed a reputation as a first-call sideman. Larry is an arranger and composer whose Discography include Solo + Quartet on Premonition Records, Gravity, a solo bass record on Graywater Records, the Ramsey Lewis and Nancy Wilson collaborations Meant to Be and Simple Pleasures, and the latest release by the Ramsey Lewis Trio, Time Flies, all on Narada/Virgin Records. Larry also arranged and produced the critically acclaimed CD, Django by Ferro.

Stu Katz Our own lovable Lawyer by day and musician by night is back playing piano and vibes. This versatile and charismatic man has appeared many times at the best venues in the US including the Jazz Showcase. We are extremely happy to welcome him back.

(760)835-9672
P.O. Box 968
Oceanside, CA 92049
janice@windrosecruises.com
(Please Note Address Change)