Jazz Cruises Conversations

About Jazz Cruises Conversations

Jazz Cruises Conversations invites you to escape to the high seas for the most intimate and candid conversations in music. Go beyond the stage for full-length interviews with the biggest names in jazz and smooth jazz, recorded live on the world's premier floating music festivals. Guided by veteran host Lee Mergner (and other musicians, comedians, and on-board talent), hear legends open up about their careers, creative process, and lives on the road, all recorded exclusively on sailings of The Jazz Cruise, Blue Note at Sea, Botti at Sea, and The Smooth Jazz Cruise. Mergner and his crew’s knowledgeable perspectives ensure these aren't just chats—they are engaging, entertaining, and truly informative deep dives into the music. --- Signature Cruise Experiences is the Gold Standard for Charter Theme Cruises since 2001. In that time, we have produced over 100 full ship theme charters, most of which featured a significant music theme and top performers. Our goal has been to present the very best musicians possible and do so with authenticity and professionalism. Our music venues are the best at sea and our sound production is Performing Art Center quality. Nothing but the best for our talent which translates to the very best for our guests.

Publisher

Lee Mergner

Category

music · music · music

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

20 Mar 2019

Latest episode

5 May 2026

Latest episodes

116 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   5 May 2026

   Brass, Voice & Vision: Bria Skonberg & Benny Benack III in Conversation

   Bria Skonberg has a confession: she's releasing two albums this year, one all-trumpet and one all-vocal, partly because she still hasn't figured out how to make the two coexist. "I'm always trying to find or write material that highlights them both in their best light," she says in this wide-ranging conversation with fellow trumpeter-vocalist Benny Benack III, recorded live aboard The Jazz Cruise. The two have toured together, finished each other's sentences, and find themselves facing versio...

2. 

   27 Apr 2026

   Jeff Hamilton & John Pizzarelli: Tales From the Road

   No moderator required. John Pizzarelli and Jeff Hamilton have been friends since 1984, and it shows — in the stories they finish for each other, the ones they've clearly been waiting to tell, and the ones that arrive sideways in the middle of something else entirely. This Season 7 opener, recorded live on The Jazz Cruise 2026, is the kind of conversation that could only happen when two people have shared enough bandstands to stop performing for each other. Hamilton takes you back to his first...

3. 

   23 Dec 2025

   Beyond the Cheeks: Sean Jones & Brinae Ali Revisit the Genius of Gillespie

   Recorded live on the Journey of Jazz cruise, this episode of Jazz Cruises Conversations features an in-depth discussion on the legendary Dizzy Gillespie. Host Lee Mergner is joined by trumpeter Sean Jones and tap artist Brinae Ali to explore Dizzy’s physical trademarks, his deep spirituality, and his enduring influence on the evolution of jazz. Key Takeaways The Myth of the Bent Trumpet: Sean Jones clarifies that while the most common story is that Dizzy sat on his instrument, the signature u...

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.