According to recent statistics, cruising has become one of the most popular forms of recreation, particularly for Americans. Apparently people are flocking to cruises as a means of holiday relaxation and excitement.
I was contracted by entertainment impresario Hank O'Neal to take a cruise on the QE2 last November (1999), before she was due to go into dry dock for refurbishment. Because of the way my schedule turned out, I was able to appear at Lincoln Center on November 1st to receive an award on behalf of Norman Granz, then catch a flight the following morning to Miami to board the ship for its cruise to the Canary Islands, Madeira and on to Southampton. The cruise was set up as a tribute to Clark Terry, who needs no introduction here.Featured on the cruise were various artists in the Jazz world – Nicholas Payton, Monty Alexander, Carol Sloane, Etta Jones, Junior Mance, Jimmy Heath and many others, including, of course, the honoree, Clark Terry. My quartet included Niels-Henning Pedersen on bass, and Ulf Wakenius on guitar.

I must say at this point that these cruises perform one very important function that most people might not think of. And that is the luxury of getting to renew friendships that have suffered from the separation that travelling forces on all of us roadrunners in the Jazz industry. For us who are playing them, these affairs serve as a celebration and renewal of treasured friendships.

Of course it's also wonderful to hear each other perform, something we also don't get to do often enough. I was slated to do a concert on one of the evenings with my quartet and, because of the way the scheduling worked out, I was able to drop in on the various other players and their performances. I had the opportunity of hearing Monty Alexander in a solo role and thoroughly enjoyed it. Monty, to my way of thinking, is a multi-talented player, and because of this has performed in various capacities throughout his career, sometimes as a trio leader, other times as a leader of a Caribbean-type ensemble, and at other moments as a member of someone else's group. But I must say that hearing his solo performance one evening here gave me yet another perspective on Monty's playing. I found him to be harmonically introspective and melodically respectful of the selections he chose to perform, bringing a new and fresh concept to the performance of what we choose to call “standards”. I particularly recall a breathtakingly beautiful interpretation of Johnny Mandel's “Close Enough for Love,” a song that is performed all too seldom in the Jazz world. Monty's rendition moved me so much that I decided on the spot to add this incredible ballad to my repertoire.

I went into the theatre one evening to listen to Clark Terry and his group, and was coerced into, – if you can believe this – singing “Route 66” with his band! Clark jived that, since my undying love for Nat Cole is well known, he had every right to yank me on stage to do that number with him.

Being on one of these Jazz cruises is akin to wandering through a Jazz supermarket. To be able to have this kind of musical menu presented to you nightly is almost unbelievable.

I went in to listen to Etta Jones one evening, and was musically reminded of her greatness as a Jazz vocalist. Her interpretation and celebration of the various tunes in her repertoire thrilled the listening audience who, along with yours truly, sat there in total rapture soaking up the incredible talent that she exuded. Along with Etta, we were treated to some wonderful (my type of saxophone) tenor playing by Houston Person, who served to further enhance the evening's enjoyment with his musical accompaniment, lines and solos with Etta. I was so moved by this experience that I am hoping that if fate is kind to me, I will have the opportunity of recording with Etta and Houston.

It would be impossible in this brief space to recall all of the wonderful music that took place on that cruise. But I must say something about the atmosphere. The feeling aboard was peaceful and friendly, a truly wonderful Jazz atmosphere that I remembered I had also found on the few other Jazz cruises I had done in the past. These are people, speaking of the audience, who are truly Jazz aficionados, who have come on board to be near to the music that they love, and the people that they admire who play it. I am looking forward to my next opportunity to do another Jazz cruise whenever my schedule permits. I heartily recommend it to any devoted Jazz lovers who want to be able to enjoy the music in a truthful and believable atmosphere. I know I did.

©2000 Oscar Peterson