[Dixielandjazz] on board music

[Jim Kashishian]

I just recently had a 2 week break from gigs, and took advantage of a last
minute special deal on a Mediterranean cruise out of Barcelona for a week
with my wife.  High speed (300 K/180mph) train ride from my home in Madrid,
and we were aboard a very large cruise ship...the Norwegian Epic.  
 
The night life on this ship was fantastic, with live music in 7 different
rooms simultaneously every night. This is unusual, as there is usually only
the large theater, plus one or two dance spots, plus a solo pianist
somewhere on most ships.  This ship even had two bowling alleys and a
restaurant open 24 hrs. 
 
What was a very a great success on one night in the ship's atrium was the
house band (piano, bass, drums, trumpet, and sax) playing what was
advertised as Dixieland Jazz...get your New Orlean's fix!.  
 
The area was jam packed, which pleased me greatly.  Love to see people make
a special effort to come out and listen to our style of jazz!  They did, and
they stayed for the complete two sets from 9pm to 11pm.  The band played
some classics, but then went on to a lighter style backing a girl singer.  I
preferred the band on its own, although she was very good.  Nevertheless, it
was all very swinging & very well done.  The arrangements were written (this
WAS the house band, not a dedicated jazz band), but their improvisations
were good, and very much within the style.  There was a dancefloor.
 
Also on this ship was Blue Man Group in the main theater, which is a major,
big city show.  It is very loud, but a very good loud show based on
percussion & a sort of avant guarde slapstick.  There is some very clever
trombone-like tubes that are played with drumsticks.  Excellent show (find
them on YouTube), but not something everyone likes.  You had to pre-book
your seat (although it was free), as there were 4,500 guests on board!
 
My wife particularly liked a Beatles imitating group out of the U.K.  There
was also an outdoor ABBA show with a stage built over one of the swimming
pools, which my wife enjoyed.  After having seen the recent film, I'm even
becoming a fan!   :>
 
There was an interesting combination in one room of 2 baby grand pianos & 3
pianists.  They played a cozy room practically every nite from 10pm to
1:30am non-stop!  They did this by rotating the spare pianist on bass, or
drums, or taking a break.  All 3 musicians played everything on stage, so
sometimes you would have a full rhythm section, or drums or bass with two
pianos, or just two pianos (when one was on a break).  An excellent idea to
keep the show rolling during 3 and a half hours.  All 3 also sang, and the
setup was that anyone could come up and put a request on the piano.  They
would constantly move the bits of papers around, choosing one or the other.
When one pertained more to the style of the other guy, it would get screwed
up and tossed over to him!  Very funny.  They could play anything & whatever
style.  A lot of the songs were sung by the fully crowded bar along with the
performers.  A very hot show.  Certainly not for the pruidish or those that
don't like full volume, in your face music....or, those that like to go to
bed early!
 
Back home again and still rocking...a bit from all the music, and a bit from
the movement of the ship!  Was up every nite until 1am, and up in the
mornings at 6am for shore excursions.  Hope to get a bit of rest this week!
:>
 
Jim