Jazz Cruises Conversations

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110: Remembering Ella Fitzgerald & Oscar Peterson w/Cecile McLorin Salvant, Sullivan Fortner & Kelly Peterson Nov 25, 2025

Show notes

This episode, from a Jazz on Film session on the Journey of Jazz cruise, features an engaging discussion about the legacies of Ella Fitzgerald and Oscar Peterson with guests Cecile McLorin Salvant, Sullivan Fortner and Kelly Peterson, Oscar’s widow.

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Episode 110 of Jazz Cruises Conversations, is drawn from a "Jazz on Film" session on the Journey of Jazz Cruise. This session focuses on the lives, careers, and close relationship of Ella Fitzgerald and Oscar Peterson. The episode features the reading of a poem Oscar Peterson wrote about Ella, and includes audio excerpts from Oscar Peterson's 1980 BBC television show where he interviewed and performed with Ella Fitzgerald.
Following the clips, Lee Mergner hosts a post-screening discussion with vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant, pianist Sullivan Fortner, and Kelly Peterson (Oscar Peterson's widow), exploring the profound influence and dynamic between these two greats.

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Key Takeaways

Oscar Peterson's Dedication: The episode includes the reading of a poem Oscar Peterson wrote about Ella Fitzgerald, emphasizing her voice as "quite beyond belief". The voice reading the poem is identified as Christian McBride.
The 1981 Interview: The discussion includes audio from Oscar Peterson's television show appearance with Ella, recorded in 1981 when Ella was 64 years old. During this segment, Ella and Oscar perform "Mellow Tone," "Baby Won't You Please Come Home," and the Vincent Youmans tune, "More Than You Know".

Ella's Early Career: Ella Fitzgerald reveals that she initially wanted to be a dancer. She started singing after making a bet with girlfriends to enter an amateur contest in Yonkers. She tried to sing like Connie Boswell and performed "The Object of My Affection," winning the first prize of $12.50. She later joined the Chick Webb Orchestra after an attempt to join Fletcher Henderson's band failed because she was "real skinny" and "not the glamour type".

The Song Books: Oscar Peterson notes the "almost monumental project" of her Song Books. Ella mentions that the first one, the Cole Porter song book, was completed in about three weeks. Cécile McLorin Salvant considers this project a foundational part of American music history, setting Ella apart as a "historic Mount Rushmore figure" who archived the music.

The Accompanist's Role: Sullivan Fortner explains that a good singer, like Ella, creates a "harmonic need" within the accompanist, making the players better. For an accompanist, the lyric and the message behind the song must be the priority, overriding melody, tone, and the piano player's input at the bottom.
Ella and Oscar's Relationship: Kelly Peterson describes their relationship as a deep, loving friendship. She shares the story of Oscar's famous ink spill prank on Ella's new white fur coat. Kelly also recounts the moving anecdote of Oscar wearing his heavy gold lion pendant (his "medal" given by Ella) on the day he instinctively knew she had died.

Vocal Evolution: The guests discuss the comparison between early Ella (1957 clips) and later Ella (1981), noting that while the quality of her voice changed (wider vibrato, deeper, songs in lower keys), her core concepts remained largely the same and "spot-on".

Musical Configuration: Cécile McLorin Salvant expresses a preference for the quartet configuration because it maintains the versatility and looseness of a duo setting, although she enjoys singing with

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Listen to more episodes of Jazz Cruises Conversations on Spotify, iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts. The back catalog contains more than a hundred interviews from past sailings.
Theme Music: Provided by Marcus Miller from his song "High Life" on his album Aphrodesia on Blue Note.

109: Ravi Coltrane with Marcus Miller Nov 18, 2025

Show notes

Ravi Coltrane with Marcus Miller

Marcus Miller interviews Ravi Coltrane about his musical evolution and the dual legacy of his parents, Alice and John Coltrane. This insightful and candid talk, recorded live on the Journey of Jazz cruise, covers the challenges of growing up under the shadow of a jazz icon and finding one's own voice through the music.

Key Takeaways

The episode is a conversation between host Marcus Miller and guest Ravi Coltrane, focusing on Ravi's development as a jazz saxophonist.
Ravi's father, John Coltrane, passed away in 1967 when Ravi was 2 years old, leaving Ravi to be raised by his mother, Alice Coltrane. Ravi notes that his father’s instruments are currently in his stateroom.
Ravi began his musical journey playing the clarinet throughout junior high and high school. He switched to the soprano saxophone at age 16 after his mother gave it to him for his birthday as a hint, later moving to the tenor saxophone.
Ravi did not initially feel pressure from his famous last name because, during the 1970s in the San Fernando Valley where he grew up, John Coltrane was still considered "underground" or "counter culture".
The death of Ravi’s older brother, John Jr., in an automobile accident when Ravi was 17, caused a "void" that Ravi later filled by studying his father's music. Ravi began listening to his father's records to gain answers for questions asked at parties, and through this, the music "hit" him.
Ravi worked with key members of the John Coltrane Quartet, including joining drummer Elvin Jones's band in 1991 (though he felt he was "prematurely" ready) and later working with pianist McCoy Tyner in the 2000s.
Ravi and Marcus discuss the meaning of being "ready" to perform at a high level, noting that it means being "prepared to do the job properly" and recognizing that evolution and learning are continuous processes.

Host and Guest Info

Host: Lee Mergner (introduction), Marcus Miller (interview).
Guest: Ravi Coltrane.

This talk was recorded during the Journey of Jazz cruise.

Marcus Miller provided the theme music, which is a clip from his song "High Life" on his album Aphrodesia on Blue Note.

The talk was captured by Brian Ratchkco and his production team.

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Listen to more episodes of Jazz Cruises Conversations on Spotify, iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts. The back catalog contains more than a hundred interviews from past sailings.
Theme Music: Provided by Marcus Miller from his song "High Life" on his album Aphrodesia on Blue Note.

108: Emmet Cohen with Benny Benack III Nov 11, 2025

Show notes

Pianist Emmet Cohen sits down with his longtime friend, trumpeter and singer Benny Benack III, for a conversation recorded during the recent Journey of Jazz cruise. This interview tracks Cohen's journey from a college student to becoming a celebrated artist and future host of The Jazz Cruise. Cohen discusses the inspiration behind his acclaimed "Masters Legacy Series" and the creation of his globally popular "Emmet's Place" online concert series.

Key Takeaways

The episode features an interview of pianist Emmet Cohen by his friend, Benny Benack III.

Cohen and Benack III have known each other since they were both in high school.
Cohen began his association with the cruises as part of a student group from the University of Miami's Frost School of Music, where he studied with mentor Shelly Berg.
His early performances on the cruise included playing passenger jams. He later performed with the New York Voices and the legendary drummer Jimmy Cobb (who played on Kind of Blue).
Cohen created the "Masters Legacy Series" as a concept to bring his generation closer to jazz masters, since the traditional bands of legends like Art Blakey or Miles Davis no longer existed.
The Masters Legacy Series includes five recorded albums spotlighting collaborations with elders such as Jimmy Cobb, Ron Carter, George Coleman, Benny Golson, Tudy Heath, and Houston Person.
The "Emmet's Place" online concert series began on March 20, 2020, when a gig was canceled, and the venue offered to pay his fee if he performed from his apartment.
The first concert, set up simply with an iPhone on a stack of books, garnered 40,000 views on Facebook.
Cohen felt a sense of historical continuity with the "Harlem Rent Party" tradition of the 1920s during Prohibition, which mirrored the lockdown environment.
Benack III noted that Cohen was always one step ahead in the jazz community, being the first to stream successfully with good sound and organization.
Cohen and Benack III emphasized that the future of jazz revolves around community, and being a "master musician" means uplifting others and making everyone around you sound great.
Cohen will be hosting The Jazz Cruise next year.

Host and Guest Info

Host: Benny Benack III.
Guest: Emmet Cohen.

This conversation was recorded on the Journey of Jazz cruise.

The podcast theme music is by Marcus Miller from his song "High Life" on his album Aphrodesia on Blue Note.

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Listen to more episodes of Jazz Cruises Conversations on Spotify, iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts. The back catalog contains more than a hundred interviews from past sailings.
Theme Music: Provided by Marcus Miller from his song "High Life" on his album Aphrodesia on Blue Note.

107: Wycliffe Gordon with Sean Jones Nov 04, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of Jazz Cruises Conversations, recorded live on the recent Journey of Jazz cruise, trumpeter and educator Sean Jones interviews fellow brassman Wycliffe Gordon about his remarkable life and storied career in music. Jones and Gordon share a similar background, both having Georgia roots and musical beginnings in the church and gospel tradition. The conversation covers Wycliffe Gordon's formative years, his pivotal experiences playing with Wynton Marsalis, and his successful solo career.

Key Takeaways

Early Musical Roots: Wycliffe Gordon grew up in rural Georgia, in towns like Wesboro and Augusta. His father played and studied classical music, using a reel-to-reel recorder to play music by composers like Beethoven, Mozart, Schuman, and Schubert. His introduction to hearing live music was primarily through the church, where his father played the piano and organ.
The Trombone and Jazz: Gordon was introduced to the trombone in the seventh grade (age 12). His fundamental musical syntax is rooted in the church. His introduction to jazz came around age 13 or 14 from a five-record compilation set, likely on Columbia or CBS, called an "anthology of jazz, 10 sides," which spanned from early slave chants to modern jazz. He was captivated by the music of Louis Armstrong, particularly the tune "Keyhole Blues".
High School Experience: Wycliffe Gordon participated in the McDonald's All-American High School band in the summer of 1984, his senior year. This experience offered him many "firsts," including his first time on an airplane and his first trip to New York. His future wife was also in that band, as one of the two participants from Kentucky.
Work with Wynton Marsalis: Gordon was the seventh member to join Wynton Marsalis’s Septet. Later, he was part of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (JALCO), having first dibs on a spot when the Septet disbanded in 1995.
Transition to Solo Career and Education: He left Wynton's band to pursue other things, including a teaching position at Michigan State. He started his own record company because a Blue Note executive told him that the "trombone just doesn't sell".
The Wynton Tip: Wycliffe recounts the story of meeting Wynton Marsalis during a workshop at Florida A&M, where Marsalis was impressed by his ability to quickly generate a riff based on the call-and-response tradition of the church. This led to a brief trial gig in Texas, where he was initially sent home for not being ready, but returned after dedicated practice, eventually leading to his first recording with Marsalis on Crescent City Christmas Card in 1989.
Multi-Instrumentalism: Gordon discusses playing various trombones (tenor, bass, alto) and the slide trumpet, emphasizing that the one he likes most is the one he is playing at the time. Sean Jones highlights that Wycliffe is also an amazing trumpet player, citing his tribute album, Hello Pops.
Education Philosophy: When asked about encouraging fundamentals and individuality in students, Wycliffe and Sean Jones discuss the challenge of engaging young people and fostering accountability and critical thinking skills. Sean Jones shares a story about vulnerability and emotional expression with students in the National Youth Orchestra of Jazz (NYO

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Listen to more episodes of Jazz Cruises Conversations on Spotify, iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts. The back catalog contains more than a hundred interviews from past sailings.
Theme Music: Provided by Marcus Miller from his song "High Life" on his album Aphrodesia on Blue Note.

106: Niki Haris "Lift Thine Eyes" Listening Party Oct 27, 2025

Show notes

This episode features a moving and candid listening party session with vocalist Niki Haris, recorded live during the Journey of Jazz cruise. Host Lee Mergner sets the scene as Niki plays and discusses several tracks from her deeply personal and spiritual album, Lift Thine Eyes. Niki reveals the challenging circumstances, including personal loss, her daughter’s diagnosis, and housing struggles, that led her to create this "inspirational record" as a form of self-encouragement and anchoring.

Key Takeaways

The Album's Inspiration: Niki Haris's album, Lift Thine Eyes, is described as an "inspirational record" or her "latest spiritual release," created before the pandemic. The music served to encourage Niki through personal struggles, including moving to Georgia and facing intrusive questions about her "people" at the bank, her mother's illness, her daughter's diagnosis, and losing her house after returning from a trip to Russia. The album's title references the Bible verse, "I will lift my eyes to the hills from which cometh my help and my help cometh from the Lord".
Track Spotlights:
- "Optimistic" (first track on the album) is Niki's arrangement, featuring Eric Marienthal (who is the music director for all Jazz Cruises) as the musical director and Trey Mclofflin. The song encouraged her to "keep your head to the sky".
- "It is Well with My Soul" is an arrangement by Mitch Foreman on piano. Niki shares the tragic history of the 1813 song, written by a man who lost his five daughters and home in the Chicago fires.
- "Time After Time" is a cover of the Cyndi Lauper song, chosen because a friend, Cindy Looper, used Niki's music as an opener for her tour. The song's lyrics spoke to Niki's feeling of being alone until a couple (her daughter's pediatrician's parents) stepped in to offer support, reminding her that "the universe is conspiring for your good". Eric Marienthal also played on this track.
- "I Got Lost" is an Irving Berlin song that Niki found spiritual. It features Mitchell Foreman on piano, whom Lee Mergner notes played in Wayne Shorter's electric band.
- "Just Keep Going On" is a song written by Eric Bib (the blues guy), which has a slight southern influence as Niki had moved to Augusta, Georgia.
- The final song played was the Blind Faith song (sung by Steve Winwood and featuring Eric Clapton on guitar) "Can't Find a Way to Live" (referred to as "Blind Faith song," or "In the presence" or "Find a new way to live").
Family Background: Niki’s father was the great jazz pianist Gene Harris.
Grandmother's Influence: Niki's paternal grandmother was adopted by a Jewish family in Chicago after her Native American and African-American mother passed away in a brothel in Pinebluff, Arkansas, around 1913. Her grandmother told Niki, "Everybody's my cousin," which is how Niki walks through life.
Music Career and Housing: Niki worked with pop artists for nearly 20 years, including Madonna. She has a song opening for Cyndi Lauper's final tour, and she performs dance music and other genres, in addition to jazz and gospel. Niki still maintains a home in St. Joseph Benton Harbor, Michigan (where Al Capone used to vacation) and rents out property to golfers in Michigan (near a golf course built by Jack Nicklaus) and in Augusta, Georgia, which she calls "mailbox money"

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Listen to more episodes of Jazz Cruises Conversations on Spotify, iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts. The back catalog contains more than a hundred interviews from past sailings.
Theme Music: Provided by Marcus Miller from his song "High Life" on his album Aphrodesia on Blue Note.

#105: John Clayton & Jeff Hamilton with Marcus Miller Oct 21, 2025

Show notes

This interview from the Journey of Jazz cruise was hosted by Marcus Miller, co-host of that sailing, who talked with John Clayton and Jeff Hamilton, longtime co-leaders of the Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. Their Grammy Award-winning big band performed during the cruise and the two also played with their old friend Diana Krall. Marcus talked with John and Jeff about the group's formation and long 40-year history. And he opened the floor to numerous questions from the audience.

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Listen to more episodes of Jazz Cruises Conversations on Spotify, iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts. The back catalog contains more than a hundred interviews from past sailings.
Theme Music: Provided by Marcus Miller from his song "High Life" on his album Aphrodesia on Blue Note.

#104: Sullivan Fortner with Lee Mergner Oct 14, 2025

Show notes

This episode captures a coffee talk session from the recent Journey of Jazz Cruise, where host Lee Mergner interviews the great pianist Sullivan Fortner ("Sully"). Since Fortner does not enjoy talking about himself, the interview uses prompts featuring names of influential people in his life. Fortner, an adept mimic and great storyteller, shared profound lessons from his mentors and even played the piano for the audience in the mode of Oscar Peterson.

Key Takeaways

Musical Beginnings: Fortner's mother was his first music teacher. He and his two younger sisters were "weaned on gospel music" and learned ear training by singing in three-part harmony. His father, who played trumpet in high school, taught him about responsibility.
A Stern Mentor: Fortner attended the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA). During a lesson with Ellis Marsalis, after playing "Lush Life" and making a mistake, Marsalis retrieved the sheet music, threw the chart in his face, and asked, "Any questions," ending the lesson.
The Oberlin Shift: Fortner studied at Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio. He describes the food as a "culture shock" but the experience as the best thing he could have done, as he "wasn't ready for place like New York". He had to "pretty much relearn how to play the piano" in Ohio. His teacher, Dan Wall, was his "musical father".
Learning from Masters:
- Jason Moran instructed him to focus on stride, boogie woogie, rag time, and solo piano, rather than the more common influences of Herbie Hancock or Keith Jarrett.
- Barry Harris's workshop, which he attended every Tuesday, was held in the Baroness Pannonica's old house. Fortner recounts the story of receiving his first and only 30-minute lesson from Harris after playing a Thelonious Monk tune on Thelonious Monk's piano (which Harris refused to touch).
Seven Years with Roy Hargrove: Fortner spent seven years in Roy Hargrove's band, describing the experience as a "doctor's diploma and road chops". He witnessed Hargrove's dedication despite intense physical struggles, including an incident in Italy where a "geyser of blood" shot out of Hargrove's arm during a gig, yet Roy continued to play.
Vocal Collaborations: He met Samara Joy as a scared freshman at Barry Harris's class and contributed to her Grammy-winning holiday album. He has played with Cécile McLorin Salvant for 10 years. Salvant's repertoire is wide, including music from 500 BC and songs sung in five languages. He described Dee Dee Bridgewater as "fearless" and a "triple quadruple threat".
The Oscar Peterson Challenge: Fortner participated in a tour playing Oscar Peterson's music with John Clayton and Jeff Hamilton, noting that Oscar's playing was "demanding," "relentless," and "very complicated and complex".
Awards and Albums: Fortner's albums include the Grammy-nominated Solo Game (the one with the upside-down cover) and Southern Nights. He recently received the inaugural Larry J. Bell Jazz Artist Award ($300,000 over four years).

Host and Guest Information

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Listen to more episodes of Jazz Cruises Conversations on Spotify, iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts. The back catalog contains more than a hundred interviews from past sailings.
Theme Music: Provided by Marcus Miller from his song "High Life" on his album Aphrodesia on Blue Note.

#103: Dee Dee Bridgewater with Marcus Miller Oct 06, 2025

Show notes

This week's episode, recorded during the Journey of Jazz Cruise on the West Coast, features Dee Dee Bridgewater in conversation with co-host Marcus Miller, sharing stories from her remarkable five-decade career. The interview explores her journey from setting big goals at age seven to her life in Paris, discussing how she overcame adversity and developed the tools to succeed both artistically and professionally.

Key Takeaways

Early Ambitions & Idols: Dee Dee decided at the age of seven that she would be an internationally known jazz singer, well-respected by musicians, and would live in Paris, France—all of which came true. Her greatest idol was Nancy Wilson, whom she admired for her voice, style, and class, along with Lena Horn and Diahann Carroll.
The Importance of Storytelling: Dee Dee transitioned from focusing primarily on musical notes and melody to telling the story of a song. This shift was heavily influenced by her time in the Broadway production of The Wiz and working with its director, her second husband, Gilbert Moses.
Life in France: Dee Dee lived in Europe for 24 years. Her celebrity status in France was jump-started when a poster of her from the musical Sophisticated Ladies was used throughout Paris. She found great success, including filling 3,000-4,000 seat theaters after a successful duet with Ray Charles.
Josephine Baker Connection: Dee Dee served as the honorary president of the Josephine Baker Association. Her great aunt, Lahi G. (Ladi G E), was responsible for bringing Josephine Baker to Paris and is referenced in Baker's biographies.
China Moses's Start: When Dee Dee was offered a rock album deal with Virgin Records, she declined it and instead convinced the label to sign her daughter, China Moses, who was 16 at the time. Dee Dee acted as a "tough mama," refusing to critique China's style, ensuring China's success stemmed solely from her own efforts.
The Thad Jones School: Dee Dee's musical education primarily came from the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, which she joined before John Fattis. Thad Jones gave her the nickname "Renion" and taught her to learn by ear, often changing arrangements mid-song ("We're going back to letter C").
The Woodshed Network: Dee Dee founded the Woodshed Network in 2019 for young women in jazz to create a safe space and provide them with essential business tools for successful careers. The idea originated after she observed issues while on the faculty of the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead program.

Host and Guest Information

RoleNameDetails from Source
Guest | Dee Dee Bridgewater | Charismatic and expressive jazz singer, career spanning five decades. Discusses her album Just Family (produced by Stanley Clark) which features the song "Maybe Today". Winner of a Tony Award for The Wiz.
Interviewer/Host | Marcus Miller | Co-host of the Journey of Jazz Cruise. Provided the theme music: "High Life" from the album Aphrodesia on Blue Note.
Host | Lee Mergner | Host of Jazz Cruises Conversations podcast.

Send us a text

Listen to more episodes of Jazz Cruises Conversations on Spotify, iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts. The back catalog contains more than a hundred interviews from past sailings.
Theme Music: Provided by Marcus Miller from his song "High Life" on his album Aphrodesia on Blue Note.

#102: Alonzo Bodden & Marcus Miller Sep 29, 2025

Show notes

This freewheeling conversation between two longtime friends, bassist Marcus Miller and comedian Alonzo Bodden, took place on the Journey of Jazz cruise that sailed from Vancouver to Los Angeles with stops in Victoria, BC and San Francisco. The two decided to interview each other, with Alonzo asking Marcus about music and Marcus asking Alonzo about comedy.

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Listen to more episodes of Jazz Cruises Conversations on Spotify, iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts. The back catalog contains more than a hundred interviews from past sailings.
Theme Music: Provided by Marcus Miller from his song "High Life" on his album Aphrodesia on Blue Note.

#101: Dan Wilson with Christian McBride Apr 01, 2025

Show notes

This interview with guitarist Dan Wilson by his friend and mentor Christian McBride was taped during The Jazz Cruise for broadcast on the radio show “The Lowdown: Conversations with Christian” on SiriusXM’s Real Jazz channel. This LEARN session covers their joint history, as well as Dan’s early musical development, playing in church. In keeping with the format of Christian’s show, the two also play some improvised music together.

Send us a text

Listen to more episodes of Jazz Cruises Conversations on Spotify, iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts. The back catalog contains more than a hundred interviews from past sailings.
Theme Music: Provided by Marcus Miller from his song "High Life" on his album Aphrodesia on Blue Note.

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