Cruising and All That Jazz
by Paul Motter, CruiseMates Editor
Updated Sept. 19, 2008

Jazz cruises hit a high note on the high seas with full-ship music cruise charters that fill the bill.

I have a great job: I write about cruising all day, so I get to cruise as a part of my job and I can even write the expenses off my taxes. But when it comes to the world's really great jobs, I think many of them have to do with music. Being a rock star, for example, is a really great job.

I just met someone who has a really great job; he isn't a rock star, but he's close. Michael Lazaroff is the owner/operator of St. Louis-based JazzCruisesLLC. His company is arguably the most successful promoter of music cruises in the industry.

Jazz cruises are all he does, and he does them very well. He has done a full-ship-charter jazz cruise every year for eight years. And he currently has four full-ship jazz cruise charters scheduled within the next nine months. He is successful enough that planning and executing jazz cruises is now his full-time job.

JazzCruisesLLC (web site: www.jazzcruisesllc.com) started out with The Jazz Cruise eight years ago. Six years ago, he added The Smooth Jazz Cruise. This year he also has the David Koz jazz cruise as well as the first Playboy Jazz Cruise in affiliation with the magazine.

Two Jazz cruises have already sailed in 2008; the most recent Jazz Cruise and the last Smooth Jazz Cruise went in January, and their 2009 versions are already scheduled and reservations are being taken.

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Related Content More info about Westerdam

Meanwhile, the next Dave Koz cruise is sailing November 2-9, 2008 on Holland America's Westerdam, and The Jazz Cruise is sailing back to back with Koz, November 9�16, 2008. All of Lazaroff's cruises are on the Westerdam.

Scheduled entertainers on the Dave Koz Cruise include: Dave Koz, Eric Benet, Alonzo Bodden, Rick Braun, Jonathon Butler, George Duke, Candy Dulfer, Jeff Golub, Euge Groove, Najee, Brian Simpson, Tower of Power, U-Nam and Deniece Williams. For more details just go to web site http://www.davekozcruise.com/

The Jazz Cruise features Ernie Adams, Pete Barbutti, Greg Fishman, Wycliffe Gordon, Eddie Higgins, Tom Kennedy, Jay Leonhart, Laura MacDonald, Ken Peplowski, Claudio Roditi, Dena DeRose, Judy Roberts, Joe Ascione, Holly Hofman, Mike Wofford and Henry Johnson. For details on this one go to www.thejazzcruise.com/

Two additional cruises are scheduled for January 2009: the Smooth Jazz Cruise, sponsored by Wayman Tisdale, sails January 18-25, 2009, followed by the first Playboy Jazz Cruise January 25 through Feb 1. Wayman surprised everyone attending this cruise by announcing that he is bringing one of his best friends, Marcus Miller, along on the cruise. According to the company, "the camaraderie between Wayman and Marcus is infectious and there is no telling what musical heights they will scale and what shenanigans they will have planned for our guests. We are just thrilled and honored that the two biggest names in bass guitar will be on the same ship, the same stage and will perform for our fabulous guests."

Those other artists on the Smooth Jazz Cruise include: Eric Benet, Alonzo Bodden, Rick Braun, Jonathan Butler, George Duke, Candy Dulfer, Jeff Golub, Euge Groove, Najee, Brian Simpson, U-Nam, Deniece Williams. For details just go to www.thesmoothjazzcruise.com/

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Enter the Playboy Jazz Cruise Contest!

Win a Cabin and Event Tickets for Two:    Enter Here:
Saildate January 25, 2009: Winner selected November 30, 2008.

	Win a cabin and full entry tickets for two people to all events aboard the 2009 Playboy Jazz Cruise Hosted on the Holland America Westerdam Itinerary: Roundtrip out of Fort Lauderdale. Hosted by Marcus Miller, produced by JazzCruisesLLC. Playboy Jazz Cruise Contest - Enter Here

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The Playboy Jazz Cruise features: Marcus Miller (host), Herbie Hancock, Dianne Reeves, Keb' Mo', Poncho Sanchez, James Moody, Roy Hargrove, James Carter, Eldar, Roberta Gambini, New Birth Brass Band and Alonzo Bodden (comedian).

For details on that one, just go to http://www.playboyjazzcruise.com/

JazzCruisesLLC, as you can see, are running a contest to give away a cruise for two on the Playboy Jazz Cruise. You can enter above. Anyone booking between now and October 15, 2008 will receive a signed cruise poster from Marcus Miller and if you book a cabin and happen to be the winner of the contest, then JazzCruisesLLC will pay for your airfare as well. So, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by booking NOW.