Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise
January 8th - 15th 2006
Reviewed by Steve Daniels
From Jan. 8 through 15, 2006, I was fortunate to ride the high seas on the “annual” Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise, along with at least 3 other SBBS members and over 1800 other blues music lovers. “Annual” is in quotation marks because the organizers of the cruise have just instituted a second cruise for this year, a Pacific cruise, leaving San Diego on October 3 for 4 days. The blues cruises sell out months in advance.

For Santa Barbara area blues lovers who may be interested in the blues cruise in October or from Florida next January, what follows is a brief summary of my recent experience. It is my personal testimony only; others may have different opinions (although everyone I talked with had a great time), and the cruise organizers have nothing to do with this brief reminiscence.

First, to dispense with the mundane details: the cruise line, Holland America, provided first-rate accommodations. The ship was somewhere between comfortable and luxurious. Maintenance and amenities were excellent, and commercialism, although present, was low-key. The food was delicious and plentiful. I would never go on a cruise ship were it not for the music, but have only compliments for Holland America.

Now, for the music. 19 different acts; music from 2 PM until the wee hours (3 to 5 AM) in the morning every day for 7 days; usually at least 2 acts and often also a jam session to choose from at any one time...and the quality! This cruise featured big names: Taj Mahal (he is on every Blues Cruise), John Hammond, Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers, Chicago Legends (featuring James Cotton, Hubert Sumlin, Bob Margolin, and 92 year old Pinetop Perkins).

It featured other top performers: Tab Benoit, Jimmy Thackery, Kenny Neal and Billy Branch, Phillip Walker. It presented young guns: Ana Popovic, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Anthony Gomes, Joe Bonamassa. There were outstanding performers I had never heard of: Diunna Greenleaf and her band Blue Mercy, for example.

There were unannounced guests: Lonnie Brooks, Zac Harmon, stellar sax man Jimmy Carpenter....

     

My only regret was not being able to be in 2 places at once, so as not to miss a moment of inspiring music.

My personal favorites:
Deanna Bogart and her band. From Washington, D.C., she appeared in S.B. in 1998 at the Central Coast Blues Festival and has only gotten better. A fine singer, excellent pianist, and capable sax player, she is also high-energy and very humorous.
John Hammond. I saw him 3 times and am ready to see him again. Consistently top quality acoustic blues.
Corey Harris. Excellent solo guitarist and singer, blending African and Caribbean strains into his blues.
Kenny Neal & Billy Branch. Very tasteful blues duet. I am a harmonica lover; Branch played some of the best harp I have ever heard.
Tab Benoit. Louisiana swamp blues, powerful singing, great guitar work and a tight band.
Jimmy Thackery. Wow! What an amazing guitarist! There is nothing this guy can’t do...without egotism, in service of the song.
Whiskey Store, the combined Benoit/Thackery bands. Their 2 shows were extended musical orgasms; the interplay between the 2 guitarists was magical.

Several times during the week I found myself with tears in my eyes, realizing that there was nowhere in the world I would rather be in that moment, and nothing in the world I would rather be doing than listening to that sublime music. The epitome of bliss was at the jam session on the open deck of the ship starting at 1 AM on Friday morning: 80 degrees, calm seas, slight breeze, hundreds of jazzed blues lovers watching the Jimmy Thackery band jam with Tab Benoit, Tommy Castro, Deanna Bogart, Mitch Woods, Deborah Coleman, Jimmy Carpenter....I thought that I had died and gone to heaven.

Next January’s Next January's line-up includes Taj Mahal, Tommy Castro, Tab Benoit, Little Charlie & the Nightcats, Deanna Bogart, and the Fabulous Thunderbirds..

October’s cruise from San Diego features Taj Mahal, Ike Turner, Kim Wilson, James Harman, Tommy Castro, Doug MacLeod, Kid Ramos, Janiva Magness, and many more. If you’re interested, check out bluescruise.com on the Internet, and do it soon.

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