It’s not just the variety of musicians that make Jazz Fests so popular. It’s having so many musicians thrown together in a relaxed, less-structured environment that offers moments of totally unrehearsed magic. So it was at the recent 15th annual JazzFest At Sea.
Adding to the pleasure is the intimate nature of this Fest. The MSC Divina is a large, beautiful ship with all the amenities one would expect on a fine cruise. Our JFAS group, limited to 250 guests, enjoyed the pleasure of a private lounge with luxurious cabaret seating, rather than the usual rows of chairs.
The spacious room also featured a dance floor and full-service bar. The setup allowed for easy mingling between the musicians and guests, many of whom have been regulars over the years. Allan Vaché, as music director, brought together a group of superb musicians, all headliners in their own right, whom he mixed and matched in a series of 45-minute sets. The result was ten days of exciting, unpredictable, swinging music.
The opening rousing set provided the tone for the rest of the cruise. It featured Bob Draga, Jon-Erik Kellso, Terry Myers, Jeff Barnhart, Paul Keller, Kevin Dorn, and Banu Gibson. The music continued with three sets every evening plus another two on the four afternoons we were at sea. In total there were 37 individual sets with the professionals, plus daily Jam Sessions for guests who wanted t
