Jazz Cruises Conversations

Jazz Cruises Conversations invites you to escape to the high seas for the most intimate and candid conversations in music. Go beyond the stage for full-length interviews with the biggest names in jazz and smooth jazz, recorded live on the world's premier floating music festivals.

Guided by veteran host Lee Mergner (and other musicians, comedians, and on-board talent), hear legends open up about their careers, creative process, and lives on the road, all recorded exclusively on sailings of The Jazz Cruise, Blue Note at Sea, Botti at Sea, and The Smooth Jazz Cruise. Mergner and his crew’s knowledgeable perspectives ensure these aren't just chats—they are engaging, entertaining, and truly informative deep dives into the music.

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Signature Cruise Experiences is the Gold Standard for Charter Theme Cruises since 2001. In that time, we have produced over 100 full ship theme charters, most of which featured a significant music theme and top performers.

Our goal has been to present the very best musicians possible and do so with authenticity and professionalism. Our music venues are the best at sea and our sound production is Performing Art Center quality. Nothing but the best for our talent which translates to the very best for our guests.

Guest

Jonathan Butler

Jonathan Butler is a celebrated singer-songwriter and guitarist who rose from poverty and the shadow of apartheid in South Africa to become an internationally recognized artist. He made history as the first non-white artist to be played on South African radio, an achievement that earned him the South African equivalent of a GRAMMY®.
Nelson Mandela credited Butler’s music with inspiring him during his imprisonment, making Butler a symbol of his homeland’s resilience. His self-titled debut album received a GRAMMY® nomination for the pop hit “Lies,” and an instrumental “Going Home” earned him another GRAMMY® nomination. In 2025, Butler received an Honorary Doctorate in Philosophy from Stellenbosch University in South Africa, recognizing his impact.

Jazz Cruises Conversations

Jonathan Butler

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