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

Ken Peplowski

Ken Peplowski is an acclaimed clarinetist and tenor saxophonist known for his versatility, having grown up playing in a Polish polka band in Cleveland, which he credits for teaching him to "think fast on your feet."

His career launched with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, followed by a pivotal move to New York City where he was hired by Benny Goodman in 1984. As a leader, he has recorded nearly 20 albums with Concord Records, including The Natural Touch, which won Best Jazz Record of the Year by the Prises Deutschen Schallplatten Kritiken. A master interpreter, Peplowski has collaborated with diverse icons from Mel Torme and Peggy Lee to Madonna and Woody Allen. He is currently the Artistic Director of the Sarasota Jazz Festival and a recipient of the Creative Arts Prize from the Polish American Historical Association.

Guest appearance on:

Ken Peplowski with Eulis Cathey