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

Takeshi Ohbayashi

Takeshi Ohbayashi is a rich, colorful, and soulful pianist from Hiroshima, Japan, renowned for his exhilarating concert experiences. After studying film scoring, he found his calling in jazz and earned a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music in 2007.

At Berklee, he was selected for the Global Jazz Institute, performing and teaching with world-class musicians. In 2016, he became the first Japanese pianist to win 1st place at the Jacksonville Piano Competition.

Now residing in New York City, Ohbayashi leads his own trio and co-leads the New Century Jazz Quintet with GRAMMY®-winning drummer Ulysses Owens Jr. His reputation as an in-demand pianist has led to collaborations with notables like Takuya Kuroda, José James, and Terri Lyne Carrington. His most recent of five solo records, Manhattan, received the "Jazz Japan 2016 Album of the Year."

Guest appearance on:

Pianists Roundtable with Mark Ruffin