Lineup

Marcus Miller, winner of two Grammy Awards, the 2013 Edison Award for Lifetime Achievement in Jazz (Holland), the 2010 Victoire du Jazz (France) and appointed UNESCO Artist for Peace in 2013, is not only an exceptional musician but also a highly gifted composer and producer who we are proud to call a host and headliner on The Smooth Jazz Cruise. The legendary album Tutu, written and produced for Miles Davis, sealed his international fame when Marcus was only 25. Over the course of his career, Marcus has collaborated with artists as varied and talented as Eric Clapton, George Benson, Luther Vandross, Roberta Flack, Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Al Jarreau, George Duke, Wayne Shorter, Lalah Hathaway and Herbie Hancock. The multi-instrumentalist and world-renowned bassist has also produced his own genre-defying albums, among them The Sun Don’t Lie, Tales, M2, Silver Rain, Free, A Night in Monte Carlo (with the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra), and Renaissance. Along with international tours, Marcus Miller hosts “Miller Time,” a weekly program on SiriusXM.

Boney James’ personal relationship with music has never been anything but solid. Picking up the sax at age 10 in his native New Rochelle, New York, “I immediately loved it, and it pretty quickly became my favorite hobby.”  By the time he entered his teens, James was already gigging with bands, and he turned pro at 19. He apprenticed as a sideman for artists like Morris Day and the Isley Brothers, touring and doing sessions for seven years before cutting his first solo album in 1992. The independently released Trust led immediately to a major label deal and a string of increasingly successful recordings and nonstop touring.  Now a four-time GRAMMY nominee with four RIAA Gold records and career sales topping three million units, James continues to defy genres as a two-time NAACP Award nominee, a Soul Train Award winner and named one of the Top 3 Billboard Contemporary Jazz Artists of the Decade.  James says he’s looking forward to heading out on the road and seeing how the material from Solid (the saxophonist/composer’s 17th album as a leader) evolves from night to night. “I love playing live, maybe more than I ever did,” he adds. “That has not gotten old at all. A lot of guys get tired of the traveling but it’s still a joy for me every time I go out there and play.”  It’s still a joy to his multitude of fans too. “I try to be there for the people who are interested in listening to my music,” says James, “to be solid in that relationship and to never let anybody down. I often get great compliments from the people that come to my shows, that I ‘never disappoint’ them, and that’s very gratifying to me. That’s what I was trying to express with this title, that sense of character. To stand for something principled.” 

A regular panel member on Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me, The Smooth Jazz Cruise comic and event host Alonzo Bodden has been making audiences around the country laugh for more than 20 years.  Alonzo’s first big comedy break came when he was on the “New Faces of Comedy” showcase at the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal. However, it was as the season three winner of NBCʼs Last Comic Standing, where Alonzo was first introduced to America. Since then, he has starred in two comedy specials for Showtime: Historically Incorrect and Who’s Paying Attention. His television appearances include ABC’s Dr. Ken and Fresh Off the Boat, Dr. Phil, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Comedy Central’s The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore and Californication.  A car and motorcycle aficionado, Alonzo hosted Speed Channel’s 101 Cars You Must Drive and America’s Worst Driver on the Travel Channel. He’s also joined Jay Leno for several off-road trips on his CNBC series Jay Leno’s Garage. Alonzo was a field correspondent on Animal Nation with Anthony Anderson, and a contributor on the Science Channel’s How to Build Everything.  Alonzo released his fifth comedy CD titled Man Overboard in 2018. He currently hosts the podcast Who’s Paying Attention? and his own daily radio show on KBLA-AM 1580 in Los Angeles where he gives his unique take on what’s going on in the world.  In August 2019, Alonzo starred in his fourth stand-up special, Alonzo Bodden: Heavy Lightweight, which premiered exclusively on Amazon Prime Video. In the special, he touches upon a range of topics from slavery, cell phones and the #MeToo movement, to millennials, Kanye West and Taco Bell.  Alonzo has been the comic in residence for Jazz Cruises for many years now and has become one of the leaders and drivers of our program. 

Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Jeffrey Osborne was the youngest of 12 children and was surrounded by music as he was growing up. Fate brought him together with the band Love Men Ltd. and after receiving his mother's encouragement, Jeffrey left for Los Angeles to play with them. Jeffrey was originally brought on as the drummer and eventually became the lead vocalist.  After more than ten years with the band, he decided to pursue a solo career, which produced such Top 40 hits as "Really Don't Need No Light," “Don't You Get So Mad," "Stay With Me Tonight," "You Should Be Mine (The Woo Woo Song)," and a duet with Dionne Warwick, "Love Power."  Jeffrey’s solo career brought him four Grammy nominations, five gold and platinum albums, including his debut self-titled album Jeffrey Osborne, Stay with Me Tonight and Only Human. He scored an international hit with "On the Wings of Love" in 1982. His latest project entitled Worth It All was released in 2018 on Artistry Music. This project was written and produced by Jeffrey, with the exception of one song titled "Work It" which was co-written with his son Jeffrey Osborne Jr. who also performed on the track. This project, inspired by the late great George Duke has taken Osborne back to his deep R&B roots.   Currently Jeffrey Osborne is actively performing and touring around the world. In 2012 Osborne founded The Jeffrey Osborne Foundation and the Jeffrey Osborne Celebrity Classic. The primary mission is to benefit non-profit organizations who support a continued push for music and arts to children and their families, as well as those who provide a safe haven for families in need. In the past six years through his Celebrity Golf Tournament the Jeffrey Osborne Foundation has donated over $750,000 to various charities in Rhode Island. 

Brian Culbertson is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist, writer and producer who crosses genres between contemporary jazz, R&B, and funk and heralds from the musically rich city of Chicago. Starting at the early age of 8 on piano, he quickly picked up several other instruments by age 12 including drums, trombone, bass, & euphonium. Inspired by the great R&B/Jazz/Pop artists of the 70’s like EWF, Tower of Power, Chicago, David Sanborn, and others, Brian Culbertson started composing original music for his 7th grade piano recital and hasn’t stopped having self-produced 16 solo albums, most of which have topped the Billboard charts. The acclaimed musician also founded the Napa Valley Jazz Getaway, a 5-day celebration of wine, food, art and music that draws big entertainers and devoted fans year after year. Brian is always striving to push the boundaries of the contemporary jazz scene which is evident by his latest album, Funk! This new set is a throwback to the stanky P-Funk records from back in the day combining the throbbing bass lines, greasy horn lines, sing-a-long choruses and landing hard on the ‘One.’

The youngest of 13 children, Jonathan Butler grew up in poverty in Cape Town, South Africa, ruled by Apartheid and segregation.  Butler began his singing career at age 7, releasing his first album in 1973 and winning the Best New Artist Grammy in South Africa the following year at age 12. He made history by being the first black artist played on white South African radio while earning three gold records (“Please Stay” went double gold and “I Love How You Love Me” went gold) in 1975 as he became a teenager.  More than a decade later, Butler moved to London, England and released his first album internationally. The self-titled set went gold in 1987 in the United Kingdom and in the USA. He received Grammy nominations for Best R&B Song for his R&B-pop vocal hit “Lies” and for Best Jazz Song for the instrumental “Going Home.” His genre-busting material earned songwriter’s awards and received abundant airplay in multiple radio formats: pop, urban, contemporary jazz, adult contemporary and gospel. Butler’s 2004 album, Surrender, went gold in South Africa where he remains a superstar.  Butler is still taking care of people back home. Last fall, he launched the Jonathan Butler Foundation in his native country to fund music education programs that give children the purpose to overcome a life of drugs and poverty just as he did. His music has purpose, providing comfort and genuine inspiration. When he sings, he testifies to the glory and healing power of love. When he plays guitar, his fast fingers innately find notes of passion and divinity. Jonathan Butler’s recording career has carried him far, far beyond his wildest dreams. He’s living his dream and that is a blessing for us all. 

Having toured the world over and collaborated with some of the biggest names in music (think Prince, Van Morrison, Lionel Richie and Beyonce), Dutch saxophonist Candy Dulfer brings her worldly musical perspective to The Smooth Jazz Cruise. With solo album sales exceeding the 2.5 million mark, the staple on the large festival circuit performs for sold-out crowds throughout the United States, Europe, Japan, Russia, the Baltic states and South America. Candy Dulfer’s hit, “Finsbury Park, Café 67,” ranked the most popular smooth jazz number on U.S. radio for a period in 2003, and the 1990 solo debut album she recorded at just 19, Saxuality, sold more than a million copies worldwide and earned a Grammy® nod.

“I just want to continue to explore the boundaries of what I am capable of as a musician,” declares acclaimed chart-topping trumpeter, composer and producer Rick Braun. Known for his impeccable technical chops, melodic wizardry and keen compositional prowess, the consummate Los Angeles based musician has been thrilling audiences for decades. Braun has made a mark staying true to his own musical voice and eclectic influences that have allowed him to collaborate across genres with some of the biggest names in music including Rod Stewart, Tom Petty, Sade, Natalie Cole and REO Speedwagon. Having clenched over 20 #1 Smooth Jazz hits, Braun has collaborated with all of the brightest stars in contemporary jazz. His 17th recording as a leader, Around The Horn, was released in February 2017, and is an adventurous mix of originals as well as exhilarating reinventions of hits by Coldplay, Alicia Keys and Charlie Puth and Selena Gomez.   There was a time when Braun was contemplating pursuing medical school, but music won out.  In his long career he has crafted his own distinctive sound and become a staple on contemporary jazz radio. He has produced No. 1 hits for David Benoit, Marc Antoine and former Rod Stewart band sidekick Jeff Golub. Braun achieved collaborative success on massive hits with Boney James, as a member of RnR with saxophonist Richard Elliot and with BWB, a powerhouse trio completed by Grammy® winners Kirk Whalum and Norman Brown. 

The joy that emanates from guitarist Norman Brown while he is playing is palpable. The guitar is simply an extension of him. The multi-platinum selling and chart-topping musician is an artist who is truly in service of the music with the goal to be a force for positivity. With all of the accolades that Norman Brown has amassed the past three decades, including Grammy and Soul Train Music Awards, he has stayed the course for one reason. “Knowing that I’ve been commissioned by the Highest to channel a message of inspiration and motivation, brings me happiness,” he states. The Atlanta-based musician’s love affair with the guitar began at age eight. Watching his older brother play, Norman was drawn to the energy radiating from what he now calls his “Spirit Catcher,” the strings on the guitar. Waiting for his brother Roy Brown Jr., “Popsicle” to leave, Norman couldn’t wait to get his hands on his six-string carefully stored in the closet. Luckily for us, Brown’s love affair with the guitar is still going strong. His technical wizardry, genre-bending facility, soulful finesse, and charisma, have made him one of the most sought-after internationally renowned musicians in Contemporary Jazz.  Just ask his devoted and loyal fan base affectionately dubbed ‘Normantics.’   A musician’s musician, Brown has collaborated with everyone from George Benson, Brian McKnight, Kirk Whalum, and Miki Howard, to Jeff Lorber, Gerald Albright, Rick Braun, Peabo Bryson, and Chanté Moore, to name a few.   On March 25, 2022, Shanachie Entertainment will release Norman Brown’s 13th recording as a leader and fourth for the label, Let’s Get Away. Brown’s own take on the perfect getaway involves, “A joyful and peaceful mental state, surrounded by companionship in an atmosphere of inspiration and beauty that is illustrated by the colors of nature.” Let’s Get Away conjures the serenity, joy, and beauty that Brown wishes for us all. 

During her remarkable 21-year recording career, saxophonist/vocalist Mindi Abair has garnered 2 GRAMMY nominations, recorded with some of the biggest names in music, and built a substantial following among jazz and blues audiences with her soaring melodies and powerhouse style.  You might know her as the featured saxophonist on American Idol, sitting in with Paul Shaffer on The Late Show with David Letterman and The Roots on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, or from moonlighting on tour with Duran Duran or Aerosmith. As a solo artist, she has consistently topped the Billboard Contemporary Jazz and Blues charts.  In 2018, Mindi Abair and The Boneshakers won 8 Independent Blues Awards including Artist of the Year, and an Independent Music Award for Best Blues Song Fan Award for “Pretty Good For A Girl” featuring Joe Bonamassa.

Imagine how the juices will flow on the high seas for saxophonist Richard Elliot, who says he gets much of his creative inspiration from behind the wheel of his car in L.A. traffic. The Scottish-born musician has been on the music scene for more than three decades and released his 17th solo album, Lip Service, in July 2014. The project features seven original compositions along with three covers of soul and pop hits from the 80s (“Shining Star” by The Manhattans), 90s (“Anytime” by Brian McKnight) and present day (“When I Was Your Man” by Bruno Mars). Richard Elliot got his start at age 19 with the Chapman Stick-based quartet Kittyhawk, played in soul band Tower of Power in the 80s and has continued topping the charts and touring the world as both solo artist and with innovative groups like Guitars & Saxes and, most recently, Summer Horns (comprised of Mindi Abair, Gerald Albright and Dave Koz). 

In a career that spans nearly four decades, over a dozen solo recordings and countless performances, Peter White has maintained a reputation as one of the most versatile and prolific acoustic guitarists on the contemporary jazz landscape. Armed with an unparalleled combination of lyricism and energy, he combines elements of jazz, pop and classical guitar to create a sound that is singular and at the same time accessible to a broad audience. Barely a year after his first professional gig in England at 19 years old, he was invited to join Al Stewart’s band. In addition to opening for artists like Linda Ronstadt, Billy Joel and Queen, White worked with Stewart in the studio on The Year of the Cat, which became a huge hit for Stewart in 1976. His 20-year association with Stewart included co-writing Stewart’s 1978 hit, “Time Passages.” White launched his solo recording career with the 1990 release of Reveillez-Vous. On the road, he has participated in numerous “Guitars and Saxes” tours with players such as Rick Braun, Richard Elliot, Jeff Golub, Lee Ritenour, Kirk Whalum and Boney James, and has established an annual “Peter White Christmas Tour.”

Twenty-something music prodigy Vincent Ingala is no stranger to contemporary jazz audiences. His heartfelt, sweet and soulful mix has catapulted him to the top of the Billboard Contemporary Jazz charts, garnering him three Billboard #1s, and eight top 10 hits. He burst onto the contemporary jazz scene in 2010 with the release of his critically heralded debut North End Soul. Two years later Ingala was crowned Billboard “Smooth Jazz Artist of the Year” and Sirius XM Watercolors’ “Breakthrough Artist Of The Year” in 2013. Ingala’s sophomore recording, Can’t Stop Now, was released in 2012 and Coast To Coast followed in 2015, featuring two singles that hit #1 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart. Ingala is also a DJ on Smooth Jazz 24/7 where he can be heard weekly. His fifth solo recording, Personal Touch, is a collection of eight stirring original tracks and two surprising reinventions of R&B chestnuts. His most recent album, Fire & Desire, was released in September 2021 with Ingala playing every instrument heard on the album, including keyboards, drums, guitar and bass. He also produced, recorded and mixed the album, as well as composed all but one of the songs.

Driven by the ever-evolving musical vision of core members – Brothers Eric and Billy Mondragon and close family friend Damon Reel – Southern California’s premiere R&B, funk and contemporary powerhouse band DW3’s deepening artistry continues to transcend a well-earned reputation as a high energy, fun and freewheeling party band. Eric, Billy and Damon all contribute lead and harmony vocals, while Eric plays keys (including synth horns and strings) and Billy adds percussion. Building on the success of their single, “I Got You” featuring Gerald Albright, (#16 on the Billboard charts) and the On The Floor album that went #1 on the UK soul charts, DW3 has now expanded to nine a piece ensemble. The addition of a horn section really sets the tone for their live shows. The truth is in the twelve tracks of their Vintage Truth CD. The band also continues to entertain Festival and Entertainment Cruise Productions guests several times a year. The versatile ensemble is rapidly emerging as a multi-faceted recording outfit in their own right.

An incredible fusion jazz artist with ten studio albums on his list of accomplishments, saxophonist Marcus Anderson brings R&B, Pop, Rock, Latin and Funk to make music that puts listeners in another atmosphere. Charting number one in both categories of Billboard's Smooth Jazz and Sirius XM’s Watercolors with his exceptional hit “A Cup Of Joe” from the album And Coffee, the Spartanburg, SC native is delivering major music in a humble way. His work with the late Prince and the New Power Generation led him to join stages with the likes of Ceelo Green, where he has become a key contributor to Green’s touring band. Whether he is performing for dignitaries such as President Barack Obama, Jesse Jackson and Hillary Clinton or blazing the stage with Sheila E., Anthony Hamilton or Judith Hill in a collaborative effort, Anderson delivers stellar musicianship every time. Lalah Hathaway,  Esperanza Spaulding, George Duke, Jennifer Holiday are just a few of the numerous world-renowned artists that Anderson has opened for and with whom he has shared the stage. Both near and far, audiences of all musical tastes have made their way to hear Marcus Anderson. He not only plays the sax but sings and performs choreography as well. High-spirited and welcoming, Anderson is a multi-instrumentalist who is not afraid of “showing out” and is a fan-favorite at highly recognized festivals and on top-ranking shows like The Tonight Show, Arsenio Hall, and Jimmy Kimmel Live.  

Cut from the same cloth as some of the world’s greatest vocalists, Larry Braggs has one of the most notable voices in the business. A vocal range over three octaves and a command of the stage like no other has gained him the respect and praise of his peers and fans all over the world. For the past 14 years, Larry has been the lead vocalist for the legendary soul band Tower of Power. Now as a solo artist, he is becoming one of the most sought-after singers in the business. Touring almost two hundred days out of the year Larry is a powerful force of talent to see. He is now a member of the legendary group The Temptations. 

Though her career has taken her well beyond the jazz circuit, Niki Haris’s roots are are in the jazz circuit, but her career has taken her well beyond it. The daughter of Grammy-nominated jazz pianist Gene Haris, Niki and her father released two albums and a live CD before his death in 2000. Carrying on his legacy in jazz, she’s released solo albums, toured Europe with her jazz quartet, and starred in the touring production of “Billie & Me,” a celebration of the life of Billie Holiday. In addition to 18 years of recording and touring with Madonna, Niki has lent her voice to projects of Ray Charles, David Sanborn, Patrice Rushen, Michael Sembello, Leann Rimes, Michelle Branch, Santana, Kylie Minogue, Luther Vandross, All Saints, Wilton Felder of the Jazz Crusaders, Stanley Turrentine, the Righteous Brothers, Julian Lennon, Anita Baker, Mick Jagger and Whitney Houston. She’s also been featured in the soundtracks of Corrina Corrina, The Big Green, Coyote Ugly and 20th Century Fox’s Anastasia. Meanwhile, she’s pursued other artistic passions with great success as well, including staging scenes for Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct, choreographing for the television series Melrose Place,” and appeared with in Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in Heat.

A Los Angeles native who spent his teen years in Kansas City, KS, Marqueal Jordan has been based in the music-rich city of Chicago since 1995. Moving to the Windy City after earning a Business Administration degree at the University of Kansas, Marqueal began paying dues by playing gigs in every musical style imaginable. In those early years, he earned his reputation as a seasoned and magnetic performer. Marqueal was the front man for the critically acclaimed local original band, Fat Time, and a member of the spin-off band, Starcandy. By the early 2000’s, he was in high demand to perform with the top musicians and bands in the city. In 2008, Marqueal met Smooth Jazz star Brian Culbertson. Impressed by his playing and singing, Brian offered Marqueal a spot in his touring band. Over the next 10 years, Marqueal traveled the world with Brian, appeared in two DVDs, and was featured on four albums. The exposure gave him the confidence and desire to become a solo artist. Marqueal’s solo debut album, Catalyst, was released in October 2013. It helped to establish him as an emerging artist in Smooth & Contemporary Jazz. After leaving Brian Culbertson’s band in the summer of 2018 to focus on his solo career, he recorded his second project, Intention & Purpose. Released in February 2019, the album is a musical journey through Contemporary Jazz, Soul/R&B and Hip Hop, and it showcases his growing skills as a songwriter, arranger and producer. The album yielded two Top 20 hits on the Billboard Smooth Jazz Singles Chart, “If You Only Knew” and “The Edge”. Currently, Marqueal is putting the finishing touches on his third solo album, All We Have Are Moments. After several delays, the album will be released in early 2022. The album’s lead single, “Last Call”, was released in March 2021 and was well received by SiriusXM Watercolors and Smooth Jazz Radio. To support the album, Marqueal will be rejoining Brian Culbertson on tour as a featured Special Guest in 2022, as well as touring on his own. In addition to leading and touring with his own band, Marqueal occasionally tours with The Legendary Isley Brothers and the prodigious Guitarist/Vocalist Isaiah Sharkey. He has also shared the stage with some of the greats in music, performing with legends such as: Gerald Albright, Patti Austin, Peabo Bryson, Jonathan Butler, Will Downing, George Duke, Candy Dulfer, Floetry, Aretha Franklin, Larry Graham, Buddy Guy, Lalah Hathaway, Al Jarreau, Joe, KRS-One, Kenny Lattimore, Maysa, Frank McComb, Marcus Miller, Najee, Mike Phillips, Eric Roberson, David Sanborn, Jill Scott, Sy Smith, and Kirk Whalum. In Chicago, he still performs locally with Brother John Kattke and Midnight Sun Band. Marqueal also collaborates with Chicago-based artist/producer DJ I.N.C., and has been featured on numerous projects of I.N.C.’s since 2000.

An unequivocal musical prodigy, singer-saxophonist-songwriter-composer and band leader Grace Kelly has rocked the jazz world with sold-out concerts, 14 acclaimed albums and a resume that includes performing at the Hollywood Bowl and as part of the house band for “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” – all before reaching her mid-twenties. Kelly’s early career featured performances at Barack Obama’s 2009 inauguration at age 16 and at 14 as a soloist with the Boston Pops playing an original composition arranged for the legendary orchestra; she has since then played over 900 shows as bandleader in 35 countries at venues like the Kennedy Center and Moscow Symphony Hall and for the Montreal, Newport, and Montreux international jazz festivals. Touted for her scorching saxophone stylings and purring vocals, Kelly has performed and recorded with renowned artists including Lin Manuel- Miranda, Dave Brubeck, Phil Woods, Huey Lewis, Harry Connick Jr., Gloria Estefan, Questlove, and Wynton Marsalis.  As the Winner of “Song of the Year” for her single “Feels Like Home” in the 2018 John Lennon Songwriting Contest, Kelly has also won multiple ASCAP Composer Awards, Boston Music Awards, multiple DOWNBEAT music awards, International Songwriting Awards, and has also appeared as a featured performer in films and television.Featured by Vanity Fair as a millennial shaking up the jazz world, Kelly’s state-of-the-art brand of electro jazz-pop and inventive digital content are pushing her to the forefront of the fusion scene.  Aside from thrilling audiences in concert, Kelly’s stardom reaches the acclaim of her audiences online. The millennial artist has developed a new paradigm to exhibit her remarkable talent and unparalleled showmanship with the masses, curating an immersive user experience for her fans across multiple social media platforms. Kelly’s dedication to posting engaging content and offering insight into her daily life has deepened her brand, bringing thousands upon thousands of eager fans into her world and gaining millions of views online, allowing the artist to bridge the gap between virtuosic musician and cultural phenomenon. 

New Orleans-born Michael “Patches” Stewart blows from the summit of today’s trumpet players. Patches made his major recording debut at 16 playing in the horn section on LaBelle’s Allen Toussaint-produced classic “Lady Marmalade” in 1974. Upon high school graduation – though he had scholarships on the table from Berklee School of Music and more - Patches passed on them all, headed to Los Angeles and got busy. Patches grabbed the attention of the great Quincy Jones who took him on tour behind his The Dude LP in the early ’80s. This was followed by work with artists ranging from English groove collective Soul II Soul to bohemian rocker Rickie Lee Jones to soulful divas Diana Ross and Whitney Houston. Patches’ first recordings as a leader were for the Hip Bop label: the acoustic jazz standards project Blue Patches (1997) and the electrified Penetration (1998). He is most vividly recalled for the 8 years he spent on the road with Al Jarreau followed by 16 years in the cutting-edge band of bass chameleon Marcus Miller who was heavily instrumental in the making of Patches’ third CD, Blow (2005). Patches was extensively mentored by the great George Duke who he often recorded with – from the boundary smashing legend’s 1993 symphonic project Muir Woods Suite, all the way up to playing on four selections from Duke’s final album in 2013, DreamWeaver. Patches’ most recent recording is On Fire, documenting a scintillating wood-shedding collaboration between musicians in Warsaw, Poland (where Patches has lived for the last couple of years) with key American compatriots such as saxophonist Kenny Garrett, vocalist Raul Midón, drummer Poogie Bell and guitarist Paul Jackson, Jr.

Saxophonist and The Smooth Jazz Cruise Music Director Eric Marienthal has won 2 Grammy Awards and has been nominated 8 times as a member of the Chick Corea Elektric Band, Jeff Lorber Fusion and Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band. Having performed in over 80 countries and played on hundreds of recordings, films and TV shows, Eric also has recorded 15 solo recordings including his latest entitled Double Dealin’ with legendary trumpeter Randy Brecker. Eric's recordings have produced several top 10 radio singles including three tunes that reached #1 on its respective chart.  Eric is the recipient of the Berklee College of Music Distinguished Alumnus Award for outstanding achievements in contemporary music and earned the highest proficiency grades in the esteemed history of that institution. Eric was also named one of the top 3 alto saxophonists in Jazziz Magazine's Reader's Poll along with Phil Woods and David Sanborn.  For the past 22 years Eric has organized an annual charity concert for the High Hopes Head Injury Program in Tustin, CA. These concerts have raised awareness for this great organization and have raised over 2 million dollars.  For the past few years, Eric has applied his vast knowledge and experience in the world of jazz to being the Music Director for The Smooth Jazz Cruise and Blue Note at Sea.  In that challenging role, Eric is charged with curating the performances, schedules and support for 100’s of the top musicians in the world.  His ability to perform this task with skill and professionalism has made the quality of the programming on those sailings among the very best in the world.