music
Hosted by Lee Mergner · music · EN · 116 episodes
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. --- 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
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Contact path
Public web form
Booking probability
41%
Guest openness
Selective
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Signup to Generate a PitchJazz 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.
Jazz Cruises Conversations is hosted by Lee Mergner. The show has published 116 episodes to date.
Recent episodes include "Brass, Voice & Vision: Bria Skonberg & Benny Benack III in Conversation" (5 May 2026, 52 minutes), "Jeff Hamilton & John Pizzarelli: Tales From the Road" (27 April 2026, 48 minutes), and "Beyond the Cheeks: Sean Jones & Brinae Ali Revisit the Genius of Gillespie" (23 December 2025, 21 minutes).
Jazz Cruises Conversations publishes roughly weekly, with episodes averaging 50 minutes across 116 episodes.
Booking probability for Jazz Cruises Conversations is 41%, and the host is rated Selective on guests. Jazz Cruises Conversations requires a Pod Score of 80 or higher. Jazz Cruises Conversations's contact route on record: public web form.
The strongest fits for Jazz Cruises Conversations are Artists, Writers & Performers. Jazz Cruises Conversations has a music audience.
Lee Mergner hosts Jazz Cruises Conversations, a music show with 116 episodes published.
Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.
Episode #116
Bria Skonberg has a confession: she's releasing two albums this year, one all-trumpet and one all-vocal, partly because she still hasn't figured out how to make the two coexist. "I'm always trying to find or write...
Episode #115
No moderator required. John Pizzarelli and Jeff Hamilton have been friends since 1984, and it shows — in the stories they finish for each other, the ones they've clearly been waiting to tell, and the ones that arrive...
Episode #114
Recorded live on the Journey of Jazz cruise, this episode of Jazz Cruises Conversations features an in-depth discussion on the legendary Dizzy Gillespie . Host Lee Mergner is joined by trumpeter Sean Jones and tap...
Episode #113
Lee Mergner hosted a Listening Party with Bria Skonberg who played tracks from her recent album, "What It Means," and then talked about the making of the recording. The album blends many different influences, but it has...
Episode #112
Host Lee Mergner interviews brothers Chris and Dan Brubeck during the sailing of The Jazz Cruise '25, where they provide a deep, intimate look at the life and immense legacy of their father, jazz legend Dave Brubeck...
Episode #111
This episode of Jazz Cruises Conversations features an interview by Michael Lazaroff with Journey of Jazz '25 co-hosts Marcus Miller and Gregory Porter. The session evolved into a candid conversation where the three...
Episode #110
110: Remembering Ella Fitzgerald & Oscar Peterson w/Cecile McLorin Salvant, Sullivan Fortner & Kelly Peterson This episode of Jazz Cruises Conversations , hosted by Lee Mergner , is drawn from a "Jazz on Film" session...
Episode #109
Ravi Coltrane with Marcus Miller Marcus Miller interviews Ravi Coltrane about his musical evolution and the dual legacy of his parents, Alice and John Coltrane . This insightful and candid talk, recorded live on the...
Episode #108
Pianist Emmet Cohen sits down with his longtime friend, trumpeter and singer Benny Benack III , for a conversation recorded during the recent Journey of Jazz cruise. This interview tracks Cohen's journey from a college...
Episode #107
Show Notes: 107: Wycliffe Gordon with Sean Jones This episode of Jazz Cruises Conversations , recorded live on the recent Journey of Jazz cruise, features trumpeter and educator Sean Jones interviewing fellow brassman...
Episode #106
This episode features a moving and candid listening party session with vocalist Niki Haris, recorded live during the Journey of Jazz cruise. Host Lee Mergner sets the scene as Niki plays and discusses several tracks...
Episode #105
Show Notes: 105: John Clayton & Jeff Hamilton with Marcus Miller This episode of Jazz Cruises Conversations , recorded live on the Journey of Jazz '25 cruise, features an interview conducted by co-host Marcus Miller...
Episode #104
This episode captures a coffee talk session from the recent Journey of Jazz Cruise , where host Lee Mergner interviews the great pianist Sullivan Fortner ("Sully"). Since Fortner does not enjoy talking about himself...
Episode #103
This week's episode, recorded during the Journey of Jazz Cruise on the West Coast, features Dee Dee Bridgewater in conversation with co-host Marcus Miller, sharing stories from her remarkable five-decade career. The...
Episode #102
A Revealing Give-and-Take Between Friends Recorded live during the inaugural Journey of Jazz cruise, this episode features a unique "double interview" between longtime friends and colleagues Alonzo Bodden and Marcus...
Episode #101
A Masterclass in Church Roots and Jazz Virtuosity Recorded live during The Jazz Cruise, this episode features a soulful and humorous interview between eight-time Grammy-winning bassist Christian McBride and his friend...
Episode #100
A Centennial Celebration of Jazz Stories In this milestone 100th episode of Jazz Cruises Conversations , recorded live on The Jazz Cruise '25, legendary guitarist and vocalist John Pizzarelli sits down with his longtime...
Episode #99
This conversation was recorded during The Jazz Cruise '24 and features an interview with world-renowned multi-instrumentalist James Morrison by Music Director Eric Marienthal . In this episode, Morrison discusses his...
Jazz Cruises Conversations
This conversation with saxophonist Mindi Abair, hosted by Talaya of "Watercolors" on SiriusXM, was recorded on the second week of The Smooth Jazz Cruise earlier this year. The two talked about Mindi's storied career and...
Jazz Cruises Conversations
In this conversation recorded during Botti at Sea '24, as part of the Jazz on Film series hosted by Lee Mergner, we showed a bit of Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool , Stanley Nelson's 2019 documentary about the great...
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