Shipboard Living, and All That Jazz

The jazz cruise phenomenon, which began in the mid-1970s with a series of voyages aboard the Rotterdam out of New York, is enjoying a resurgence.

The principal events this year will take place on the Norway. Two cruises have been scheduled, leaving Miami Oct. 11 and Oct. 18 respectively. This will be the fourth annual jazz celebration aboard the 70,000-ton liner. This year, in addition to the regular stops at St. Thomas and Nassau, another port of call has been set at St. Maarten.

Headlining the Oct. 11 festival will be Woody Herman, Cab Calloway and Anita O’Day. The Oct. 18 voyage will star Dizzy Gillespie, Buddy Rich and the Milt Jackson Quartet. Appearing both weeks will be the singers Joe Williams and Maxine Sullivan; saxophonists Al Cohn, Buddy Tate, Flip Phillips, Bob Wilber and Scott Hamilton; trumpeters Ruby Braff, Harry (Sweets) Edison, Clark Terry and Warren Vache; trombonist George Masso, guitarist Tal Farlow, pianists Dick Hyman, Makoto Ozone, Eddie Higgins and Mel Powell; clarinetist Kenny Davern, drummers Mel Lewis and Jake Hanna, bassists Jack Lesberg, Steve Swallow and Major Holley, vibraphonist Gary Burton and violinist Svend Asmussen.

Another project, organized by Regency Cruises, will take place on the Regent Sea Sept. 21-26. Leaving from Vancouver and sailing to San Francisco and Los Angeles, the five-day voyage will present the Newport Jazz Festival All Stars, with pianist George Wein, bassist Slam Stewart and saxophonist Norris Turney; Dizzy Gillespie, pianist Mike Longo and Joe Williams. Times jazz critic Leonard Feather will offer screenings from his collection of rare jazz films.

The Royal Viking Line is also stepping up its musical activities. Al Hirt will be sailing today (July 27) on the Royal Viking Star, cruising from San Francisco to ports in Alaska and to Vancouver. Other similar plans are in the works.

The Sun Line’s Stella Solaris will sail from New Orleans Jan. 23 with a jazz show including Joe Williams and the Harlem Blues & Jazz Band, featuring vocalist Laurel Watson. The cruise will call at Guatemala, San Andres, go through the Panama Canal and visit Costa Rica, Grand Cayman and the Yucatan.

So great is the interest in these and other cruises that an organization has been set up to act in effect as a clearing house and to offer discounts to members. Details can be obtained from Jazz Club at Sea, C/O Ace Travel Inc., 2211 Norfolk, Suite 400, Houston, Tex. 77098.