A Word from our Executive Producer, Mike Jason
Dear Big Easy cruisers,
I can’t wait to see you all on our 3rd Big Easy Cruise sailing this coming January!
We’re working diligently on the schedule of performances (we should top 100 performances this year) by our incredible line up of artists as well as planning a full slate of unique events including cooking demos with Chef Belton, Trixie Minx appearances, exclusive shows at Tipitina’s during our 24-hour visit to New Orleans, late night jam sessions, Q&As, theme nights, and more.
Our intention from the second we decided to do The Big Easy Cruise was to create an event that captured the magic of the music, the food, the culture, and the community of New Orleans. We try to include artists that you’d run into in a small club any night during JazzFest, artists that play in bigger venues but owe their roots and fans to the legacy of New Orleans and Louisianna music, and those artists that perfectly define what it is to be uniquely of a special city. Who better to join us this coming year than the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. I’ve seen them in venues as intimate as Preservation Hall and as grand as the Kennedy Center and had a blast every time. I’m sure you will too!
I also want to take a minute to thank you, our guests. As we cross 90% of our cabins sold, I can’t begin to tell you how humbled we are that so many of you share our love for this wonderful combination of music and community. We appreciate that you are willing to spend a week of your lives with us and promise that we will continue to listen to your suggestions, add the kind of Big Easy music and artist-interactive events you expect, and somehow manage to fit it all into one active week. Please let us know if you have any suggestions as we do ready every email and comment!
As we reflect on the painful memories of Hurricane Katrina’s devastation two decades ago, I find hope in knowing that, in our own way, our shared commitment to New Orleans—its people, its artists, and its vibrant culture—continues to make a difference. This year, once again, we are proud to support our friends at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation in their vital work to preserve and promote the music, traditions, and communities that make Louisiana so extraordinary.
- Mike Jason, Executive Producer