Music report on the Alaska Cruise on the Regal Princess.
There are 9 lounges (bars) on this ship in addition to the Las Vegas style showroom that seats about 1000 people. They all have music during the afternoon and evenings except the show room, unless something else is going on in the lounges such as an Art Auction. I saw paintings go for up to 5000.00 USD. AA gets equal time as there is an AA meeting in the Library every afternoon at 5 PM. I only saw one person drunk on the ship the entire cruise. That person was NOT a musician, and it was not me
The showroom does two shows a night and has a 7 piece house band, cut down from 18 pieces due to budget constraints. The sax section is two men doubling on Tenor, soprano, clarinet and flute. The tenor player also does all the arrangements. One Trumpet player and one trombone. The guitar player doubles on electric bass. The KEYBOARD player is playing the Kurzweil and it is a 2600 by 88 keys. That guy did all the single vocal backups also with the guitar for rhythm. AND, are you ready for this? The band is fronted by the DRUMMER! That is only the third time in 70 years I have seen a drummer front a band. IN ADDITION he was playing from lead sheets. What do you think about that????
The best combo in the Bengal Lounge was a Yamaha Grand doubling with keyboard and a guitar player doubling on Trumpet with the best looking vocalist around. When the music was bad you just watch her moves and everything is good again She sang with the guys too doing three part GOOD harmony. That keyboard was a korg I-3.
The combo on deck for the leaving San Francisco Party, see picture at http://www.pbase.com/bebop2/alaska_cruise&page=1 and they also played in another lounge was three pieces. Keyboard was Kurzweil 2600 w/ crate and Roland amps, a bass player, and a drummer. They played some good rock music. It was a fun party as we sailed out of San Francisco bay. Did you hear us Scott? It was loud enough!
The casino used a Yamaha grand as did all the lounges and also had Roland G-800 keyboard, a Roland jazz chorus 120 amp, a centaur keyboard amp, a Yamaha o1v mixer and a Fatar 13 pedal foot board. The guy came with 50 pound of fake books, played his heart out with a vocalist and was ignored by every slot player, crapshooter, and card player in the place. They were so happy I came by to clap and talk to them that their socks were rolling up and down. Well, actually just his socks
The other lounges all had Yamaha grands in them as did the supper club in the Cafe Del Sol. The main dining room that was smart casual 6 nights and formal on Saturday nights did not use music. Our waiter did a little singing though and he was good.
We had a Victor Borge type dude name of Dick Gold (nutegold@aol.com) He was a great piano man when he played straight, was a good comedian and also played a fine guitar. He was really a good vocalist also. I bought his cd at 15.00 so you gotta know he was good.
We had another straight Yamaha grand player name of Selwyn Wright that did a fine vocal and did well working the room by himself. He had a large variety of music committed to memory as you would expect an old man of my age or near about.
There was another dude playing in another lounge on another Yamaha grand and he had a keyboard on top of it but I never stayed long enough in there to hear him use it if in fact he did. He was unable to work the room or hold the audience. It was a good room too that seated about 150 plus and is very plush. This is the room I would put Scotty Yee in and he would keep it filled all night. I am sure there are others in our forum that would do as well but I have not heard them so can't say but Scotty has played at my home and he is GOOD!!
OH yes we had a classical pianist playing in the bistro Cafe del Sol in the evenings and he had 100 pounds of music and he could play it all. He was a tremendous classical piano player and could switch gears at the drop of a 5 dollar bill. He was quite popular with many of the older cultured people
I was only asked to take over the piano bar in one lounge and I respectfully declined. That is the one where I didn't think the player was doing very well, and I wasn't inclined to do his job for him and get the room moving and then hand it back. NO THANKS. Been there and done that but no more.
Well friends that is about it for the music.
Let me tell you about one of the most awesome female vocalists I have ever heard and I would rate her at number three over all in my entire life. She is a little blue eyed blond lady from Australia. She did a solid hour plus on two different nights in the show room backed by the princess house band. She has won the top award in Australia for vocalists for three years in a row. It is easy to see why. I would drive a hundred miles to see and hear her again. Her name is Colleen Austin. Watch for her. She is destined to be a big star. Her vocal range is awesome and I believe she could work the house without a mic. She can do it all. She is also a good dancer and has a very friendly personality. She is out and about on the ship visiting the customers every day. We all loved her.
They also did a Broadway show with the somebody Terhune dancers and it was a good hour show. Very animated, all good vocals and dancers. It was fun. They also did OLD MAN RIVER as in Porgy and Bess. Excellent.
I will be happy to try and answer any questions you may have, but CRS
Submitted by Bebop