Greetings from just off the coast of Cuba, my friends. We’ve awoke to another gorgeous day of weather on the high seas as we motor back to Fort Lauderdale. Everyone seems surprisingly alert for Day Five of this marathon adventure and we’ve got an intense day and night ahead that leads into the dreaded disembarkation calls over the PA at 7AM tomorrow morning.

I think we’re at the point in the trip, where I can officially declare Jam Cruise 9 better than last year’s event on a musical level. While the “mindblown” factor of my first trip can never be duplicated, the artists on JC9 have all put together amazing sit-ins and action packed sets. No one wants to be “that band” or “that guy” who plays a bad show. Trust me, word spreads fast on this boat.

When I first looked at the schedule, I thought yesterday might be my least favorite of the five days. Yet, Friday turned out to crush. We were docked in Costa Maya, Mexico from 8AM to 3PM and I’d love to tell you all about it, but I took that opportunity to sleep. Zs are at a premium with “once-in-a-lifetime” collaborations likely to bust out at any time. I heard great stories of those who either went to the beach, took part in the Positive Legacy excursion, visited the Mayan Ruins or made their own adventure.

Jam Cruise is all about making your own adventure. Each attendee has a completely different experience and trading tales the next day is part of the fun. My day started with Rock Star Karoake featuring ALO. This California band is near the top of the list of acts who left a big impression on me. Not only are their originals funky and boogie-fueled without being trite, but they can also handle cover tunes with the best of ‘em.

READ ON on for more of Part 1 of Day 4 of Jam Cruise.

Some musicians are simply built for the road. Anytime somebody asks John “Jojo” Hermann, the man best known for his role as the keyboardist laying down the funky clavinet and organ tones for Widespread Panic, what he thinks about long term plans, their legacy as a band or what he looks back most fondly on over the years, he always seems to say, “touring.”

Even though the summer is in wind-down mode, the Widespread Panic & Allman Brothers co-bill tour has just begun to set the east coast ablaze and will continue doing so across the country throughout the fall. Still, JoJo already has more musical plans on the horizon.

In mid-September, during the break between legs on the tour, JoJo and longtime friend singer/songwriter Sherman Ewing will perform a series of intimate club dates in the southeast billed as the Missing Cats. With nothing more than acoustic guitar, upright piano, a friendship built over twenty-plus years and a couple damn good senses of humor, these dates will surely provide a great way to experience the good-natured keyboard player in the most casual of settings.

Ryan Dembinsky: In terms of the short tour, what type of balance can we expect between brand new material and existing tunes from your solo albums with the Smiling Assassins as well as Widespread Panic material? Any Sherman and the Bureaucrats material gonna make it out of hiding?

JoJo Hermann: We’ve talked about some old Bureaucrats songs, but Sherman and I are basically playing an equal combination of songs from the Smiling Assassins and some new stuff we wrote this summer. Sherman will be playing some material off his solo albums before I delve into my piano boogie heroes tunes – players such as Professor Longhair, Pete Johnson, Meade Lux Lewis, and of course, Dr. John. Then we perform together.

READ ON for the rest of Ryan’s conversation with JoJo…

Gov’t Mule haven’t detailed what band they’ll be covering at the Tower Theater in Philadelphia on Halloween, but this ad sure gives it away…

Tickets for this  special show go on sale tomorrow at 10AM.

Also, before we take off for the weekend we wanted to post what’s old news at this point – Widespread Panic keyboardist JoJo Hermann will be teaming up with NYC-based singer/songwriter Sherman Ewing for the debut tour of the newly formed Missing Cats as they prepare to enter the studio to record their first album. Here are the dates…

Sep 15 The ArtsCenter Carrboro, NC
Sep 16 The Soapbox Wilmington, NC
Sep 17 Pour House Charleston, SC
Sep 18 The Melting Point Athens, GA
Sep 19 The Grey Eagle Asheville, NC

Have a great weekend everybody!