Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Fernando Perdomo will be performing aboard the On the Blue: New Horizons cruise that takes place April 5-10, 2024 aboard the Norwegian Cruise Line ship Pearl. The cruise sails from Miami to Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic and Nassau in the Bahamas. Fittingly, the journeyman musician’s band for the occasion will be Fernando Perdomo’s Yacht Club (Perdomo released a ’70s-inspired album called Yacht in 2020).
Among the other acts appearing on the classic rock-focusing adventure will be Al Stewart, Alan Parsons, the Zombies, Starship featuring Mickey Thomas, Little River Band, Uriah Heep, Vanilla Fudge, Beatles tribute act the Weeklings, Glenn Hughes performing Deep Purple Live and Matthew and Gunnar Nelson playing a tribute to their late father Ricky Nelson. Hosting the event will be the voice of the Moody Blues, Justin Hayward.
We had a chance to ask Perdomo a few questions about his participation in the cruise, and here’s what he told us.
Are you a veteran of other music cruises or will the On the Blue: New Horizons sailing be your first?
I’ve been on the last six On the Blue: Cruise to the Edge cruises performing with Dave Kerzner, Fernando Perdomo’s Out to Sea Band, Gabriel Agudo and the McBroom Sisters. I’ve also done the last two On the Blue cruises with Prog Allstars and my Yacht Club. I have also taken part as a special guest in the Late Night Live features; that’s where cruisers have a chance to perform.
Who are the players in Fernando Perdomo’s Yacht Club and from where will you draw songs for the set list?
Yacht Club is a good name for this group of pros and friends who love yacht rock and “AM gold.” The members of Yacht Club are Jawn Star formerly of Player and the three members of Miami band Brothers of Others: Derek Cintron, Joshua Stedman and Vic Kingsley. These four guys are some of my best friends and amazing players and singers. The material will mostly be covers of songs from 1974-81, the “Golden Age of smooth rock.” There’ll be some smooth originals, too.
Sometimes it’s like “old home week” for artists on music cruises. Have you previously worked with any of the performers set to appear?
I have a duo with Carmine Appice of Vanilla Fudge called Appice Perdomo Projects; we’ve released two albums on Cleopatra Records. I engineered Peter Noone’s vocals at my studio for the Weeklings, two great songs. (Noone, of Herman’s Hermits fame, will not be appearing with the Weeklings on the cruise.) My absolute dream is to work with Alan Parsons; he saw the Yacht Club on the last cruise and told me he loved it and loved my guitar playing. I can die now!
Who else are you excited to see?
I can’t wait to see Leonid & Friends (Tribute to Chicago.) I love horn rock! I always love seeing the Zombies and maybe I’ll jam with the Empty Pockets (Al Stewart’s backing band, who’ll be performing with and without Al) again.
The cruise makes port in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas. Will you be going ashore at all? Are you a beach guy?
I’m not really a beach guy. I don’t get off the boat. That’s where the action is!
I’m sure you’ll remain very busy when you get back to dry land. What do you have on tap for the rest of the year?
I’ve been on tour with Marshall Crenshaw, and there are three more tours with him in the works. I have a new album called Self coming out in June on the Spirit of Unicorn label. And I have a busy schedule at my Forward Motion Studios in Los Angeles.
Keep up with Fernando Perdomo here.
More information on the On the Blue: New Horizons cruise can be found here. Select cabins remain available at press time.
Produced by Carmine Appice and Fernando Perdomo
Mixed by Zach Ziskin Recorded at Reseda Ranch Studios and Realistic Rock Studios
Drums Engineered by Pat Regan & Carmine Appice
Fernando Perdomo – Guitars, Bass, Keyboards
Carmine Appice – Drums
Video Shot and Edited by Cyndi Trissel
Additional Editing and VFX by Fernando Perdomo
