Gem Guitarist

[brovol]

Last year we sailed the Gem, and loved the guitarist, Kenny Stringer. We sail the Gem again in two weeks, and we were curious whether he is still on the ship. If not, does anyone know if a new solo guitarist will be entertaining us? My son and I both play guitar, and enjoy watching what a professional can do.

[welove2cruise232]

We didn't see him on the Gem in January, but there was another good guitarist, can't remember his name (Capcik??).

 

If you like Sinatra, you will LOVE Ariel Jacobbe! He will be on board for our cruise!

[time2cruise1]

We didn't see him on the Gem in January, but there was another good guitarist, can't remember his name (Capcik??).

 

If you like Sinatra, you will LOVE Ariel Jacobbe! He will be on board for our cruise!

 

That would be it James Capik. He was onboard in Feb.

[welove2cruise232]

Yes, that's him -- thank you!;)

[Frankie C]

I was also just on the Gem. Does anyone have any more information about James Capik? I would love to find out if he does any touring or shows when he is not on a ship tour. Spent a bunch of time in Star Bar, listening to him.

 

Also, I ran into him on the islands during port, he seemed very personable. He was a breath of fresh air compared to the other forms of late-night entertainment on the ship. Not saying anything bad about the remainder of entertainment, it just gets repetitive at times.

[Minicooper2007]

I was also just on the Gem. Does anyone have any more information about James Capik? I would love to find out if he does any touring or shows when he is not on a ship tour. Spent a bunch of time in Star Bar, listening to him.

 

Also, I ran into him on the islands during port, he seemed very personable. He was a breath of fresh air compared to the other forms of late-night entertainment on the ship. Not saying anything bad about the remainder of entertainment, it just gets repetitive at times.

 

Frankie C, Just found a YouTube video I think you'll enjoy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xC2zJQKalJk

We discovered Jim Capik on the Gem cruise to Alaska in Late June. I've tried several times to find something on-line about him, and was finally successful.

Enjoy.

[Dblugras]

My wife and I were fortunate enough to happen upon this great guitarist and accomplished entertainer playing a 300 series Taylor cutaway guitar and using a Boomerang digital delay system through Bose L1 PA setup, Midship on Level 7, in the Maltings Whiskey Bar on the NCL Epic last week.

Jim plays a variety of genres in outstanding fashion (JT to Paul Simon to John Denver to Pink Floyd to a Reverend Gary Davis Blues Gospel version of "I am the Light of this World!"

Jim starts by laying down a rhythm track as his intro, knocks out a verse and chorus then kicks-in the digital delay with pre-recorded rhythm track and starts playing lead over top of the rhythm...sometimes, multiple tracks including brushes on the spruce top of his acoustic guitar on songs, then tops it all off by blowin' a blues harp like Greg "Fingers" Taylor (Jimmy Buffett fame).

IMHO, NCL is blessed to have Jim Capik who is extremely talented, professional, very down to earth and humble, but able to draw in a crowd with his smooth vocals and guitar playing and a laid-back, let them come to me attitude. I believe the greatest talents have no ego or attitude, they just allow folks who appreciate what they are doing feel at home...and that is what we felt, just like we were in our local town, enjoying an evening with a dear friend of many years, though we had just heard him for the first time...

I was fortunate enough to get to talk with Jim a couple times during breaks throughout the week. It is always interesting to me, as a weekend-musician for decades, you can spot other musicians, standing around the back of a room (or in this case walls of the mid-ship halls) taking in the experience, then gradually moving to a place at a table or along the bar, and ultimately fessin'-up to also being a musician and how accomplished and difficult it is to pull this type of one-man-entertainment off, all the while making it look easy. Each night, I met at least two musicians who had stumbled upon Jim and just couldn't walk away!

If anyone is looking for a great evening of acoustic guitar entertainment, with a variety of genres, and willing to take a request or two, and sees the name James Capik, I personally recommend him as one of the best entertainers I have heard in years!

[don24]

The current solo guitarist is Leo.he's pretty good you will enjoy ,we saw him mostly in Magnums .

[dachengdao]

It's been over a year since we heard Leo and my husband is still talking about how much he enjoyed him!

[DonaldH]

We just finished a Norwegian Epic cruise where Jim was performing. Jim is indeed a great performer. I spent several evenings listening to him. I just got home yesterday and was trying to find out more about him.

[Richpontone]

Just got off a 9 day cruise on the Gem and Leo played almost every night for three hours in either the Atrium or Magnums. Very pleasant and a good singer. Showed real class in his last performance when he publicly thanked five cruisers by name for being at all his concerts.

[youngestof9]

We saw Jim on the Epic and one evening he joined howl at the moon on his harmonica. It was kick ass! He was excellent!!

 

We enjoyed Leo on the Gem in 2011. He was entertaining.