New Orleans-based progressive funk group Galactic [ tickets ], a favorite among many jam-band aficionados, is set for extensive touring in early 2004.

The sextet continues to tour behind "Ruckus," its fourth studio album. Dan the Automator (Dr. Octagon, Gorillaz, Blue Man Group) produced the set, which hit stores in October.

The band opens the New Year by performing on a pair of Bahamas-bound cruises that depart from Fort Lauderdale. Galactic will be among a number of bands setting sail aboard Jam Cruise and Jam Cruise II, which are billed as "the world's first and only fully chartered four-night jam-band music festival at sea." Details are posted at the event's website.

After the group returns to land, it opens its Freezestyle 2004 tour with a series of late-January club dates in Florida. The outing runs through early March, and will cover much of the South and Midwest. As it typically does, Galactic will be home to perform in New Orleans during Mardi Gras.

The group will also embark on a quick tour of Japan Feb. 1-5, touching down in Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo.