Dave Koz
Dave Koz
Smooth Jazz Saxophonist
In a career that spans twenty years and a dozen albums, saxophonist Dave Koz has established himself as one of the most prominent figures in contemporary music.
Music – and more specifically, the saxophone – have been Koz's primary survival tools since his childhood and adolescence in L.A.'s San Fernando Valley. He started playing as a means to land a spot in his brother's band, but somewhere along the way, "the saxophone became my best friend, my most trusted ally, because it enabled me to communicate feelings that I didn't have the words for. In many ways, it saved my life."
After earning a degree in mass communications from UCLA, Koz took the leap into a career as a professional musician – a decision that immediately led to touring gigs with vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Bobby Caldwell, keyboardist Jeff Lorber and pop singer Richard Marx. He signed with Capitol and released his self-titled solo debut in 1990.
In addition to compiling an ambitious discography over the past two decades, Koz continues to flex his mass-communications muscles as a radio personality. On the weekends, he hosts the syndicated Dave Koz Radio Show which airs in approximately 50 markets, distributed by Courtside Entertainment Group.
Koz also keeps a hand in various other entrepreneurial and philanthropic ventures. He is the founder of Rendezvous Records, and has served for 18 years as global ambassador for the Starlight Children's Foundation – an organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses and life-altering injuries. He partnered with premium Santa Barbara winemaker Terravant, Whole Foods Market and California Pizza Kitchen to introduce his latest vintage of KOZ Wines. The wines are available at Whole Foods Market stores in Southern California, Nevada, Hawaii and Arizona, with all proceeds going directly to the Starlight Foundation. They are also available by the glass and bottle at all California Pizza Kitchen locations nationwide.
He completed a four-year term on the Grammy Foundation Artists Committee, has served as national trustee for the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS), and is an ongoing member of the Board of Governors for the Grammy Foundation.
Koz keeps busy on the road with annual summer and holiday tours – the Dave Koz & Friends Smooth Jazz Christmas Tour entered its 15th season in 2012 – and he will be hosting the next Dave Koz and Friends at Sea Cruise to Greece aboard Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas in 2013.
Dave Koz's Official Website