I find it hard to believe we have never reviewed Dave’s
best received CD. It came out in ’99, before we
started Smooth Views, but we have reviewed 50+ CDs in retrospectives. Here
I am, our least experienced reviewer, reviewing one of the
best selling offerings ever in smooth jazz.
The song list looks like a “best of” collection
to those familiar with his work. If you have been to
a DK concert in the last 10 years (The Dance was released 10
years ago this month), you have “Sha la la’ed” along
with “The Sha la song,” howled at Dave and the
crew clowning around with “I’ll Be There.” I
saw a sweet lady at a concert have to excuse herself for a
wardrobe change after “Surrender”. I will
always associate “Together Again” with the fun
times with fellow aficionados at and after concerts. What
an upbeat start.
Dave played at a festival we attended some years ago, and most
of the attendees had never heard him before. There was
the usual amount of drinking and socializing going on, with
people walking in and out and talking. When Dave finished “Careless
Whisper”, you could hear a pin drop. Dead silence
for 2 full seconds and then thunderous applause. The
sax solo at the end will always give me goose bumps.
BeBe Winans sings the title track with his usual talent and
feeling. It is a Garth Brooks cover that Dave puts his
touch upon. A tearjerker for anyone who has loved, and
lost. In that vein, “Don’t Give Up”,
with Burt Bacharach, was dedicated to a fan/friend that lost
family in a car wreck.
Dave Koz, encourager.
“Cuban Hideaway” is a showcase for Dave’s talent because
he plays all the parts. There are a dozen sax tracks and percussion (he
did have help with that). It has a complex rhythm and harmony, is upbeat
and fun.
As always with a Koz album, his second greatest talent is attracting
talented people to contribute. The list is long including
Jeff Lorber, Jonathan Butler, the late Luther Vandross, Montel
Jordan, Chris Botti, Marc Antoine, and many others.
Can you tell it is a favorite? Go get one! Get
two, one for the car and one for the house; it is old enough
to be cheap.
