October 17, 2004 – Rehoboth Beach, DE
Interview by Elizabeth Ware
Three-time Grammy nominated saxophonist and composer Dave Koz is one of the most expressive voices in Smooth Jazz – and one of the busiest musicians in the business. The multi-million selling solo recording artist, humanitarian, syndicated radio host and instrumental music advocate also recently co-founded Rendezvous Entertainment, an independent record company headquartered in Los Angeles. He also serves as Global Ambassador for the Starlight Children’s Foundation and recently completed a four-year term with the Grammy Foundation Artists Committee, a non-profit arm of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Science dedicated to preserving America's rich cultural legacy and bringing music into schools.
Dave's third solo CD, Off the Beaten Path, was the first Smooth Jazz CD I ever listened to. It blew me away on the first listen, and I've been hooked ever since. In a not so indirect way, Dave Koz is one of the reasons I'm so involved in Smooth Jazz today. I recently had the privilege of sitting down and talking with Dave before he took the stage at the 15th Annual Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival.
 SmoothViews (SV): Welcome to the first edition of SmoothViews!
Dave Koz (DK): The Inaugural Issue.
SV: Happy to have you here!
DK: Thank you very much. I’m honored!
SV: It’s been quite a year for you, professionally and personally – lots of accomplishments, success and recognition: your third consecutive Grammy nomination in the “Best Pop Instrumental Performance” category and second NAACP Image Award nomination; Syndicated Radio Personality of the Year; the first single from Saxophonic – “Honey Dipped” was #1 for eight consecutive weeks, the second single, “All I See Is You”, was #1 for at least 10 weeks, maybe 11…
DK: Ten. Ten weeks.
SV: That’s a record for this year. You have a third single out, “Let it Free”. You launched RadioKoz.com. Rendezvous Entertainment is having tremendous success. Of all that, what are you the most proud?
DK: I’d say professionally, broad-ranged, just to have another year of doing it! I’m also particularly proud that even though I took a lot of personal steps this year, that not only did my professional career not suffer, it flourished.
SV: Yeah that’s awesome.
DK: That is probably my biggest joy this year.
SV: It had to make you a little bit nervous.
DK: Of course nervous, nerve-wracking… but on the same token, I can’t believe that I waited so long! It’s really an amazing transformation on every level. And I found that – of course on a personal level having that freedom is great – but on a professional level… that was a big surprise. We had one of our most successful tours ever this summer which was right on the heels of that article coming out. [editor’s note: an interview that appeared in The Advocate, April 27, 2004] Got all kinds of crazy press that had previously been closed to us. I found myself meeting dignitaries and senators… and I’ve gotten to be very close with Ted Kennedy who I just saw again last week. And also with opportunities – professional opportunities that have come my way that are really monumental. It’s just… to me, it is an authentic power… personification of authentic power. Really it was very clear – clearly pointed out to me that it was the right thing to do.
SV: Well, apparently it was just the right time. You talked about wishing you hadn’t waited so long, but it turn out that maybe it was just the right year.
DK: Yeah, I mean, everything happens… I’m a big believer that things... that life unfolds just the way it should, however that may be. Things just sort of happen the way they’re meant to happen. But from that aspect, I’m quite proud… quite happy.
SV: You think that helped with the article in People Magazine… with the 50 Hottest Bachelors?
DK: I KNOW! It was the only reason I got in!!! (both laughing)
SV: No it wasn’t.
DK: No it is! Believe me!
SV: (laughing) It was still a cool thing!
DK: Not that I haven’t gotten any dates from that thing anyway, so…
SV: Rendezvous is enjoying tremendous success this year – almost unprecedented success! There were times this year when all the Rendezvous artists were in the top 30 air-play charts. Last week (Oct 6, 2004) Rendezvous Artists held the #4, #5, #6 spots and this week - #4, #5, and #8.
DK: Well it’s a tribute to the musicians, too. And I’m very proud of what we’ve been able to build in just a couple of short years. And really it’s just beginning. I mean we’re just getting our sea legs with this company. I’m most proud of the environment we’ve been able to create in this company… an environment where other artists can come to and feel like they have a home where they are trusted and encouraged, and their growth not stunted. And also, that there’s a team of people behind them that truly believe in what they’re doing.
 SV: And that’s what they say… when you talk to the other artist… that’s exactly what they say about working with Rendezvous. How did Rendezvous come about?
DK: Well, it was a dream that I had for a long time, but I didn’t know who the players were going to be, because I knew I couldn’t do it myself. And Hyman Katz, who’s my partner at Rendezvous, was a record executive for many years, and is responsible for Keiko Matsui’s huge rise, and Paul Taylor. I’ve known him for many, many years, actually since I was a kid. We kind of grew up together. So we talked about getting together and working together, but we didn’t know how. Finally, the timing was right, again like you mentioned. And then Frank Cody, who is our other partner, comes from marketing and radio and research… all those kinds of things. He’s really considered the “Father of Smooth Jazz.” He really put this format on the map.
SV: He knows how to get airplay too, doesn’t he? (laughs)
DK: He’s pretty good! He became, all the sudden, available because his company was sold to Clear Channel, and he wanted to make a change and move out to Los Angeles. So the three of us got together, and we created Rendezvous with very… I suppose, our mindset was all in the same place. And the kind of company we wanted to create – we were all in sync about that. And really, the values that the old record companies used to have in their heyday was what we wanted to bring back – artist development, belief in the artist, taking time to do things the old fashioned way, and spend the time, roll up the sleeves, and create an environment that artists really love to create in… a creative home-style atmosphere. It’s nice to see that it’s worked.
SV: It really is, and this is a great time in the industry. There’s a big gap. People are being let go from their record labels, on major labels, and companies like Rendezvous can fill a big gap. What’s coming up? Any future projects you can share with us?
DK: We’re gonna start 2005 with the release of more in the Chill sector with Adani and Wolf. Adani and Wolf are the producers that brought us Praful, so we have their solo album - duo. And there’s an artist named Camiel, who’s also from Europe in the Chill space. And then in April we will have Golden Slumbers, a Father’s Love – a follow-up to Golden Slumbers, a Father’s Lullaby. Where the first one was largely instrumental, this one is all vocal. We have a couple of names on this one you may be familiar with – Michael McDonald, Smokey Robinson, Richard Marx, Solomon Burke, Loudon Wainwright, Phil Collins, John Secada, Carlos Ponce, Will Downing, Kirk Whalum. Kirk Whalum did this beautiful song that he wrote… and he wrote this song many, many years ago with his brother – who’s a great singer - after he (Kirk) and his wife lost a baby. And to deal with it, they wrote this song and stuck it in a drawer. It was called “My Little Man”. And basically, he didn’t do anything with it until we approached him with this project, and he said, “You know, I have this song that I wrote. It’s been waiting for this project.” It’s almost like it just needed this project to come. It is the most beautiful thing. It’s really a prayer for his lost boy that was born and died a couple of days after he was born. You know Kirk is a very spiritual person. And when he and his brother perform this song it’s like… That’s the whole thing about this album, and it crystallizes in that song… is that it’s another side of artists that we don’t normally get to see. And it’s a real personal side. And when you listen to this album back-to-back these personal little nuggets… It’s pretty powerful! So we’re excited about that. That’s a big release and will take up a lot of our energies and attention from April to Father’s Day.
SV: It’ll be out around Father’s Day?
DK: It’ll be out in April, but it will be a steady build towards Father’s Day. So those are the things I can share with you. There are other things in the fire.
 SV: It’s awesome, I can tell you! You had another wonderfully successful “Friends” tour this summer, and the holiday tour is right around the corner. This will be the 8th year, I believe?
DK: Yeah!
SV: One of the longest running Smooth Jazz Christmas Shows. Yours isn’t the only one this year. Who’s sharing the stage with you?
DK: Let’s see, we got Peter White’s Christmas, right? Are there others? Yeah... imitation is the sincerest form of flattery! (laughs). Well, Peter was one of the original architects of our show too. I would go to Peter White’s Christmas show, because I know how entertaining he is. But our thing… Brenda Russell is coming back this year, Brian Culbertson, and Norman Brown is making his first appearance. And then we have some guest artists. Wayman is going to come for maybe about eight or ten shows and doing some special guest appearance, and Chris Botti will be doing the same.
SV: Great! That sounds awesome!
DK: And we’re very excited about it. Particularly excited about getting back out there. We have a few things planned for our Christmas show this time that are exciting from a production standpoint. Can’t say too much here but…
SV: Just be there.
DK: Just be there.
SV: I missed the first year, but I’ve really enjoyed watching this whole thing grow! The first one I saw was in a small theatre in Atlanta, The Roxy, and I’ve also seen it at Constitution Hall in DC! So it’s really grown!
DK: This is the first year that we have all beautiful performing arts theatres. So the fact that we can go for a month straight from Thanksgiving to Christmas and play every night, six nights a week, in beautiful places shows that we’ve become, I guess a little bit of… for people… a tradition.
SV: It has for us!
DK: And that for me… I don’t take that for granted. I think that is so awesome that people have let us into their lives at that special time.
SV: It’s a very cool thing to have that tradition, but it’s got to be hard for you guys to be on the road around the holidays. Is it tough? How do you deal with that?
DK: It’s actually the best time, ironically, to be out there touring – except for the weather when we travel on the East Coast and Midwest – it can be cold and sometimes difficult to get around, but the people, everywhere you go, are in great spirits. Hotels, airports, at shows… so it’s a nice time to be traveling around. As long as you don’t mind the hassles of traveling, and that’s always mine, if I have any complaint, it’s that about touring. But it’s hardly a complaint when you’re on stage and 2000 people are there to spend a couple of hours with you.
SV: It makes it worthwhile.
DK: Yeah
SV: I’m really looking forward to that. You’re the Global Ambassador for the Starlight Children’s Foundation. Christmas is a special promotion time for them. How can WE be involved with it this year?
DK: Yeah, well, Starlight just recently merged with Starbright, so now it’s Starlight Starbright Children’s Foundation. We’ve been doing this for the last three years, these Holi-Bears promotion, so I would love for people who are interested in getting something special for a loved one during the holiday season to visit www.starlight.org or my website www.davekoz.com to find out about the Holi-Bears promotion. This is a little stuffed animal – bear – so cute. And Starlight does this service for kids that are stuck in hospitals, especially during the holiday season. And you can give the bear in somebody’s name, and it goes to an actual kid in a hospital during the holidays. And I’ve seen how it brightens up children’s lives, and the parents, too, of children who are facing some debilitating things in the hospital. So if anybody’s looking for a unique way of honoring friends and family and would like to do something nice in the process, this is a great way to do it. Holi-Bears. You can find out about it at Starlight or my website.
SV: What’s up for you for 2005, for Dave Koz?
DK: Well, I’m excited because I get to start another record. I’m gonna get back in the studio the first couple of months of the year. And I can’t really say exactly yet what it’s going to be, but it’s going to be a different sort of thing for me.
SV: You’ve got something in mind?
DK: Yep, and if it pans out the way I would like it to be it’ll be an absolute dream project – an album that I’ve always wanted to make. So I hope that things will work out so that will be the case. It will probably come out if everything works out timing-wise, in late summer or early fall of 2005. I’ll be doing a guest spot on Warren Hill’s Smooth Jazz Cruise – not going on the cruise, but I’ll be in St. Thomas for a special concert. And we’ll be announcing some exciting news at that concert for NovemberS 2005. Can I just leave it at that?
SV: Sure! (both laugh) People will just have to come back to learn more later!
DK: But there’s something brewing that will be really exciting for the latter part of 2005. And we’ll probably be doing another summer tour as well. That’s always one of our pillars of the year, and as long as people still want to see it…
SV: (laughs) That doesn’t seem to be slowing down any.
DK: I’m happy to oblige!
SV: It’s a great mix. I’m looking forward to hearing just Dave Koz on stage today.
DK: It’s nice to do these shows every once in awhile – we have a few of them this year. I like it just to keep my chops up and remember how to play a lot of these songs.
 SV: Play the whole hour – hour and a half.
DK: I’m actually happiest when I get to collaborate on stage. You probably know that.
SV: Yeah, that energy on stage is great.
DK: Even if it’s just the band and I, there’s a lot of collaboration on stage. I think just playing sax on stage for a hour and a half straight would be kinda boring!
SV: Well, I don’t know. I wouldn’t be bored, but... I image you would! You recorded a lot of shows this summer, and they’re on www.radiokoz.com, which a really cool thing to get to go there and hear them. Are there any plans to put them on a live CD?
DK: You know what we kind of need is someone to go through them and really take the best of the best, and I’m not quite sure how to do that just yet. I’m not sure 100% what we would do with that CD either. I think it would be not necessarily something that we could… I don’t know about selling it, per se. But there could be a way of doing it as a stream or as an incentive to join the fan club or something like that. It’s manpower because it’s a lot of listening and a lot of taking the best of the best, because there’s, I don’t know, there’s probably 25 hours of music there. We’re hoping though, this Christmas season to have a live CD… that you can buy a CD of the show that you just saw on your way out.
SV: Wow. That’s amazing. That’s slick.
DK: That’s the goal. That’s the goal for this Christmas. I’m hoping it’s all going to work out.
SV: Well, all the busy stuff going on… you’re about to take a vacation, get some down-time. Where are you going?
DK: Buenos Aires, Argentina. I’ve kinda been on a little bit of a South America kick the last couple of years. I went to Rio twice last year. I went there and I just could not get enough. When I take vacations, they’re really not very… Most people who take a vacation and go that far they have 10 days, two weeks… I’ve got like six days or seven days. It’s between this gig and the gig in New York. Instead of going all the way to LA I decided well, I’m going to go down South.
SV: Just go down to Argentina
DK: Right! Buenos Aires, I’ve heard, is like the Paris of South America, and really interesting food and culture and shopping… It’s the kind of trip that I like to take. Explore a new city. So in about 48 hours, I’m going to be there.
SV: You make yourself available in a number of settings to young people who are interested in music. You do a lot to encourage and inspire young musicians along the way. Were there people like that in for you?
DK: Most definitely. I got it mostly from my brother and his friends when I was playing in the band – playing Bar Mitzvahs, society functions and fraternity parties. I was always playing with musicians that were at least four years older than me; sometimes ten years older. And those guys were always encouraging – as opposed to saying, “Jeff, get your brother out here!” I think they recognized that they could be very helpful and inspiring, which I will never forget – a few that were particularly inspiring; guys like Brad Cole who is still a big part of my life. We’ve worked on a few projects together. He’s a keyboard player. So, anyway, that and also Tom Scott. When I was growing up getting a chance to meet Tom Scott and ask him some questions, he was very, very nice to me and sweet. Then I got a chance to really work with him on a daily basis. There was a husband of my dad’s nurse who was a professional saxophone player who used to play in the Tommy Dorsey Band – this older man. And he was one of the reasons I took up the saxophone. He was infinitely encouraging to me. So there were those pillars. And of course, my parents, and my brother who were always supportive even back when I was first starting the saxophone and it sounded like a…
SV: I know what it sounds like! (laughing)
DK: Yes, you’re familiar with that sort of dead cow sound.
SV: (Laughing) It takes about a year to get maybe a pretty decent thing going with it. It can be painful… We took a lot of walks.
DK: Right. Get out of the house.
SV: Support makes all of the difference in the world. I know several young people who are very appreciative of the time you spent with them.
DK: I think that it’s a little bit of a sad situation right now where the music system, the public music system that I grew up in is really in shambles. If I didn’t have the music in school, I’m not sure… I mean, I suppose people will find it if they need to find it, but for those people who are on the fence, that take up music in schools, it can be very inspiring, very important to the development of who you are as a person – forget about the music side. Learning those socialization and communication skills just like playing with others – there’s ways of doing that. One is on the field, you know, in sports, acting or drama or whatever, and music is really, really important – choir, jazz band and marching band. These are things that are socialization skills just as much as they are musical skills. The fact that that is pretty much non-existent in most schools is very scary.
SV: Yeah it is. The first thing to go when the budget gets cut.
DK: I’d like to see that come back. They’ve done some pretty interesting studies recently that show that the kids… Not only are the programs and teachers and after-school programs and budgets for instruments way, way, way down, but so are the education levels. There’s like a direct proportion to education level and how much music and arts are being offered to kids.
SV: Last question. Someone asked you one time how you decided on which saxophone to use for what song, and your reply was basically it was just obvious to you which saxophone to use with which song… maybe not quite as obvious to the rest of us! Let me paint some mood pictures for you, and if you were going to write a song that reflected these moods, which sax would you use - soprano, alto, tenor… or bari?
SV: A drive up the CA coast in a convertible on a beautiful sunny day – alone.
DK: Soprano
 SV: Same drive but with some really good friends.
DK: Oh, by myself… (pause) probably both are soprano just ‘cause you think about the top down, going really fast, you think about the soprano saxophone. It just feels like a soprano in both instances.
SV: New York City night-life.
DK: New York City to me is tenor sax.
SV: An all-nighter on the tour bus.
DK: An all-nighter on the tour bus… probably alto for that one.
SV: Watching your nieces play.
DK: Soprano
SV: Sitting by the fire with someone really special.
DK: Alto. (pause) Sometimes people think tenor, but a tenor’s kind of big, so it’s a little more awkward, but a alto you can just kind of – it’s very easy just to pick up and put away, sort of have there just resting. It’s a little more convenient, size wise.
SV: If you just sit down to play?
DK: Alto. Generally speaking I like to play it because it’s the instrument I started on. And I would say it’s most of a match for me personality-wise… but probably because I started on it, but I love expressing the different sides of my personality through it.
SV: And you do it very well!. Thanks a lot for your time!
DK: Of course!
It’s my pleasure. It’s really important to have people who are out there. I know that you started from the love of the music, and that’s the most important thing. All the people who are in this world [of music], pretty much, that are successful, started with the love and appreciation of the music and the artists, and that, from an artist’s perspective is so much appreciated.
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