By Ronnie Dee, musician, writer, producer and reporter for TBMN

DAVE KOZ AND FRIENDS CHRISTMAS TOUR 2024
Sat. Nov. 30th – 8pm Ruth Eckerd Hall
featuring Jonathan Butler and Special Guests Vincent Ingala, Adam Hawley, and Rebecca Jade Marking the 27th anniversary of the longest-running jazz-based Christmas tour, Dave Koz & Friends bring a fresh sensibility to this rich musical tradition on their 2024 outing, performing timeless Christmas classics, a Chanukah medley and hits from each artist’s. https://www.facebook.com/events/7983892674986766

“They” say you don’t want to meet your heroes, but in this case, “They” are totally wrong. In 1990, my beloved mother bought me a Dave Koz CD because she knew I loved him from the Arsenio Hall show. Mom thought our mullet haircuts were similar. She got a big kick out of that. I did too. This Dave Koz self-titled debut started my relationship with his music and heroic adventures. A philanthropist, a radio host, a soulful, multi-platinum selling artist, killer saxophone player, humanitarian and a hero to me. Imagine my glee when I was informed I would talk on the phone with him to about his upcoming show at Ruth Eckerd Hall, life, and Music in general. The phone rings, and I feel butterflies in my stomach. How is this going to be? Is he going to give me tired one-word answers or be the personable, funny guy I have watched on his YouTube channel?
We shall see momentarily…
“Hello?” I blurt out meekly.
“Hello!” Says Dave robustly.

And so, it begins. Within 10 seconds I feel like I am on the phone with a friend. What a wonderful vibe from an all-around classy and witty dude. His gentle demeanor put me immediately at ease. When I explain to him that I am not a professional journalist, but a fellow saxophone player and musician, I am met with a grateful and joyous greeting: “Awesome! That makes me happy, it’s always nice to talk to another musician about music. Fantastic!“
Whew.

Even though on my notes, I told myself not to, I cannot help but gush appreciation and compliments like a fanboy for probably too long and let him know that he is a hero of mine. It really was an involuntary action. We talk about meeting heroes and his meeting his own hero, Saxophone Icon David Sanborn:

Dave said:
“ I was backstage at one of his concerts in Los Angeles, at the universal amphitheater. It was packed! Sold out. 5000 people. Through a friend of a friend of a cousin of a friend of a friend of a cousin,” ( I laugh- there’s the funny guy…) “I was somehow backstage meeting David Sanborn after the show. Face-to-face with my number one idol, this guy that I worshiped, and he couldn’t have been nicer. He was very nice, and I was like a bumbling fool trying to tell him I wanna be like him, sound like him, that I learned all of his music and played along with his records. He’s nodding patiently and then finally said:
“Stop! You really need to find out who you are, stop trying to copy me. Why don’t you find out who you are and put that into your music? I didn’t understand the advice at the time, but over the years I realized how prophetic that was and how meaningful that was to find my own sound.”

Again, the meeting of heroes can go well. Dave Koz is a master of melody, and is not afraid to communicate them on a human and primal level. I ask about his fearless commitment to melody.

He replies:
“Sometimes my music is looked at as uncomplicated. People have compared it to Elevator Music and said it’s not serious enough. But, if you look into it, what’s really important to me is conveying an emotion, and delivering on a Melody emotionally. That’s been my mantra since the beginning. It’s who I am musically. My music connected through the burgeoning radio format of smooth jazz, and I became a member of that community, and it has been wonderful. The supporters of this Music have been so loyal and that’s what I am the most proud of. Our audience has stuck with us for so long- in a very fickle business. It’s an amazing thing, and I’m very grateful for that. “

Delving into the reason for this call, his 27th year of Christmas themed concerts,
I ask “Why Christmas? You’re Jewish! What’s the story there?” Laughter ensues, and a heartfelt and beautiful answer comes out.

“Christmas was certainly not anything I planned or had a long-range vision to do. 1997 was the first year that we did this tour and it was supposed to be a one off. I was speaking with David Benoit, the pianist, interviewing him for my radio show. He had just lost his mother, I just lost my dad within the span of about two weeks of each other and we were commiserating on this call, and it was his idea. He said “why don’t we go and make some music for our parents this holiday and we can maybe inspire some people along the way.” We did probably seven or eight that first year, it went over great! All of a sudden this thing became a tradition and we started to see the same people every year, and this many years later, we see the kids who came with their parents, bringing their kids now! A generational thing. This is a phenomenon that I feel can only really happen at Christmas, because Christmas is about nostalgia and tradition, and yeah, we need it this year more than ever. “
Hearing this sincere and melancholic explanation,

I am a bit verklempt thinking that this entire 27-year tradition has been born out of sadness coming from the loss of a parent. I know this feeling, especially around the holidays.

Dave goes on to say:
“The thing about loss is that we’ve all experienced it and it’s part of life. It’s important to remember that the holidays are not just happy and mirth all the time. Holidays bring up a lot of sadness and a lot of strong emotions for people because they think about people who have come and gone in their lives, important moments. That’s one of the reasons why we try and create different moods and different emotions throughout the show and have moments that really bring that for people, in a way that only music can. This is how we share the holiday season every year. We become a family onstage as well and lean on each other. It’s coming together to create something for all of us that can hopefully put a lot of goodwill into a world that needs it so much now.”

I echo his sentiment with an appreciative sigh of agreement.
He then says to me,
“Ronnie, you know the power of music, and I am so humbled by how Music can heal.”
Now more than ever,
I totally agree.
I then ask him for his opinion on a venue, and an institution that is so close to my heart because I sort of grew up there, a crown jewel of Tampa Bay, 2024 theater of the year, Ruth Eckerd Hall.
“ So much of the performance on the stage each night has to do with what happens during the day and the way that the venue makes you feel as an artist. Ruth Eckerd Hall, Bobby Rossi and his team have for years, I mean decades, gone out of their way to make us feel so warm and so welcome during the day, feeding us like kings and queens! When it’s time to actually take the stage at Ruth Eckerd Hall we’re all feeling so great. You’ve got this wonderful audience that is ready to listen to music and be transported to another place.

All the elements that you hope for are there for a successful night to happen. They just really know how to do it, to make it feel like a beautiful night for everybody. The acoustics, the beautiful seating. I know that they recently had a major upgrade and so for the audience member coming there, especially at Christmas time, the interior feels so holiday-esque, it’s really set it up for a beautiful evening, which is why we keep coming back, it’s one of my favorite stops on this tour and has been for years.”
Cue goosebumps.

Praise on the highest level. Go Ruth Eckerd Hall!
I now pose a cliché question, but nonetheless, the best one in any interview with an artist.
Dave, what upcoming projects and adventures can we expect from you?
“What I need right now, I need to be pushed. I’m finishing a new project which will come out in spring next year. It is a duet project with Bob James! ( Legendary Jazz Pianist) Double vision is one of my favorite records of all time
(mine too!!!) and Ronnie you know from from a musical standpoint or musicians’ standpoint I’m being pushed to the fricking edge, ha ha ha!!! Just Piano and Saxophone, live record. There is no place to hide, it is so naked, so intimate and he is a genius. He really inspired me and pushed me in ways that I really needed to be pushed at this point in my life, so I’m really excited about that.“

I met one of my heroes. He’s cool.
I’m grateful.