Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss
Dave Koz interview: "Sax Player Dave Koz on Opening for Barry Manilow...and Barack Obama "
168 views
Skip to first unread message
Suzan
Mar 28, 2016, 9:36:07 AM3/28/16
to
Sax Player Dave Koz on Opening for Barry Manilow...and Barack Obama
Saxophonist, Dave Koz commands the stage as a headliner selling out more than 60 concerts a year, but in 2015 he found success and fulfillment as an opening act. Just don't call this sax player a second fiddle. The nine-time Grammy-nominated musician (whose song "Faces of The Heart" served as the General Hospital theme for 11 years) is proud of his collaborations and a year of opening for two very important guys named Barry. Koz, 52, spoke to Parade about opening for the man who writes the songs, playing for the President of the United States and standing side by side with his ultimate idol.
Do you remember the first time you picked up the saxophone?
At my mom's urging, my brother and sister and I had piano lessons, and I really did not take to the piano. I still love to play but I completely suck at it [laughs] so I rebelled. At around 10 or 11, I thought, "What better way to get back at my parents than take up the drums?" and I was even worse on the drums. My older brother had a band and my dreams were crushed because I realized I have no musical talent. Cut to the seventh grade when I was going into a Beginning Winds class and I picked up the saxophone because my brother said the only way I would ever be able to be in the band was if I played the sax. It was the first instrument that felt right. I always say, if you're interested in music and you pick up an instrument and it doesn't quite work, try something else and if that doesn't quite work try something else, because if I didn't go that one more time, I wouldn't have had this surprise career.
You just celebrated 25 years as a recording artist by releasing Collaborations: 25th Anniversary Collection. What was the significance of that anniversary and of that LP?
It kind of snuck up on me. I still feel like I'm aging backwards--I may not look it--but I feel like my best years are yet to come. So instead of it being a retrospective, I chose to spin it as chapter one, and I'm really excited about the next chapter. I could truthfully say with all my heart that if it all ended tomorrow, I could have no other words but thank you. Collaboration has been the common thread [in my career]: When musicians are collaborating onstage together, that is a dialogue that is expanding and contracting, and offering and taking. It's really a give and take and that's what I feel like we need much more of in our world.
You're out with Barry Manilow as a special guest and opening act on his One Last Time tour. How did that come about?
We've known each other for about 15 years. He invited me to be on one of his albums [Here At The Mayflower]. It was a concept album about different apartments in one building, and there was one song about this woman who listened to a sax player's album every night. Cut to the recording session--and I'm already freaking out because I'm meeting one of my idols--and he says, "I've written this song about a woman who loves this sax player," and he plays the song for me and sings, "I hear her playing Dave Koz in the middle of the night." That's the lyric! I had to pick my jaw up off the floor. It was my first time meeting this man and he's actually using my name in his lyric. So I knew this was the beginning of something special. From that moment on we became great friends and colleagues, but we had never done any proper touring together. That changed about two years ago, the beginning of his One Last Time tour in the U.K., and that became the U.S. tour that continues to get lengthened. It's now going into its second year and we're having a blast. I feel like this is such a big gift that's been given to me. It's the ultimate master class with one of the greatest entertainers of all time.
And next up, you're touring with another legend.
I grew up listening to and adoring and worshipping this guy as a saxophone deity, really--he was my saxophone idol. I learned all of his phrases and licks and would seek him out and go see every show. His name is David Sanborn, and this [August] we are teaming up to do a tour together called Side by Side. Me and my saxophone idol of all time on stage together creating music. It's one of those things that kind of screws around with my head. How am I here and that guy is there next to me? It makes me so happy and so proud and excited and nervous--all the things you want to feel about new projects at my age.
You recently played for President Obama at a U.N. Reception. What was that like?
I was very inspired by Obama's presidency and candidacy. All politics aside, I was very proud to see an African-American man be elected President of the United States in my lifetime. I had never met him, but I would always think, "Wouldn't it be great to serve him in some way during his presidency?" Then out of nowhere, I got an email from the State Department that said "President Obama and Mrs. Obama request your presence and talent at a U.N. reception." In a sense, be an opening act for President and Mrs. Obama. I was really excited and blown away and very honored. And it was a very surreal experience.
Did you get to meet them?
I [came offstage] and went over to the anteroom. I walk in there and I'm drenched because I'm so nervous from this gig and I've just played a hard 12 minutes, and who's there but the Obamas. It's just them and me. I was so surprised to see them I think I let out a shriek. [laughs] They couldn't have been nicer. They laughed at my response to them and said let's take a picture and [President Obama] was able to see a couple of our songs and then he went up and did his speech. So last year was my year of being an opening act--whether it's Barry Manilow or Barack Obama, I'm happy to serve.
http://parade.com/465963/alison-abbey/sax-player-dave-koz-on-opening-for-barry-manilow-and-barack-obama/
Saxophonist, Dave Koz commands the stage as a headliner selling out more than 60 concerts a year, but in 2015 he found success and fulfillment as an opening act. Just don't call this sax player a second fiddle. The nine-time Grammy-nominated musician (whose song "Faces of The Heart" served as the General Hospital theme for 11 years) is proud of his collaborations and a year of opening for two very important guys named Barry. Koz, 52, spoke to Parade about opening for the man who writes the songs, playing for the President of the United States and standing side by side with his ultimate idol.
Do you remember the first time you picked up the saxophone?
At my mom's urging, my brother and sister and I had piano lessons, and I really did not take to the piano. I still love to play but I completely suck at it [laughs] so I rebelled. At around 10 or 11, I thought, "What better way to get back at my parents than take up the drums?" and I was even worse on the drums. My older brother had a band and my dreams were crushed because I realized I have no musical talent. Cut to the seventh grade when I was going into a Beginning Winds class and I picked up the saxophone because my brother said the only way I would ever be able to be in the band was if I played the sax. It was the first instrument that felt right. I always say, if you're interested in music and you pick up an instrument and it doesn't quite work, try something else and if that doesn't quite work try something else, because if I didn't go that one more time, I wouldn't have had this surprise career.
You just celebrated 25 years as a recording artist by releasing Collaborations: 25th Anniversary Collection. What was the significance of that anniversary and of that LP?
It kind of snuck up on me. I still feel like I'm aging backwards--I may not look it--but I feel like my best years are yet to come. So instead of it being a retrospective, I chose to spin it as chapter one, and I'm really excited about the next chapter. I could truthfully say with all my heart that if it all ended tomorrow, I could have no other words but thank you. Collaboration has been the common thread [in my career]: When musicians are collaborating onstage together, that is a dialogue that is expanding and contracting, and offering and taking. It's really a give and take and that's what I feel like we need much more of in our world.
You're out with Barry Manilow as a special guest and opening act on his One Last Time tour. How did that come about?
We've known each other for about 15 years. He invited me to be on one of his albums [Here At The Mayflower]. It was a concept album about different apartments in one building, and there was one song about this woman who listened to a sax player's album every night. Cut to the recording session--and I'm already freaking out because I'm meeting one of my idols--and he says, "I've written this song about a woman who loves this sax player," and he plays the song for me and sings, "I hear her playing Dave Koz in the middle of the night." That's the lyric! I had to pick my jaw up off the floor. It was my first time meeting this man and he's actually using my name in his lyric. So I knew this was the beginning of something special. From that moment on we became great friends and colleagues, but we had never done any proper touring together. That changed about two years ago, the beginning of his One Last Time tour in the U.K., and that became the U.S. tour that continues to get lengthened. It's now going into its second year and we're having a blast. I feel like this is such a big gift that's been given to me. It's the ultimate master class with one of the greatest entertainers of all time.
And next up, you're touring with another legend.
I grew up listening to and adoring and worshipping this guy as a saxophone deity, really--he was my saxophone idol. I learned all of his phrases and licks and would seek him out and go see every show. His name is David Sanborn, and this [August] we are teaming up to do a tour together called Side by Side. Me and my saxophone idol of all time on stage together creating music. It's one of those things that kind of screws around with my head. How am I here and that guy is there next to me? It makes me so happy and so proud and excited and nervous--all the things you want to feel about new projects at my age.
You recently played for President Obama at a U.N. Reception. What was that like?
I was very inspired by Obama's presidency and candidacy. All politics aside, I was very proud to see an African-American man be elected President of the United States in my lifetime. I had never met him, but I would always think, "Wouldn't it be great to serve him in some way during his presidency?" Then out of nowhere, I got an email from the State Department that said "President Obama and Mrs. Obama request your presence and talent at a U.N. reception." In a sense, be an opening act for President and Mrs. Obama. I was really excited and blown away and very honored. And it was a very surreal experience.
Did you get to meet them?
I [came offstage] and went over to the anteroom. I walk in there and I'm drenched because I'm so nervous from this gig and I've just played a hard 12 minutes, and who's there but the Obamas. It's just them and me. I was so surprised to see them I think I let out a shriek. [laughs] They couldn't have been nicer. They laughed at my response to them and said let's take a picture and [President Obama] was able to see a couple of our songs and then he went up and did his speech. So last year was my year of being an opening act--whether it's Barry Manilow or Barack Obama, I'm happy to serve.
http://parade.com/465963/alison-abbey/sax-player-dave-koz-on-opening-for-barry-manilow-and-barack-obama/
Debbie M from MA
Mar 28, 2016, 9:28:10 PM3/28/16
to
Great article, thanks Suzan!
I'm so glad to have experienced Dave Koz's super energetic performances on Barry's tour. The recent interviews only add to my high opinion of him.
To those that have posted here before about meeting Dave Koz (I think DC SHARON, MARVIN, and others?) now I get it ... how cool that must have been.
Oh, David Sanborn .... time to bring out his CDs and enjoy them again. Not sure how the two of them will sound together. I love the segment on Barry's DVD with Dave Koz and George Shelby. That's a huge "Wow!"
Debbie Martin
Springfield, MA
I'm so glad to have experienced Dave Koz's super energetic performances on Barry's tour. The recent interviews only add to my high opinion of him.
To those that have posted here before about meeting Dave Koz (I think DC SHARON, MARVIN, and others?) now I get it ... how cool that must have been.
Oh, David Sanborn .... time to bring out his CDs and enjoy them again. Not sure how the two of them will sound together. I love the segment on Barry's DVD with Dave Koz and George Shelby. That's a huge "Wow!"
Debbie Martin
Springfield, MA
dcsharon
Mar 28, 2016, 9:39:18 PM3/28/16
to
On Monday, March 28, 2016 at 9:28:10 PM UTC-4, Debbie M from MA wrote:
>
> To those that have posted here before about meeting Dave Koz (I think DC SHARON, MARVIN, and others?) now I get it ... how cool that must have been.
>
Yep! I've met Dave -- several times. One of the nicest, down to earth performers you'll ever meet. I really want to go on his cruise at some point. If he brings his holiday tour to your neck of the woods, I would recommend getting a VIP ticket. You won't be disappointed.
>
> To those that have posted here before about meeting Dave Koz (I think DC SHARON, MARVIN, and others?) now I get it ... how cool that must have been.
>
I believe I saw David Sanborn touring with Brian Culbertson a few years ago. Those two were amazing and blew the roof off the joint. Dave2 (I can't do superscript! Trying to do Davesquared) should be fun too!
(DC) Sharon
Suzan
Mar 30, 2016, 3:02:39 PM3/30/16
to
> To those that have posted here before about meeting Dave Koz (I think DC SHARON, MARVIN, and others?) now I get it ... how cool that must have been.
We (my kids and I) just met Dave Koz backstage in Verona, and he couldn't have been nicer.
My son KC plays tenor sax, and although he's only just turned 18, (warning--bragging mother alert) he's very talented. He's won numerous awards for his performances and solos, and was one of the top 20 kids in Texas on tenor sax in auditions for the State Jazz band. KC has attended Dave's Summer Horns concerts in the past, but had never met him.
The day before, we wrote and asked if Dave would be willing to meet with and encourage a young sax player, and to our surprise, his people immediately wrote back and offered backstage passes for all three of us. We were escorted back around 7:30 before Dave opened the show at 8, and Dave and (I believe) his tour manager met with us in the hallway.
Dave couldn't have been more wonderful. He was genuinely interested in KC, asking about his band letter jacket and medals, and joking that he wanted to get some medals for his own solos! He asked about KC's college plans, even making a few suggestions, and also asked Jen about being in the Texas State Marching band (she plays clarinet). I mentioned some of his performances I had seen, and at each one, he launched into stories -- his neck strap breaking in Chicago, playing Moon River with Barry in Madison Square Gardens, performing at Thorton Winery in California, and getting his star on the Hollywood walk of fame.
Dave was dressed for the show, and although he had an upcoming performance, we never felt rushed or intrusive. When KC asked him to pose for a selfie, Dave not only agreed, but insisted they take a second one because he wanted to point to KC's medals in the photo. He asked KC to let him know which college he decided on, and asked him to stay in touch.
KC was thrilled to meet one of his idols, and Dave was friendly, funny, supportive, and very genuine. He even nodded to KC when he spotted us (4th row center) during his act. I can't imagine how it could have been a better evening for him.
If Dave or any of this staff see this, I send my sincerest thanks for him taking the time to mentor and support a young musician. It was a truly wonderful experience for all 3 of us.
dmart...@gmail.com
Apr 1, 2016, 12:19:52 AM4/1/16
to
I'll be sure to catch Dave's show next time he's around this area, and will try for the meet and greet. Thanks DC SHARON!
Suzan, what a great opportunity for your son! It sounds like he could have a successful career in music if he chooses to. You were seated a couple rows behind me that night, and when I looked back it appeared that your son and daughter were enjoying the night as much as you were! You're doing a great job, you Proud Mom!
Debbie Martin
Suzan, what a great opportunity for your son! It sounds like he could have a successful career in music if he chooses to. You were seated a couple rows behind me that night, and when I looked back it appeared that your son and daughter were enjoying the night as much as you were! You're doing a great job, you Proud Mom!
Debbie Martin
0 new messages