Dave Koz takes special guests into studio, on the road for Christmas album, tour

Twenty-two years after releasing his first Christmas-themed set, Grammy-nominated saxophonist Dave Koz takes a very different stylistic approach on his new holiday album, Gifts of the Season (Just Koz Entertainment, Inc.).

Out now and available HERE, the collection brings a soul/funk/pop feel to Christmas classics across different eras. The album also includes one Koz original – “A Prayer for Peace.” “It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas” featuring Jonathan Butler – a groovin’, African chant-spiced version of the 1950’s holiday song – will go to radio in early November. Listen to the track HERE.

Gifts of the Season is the ideal companion piece for the 22nd Annual Dave Koz & Friends Christmas Tour – 22 shows in 25 days – with Jonathan Butler, Melissa Manchester, Michael Lington and special guest Chris Walker. All four of Koz’s tour mates guest on the new album.

In what’s become an annual tradition, Koz is donating the money raised by the Dave Koz & Friends at Sea silent auctions to help the heroic kids served by Starlight Children’s Foundation, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of hospitalized children worldwide. This year’s $200,000 donation will provide state-of-the-art Virtual Reality headsets to 100 children’s hospitals along the Christmas tour route. Starlight’s Virtual Reality Headset Program offers seriously ill children a fun way to explore the world – and beyond – through the magic of VR. See the impact these headsets can make in this short video. Koz has served as global ambassador for the Foundation for over 25 years and has raised over one million dollars for Starlight through the help of the Dave Koz Fan Network.

The Christmas tour kicks off in late November and runs into December. Butler and Lington are also releasing Christmas albums this fall so – in a first for the tour – the shows will feature material from three brand new holiday albums. Tickets are available at www.davekoz.com. See below for itinerary.

Koz and producer Darren Rahn (Wayman Tisdale, Toby Keith, Bob James) laid down the basic tracks for Gifts of the Season in Rahn’s Denver studio. They then recorded the guest artists in each of their home studios. 

Track listing:

1. It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas featuring Jonathan Butler
2. O Come All Ye Faithful
3. White Christmas
4. Last Christmas
5. Mary Did You Know featuring Chris Walker
6. I’ll Be Home For Christmas featuring Matt Cusson
7. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer featuring Michael Lington
8. This Christmas featuring Jonathan Butler
9. All I Want For Christmas Is You featuring Melissa Manchester
10. Winter Wonderland
11. A Prayer For Peace

DAVE KOZ AND FRIENDS CHRISTMAS TOUR 2019
Jonathan Butler * Melissa Manchester * Michael Lington
with special guest Chris Walker

Dates subject to change.

11/29 – Sarasota, FL @ Van Wezel
11/30 – West Palm Beach, FL @ Kravis Center
12/1 – Naples, FL @ Hayes Hall
12/2 – Melbourne, FL @ King Center
12/3 – Clearwater, FL @ Ruth Eckerd Hall
12/5 – Jacksonville, FL @ Florida Theatre
12/6 – Atlanta, GA @ Cobb Centre
12/7 – Newport News, VA @ Ferguson Centre
12/8 – Brookville, NY @ Tilles Center for the Performing Arts
12/9 – Bethesda, MD @ Strathmore
12/11 – Columbus, OH @ Palace Theatre
12/12 – Cleveland, OH @ KeyBank State Theatre
12/13 – Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre
12/15 – Carmel, IN @ Palladium
12/16 – El Paso, TX @ Plaza Theatre
12/17 – Mesa, AZ @ Ikeda Theatre
12/18 – Palm Springs, CA @ McCallum
12/19 – El Cajon, CA @ The Magnolia
12/20 – Cerritos, CA @ Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts
12/21 – Cerritos, CA @ Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts
12/22 – Stockton, CA @ Bob Hope Theatre
12/23 – San Jose, CA @ City National Civic