Dave Koz & Friends Christmas Tour Will Return To Columbus With New Koz Christmas Album

In October 2019, Grammy-nominated saxophonist Dave Koz released his new holiday album, Gifts of the Season. In the 11-track collection, Koz takes a very different stylistic approach, bringing a buoyant, soul/funk/pop feel to Christmas classics across different eras, and shedding new light on their rich musicality and lyrical depth. The accompanying 22nd annual Dave Koz & Friends Christmas Tour will feature Jonathan Butler, Melissa Manchester, Michael Lington, and special guest Chris Walker, all of which appear on the new album. Butler and Lington have also released new Christmas albums this fall, so in a first for the tour, the show will feature material from three brand new holiday albums.

CAPA presents Dave Koz & Friends Christmas Tour 2019 at the Palace Theatre (34 W. Broad St.) on Wednesday, December 11, at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $38.50-$78.50 and can be purchased in-person at the CAPA Ticket Center (39 E. State St.), online at www.capa.com, or by phone at (614) 469-0939 or (800) 982-2787.

"One of the reasons I continue to record this music and tour every year is that the holidays are a reminder for all of us about the things that matter. It's a time when we seem more capable of living our best lives," said Koz. "It's easy to get off course during the rest of the year, especially the way the world is these days with all of its antagonism and intolerance. The holidays help bring us back to center."

Saxophonist extraordinaire Dave Koz has racked up an astoundingly impressive array of honors and achievements-nine Grammy nominations, 11 No. 1 albums on Billboard's Current Contemporary Jazz Albums chart, numerous world tours, 13 sold-out Dave Koz & Friends at Sea cruises, performances for multiple US presidents, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and more. A Platinum-selling artist, Koz is also known as a humanitarian, entrepreneur, radio host, and instrumental music advocate.

The youngest of 13 children, Jonathan Butler grew up in Cape Town, South Africa, ruled by Apartheid and segregation. Butler began his singing career at age seven. He released his first album in 1973 and won the Best New Artist Grammy in South Africa the following year at age 12. More than a decade later, Butler moved to London, England, after signing with Jive Records and released his first album internationally. The self-titled set went Gold in 1987 in the UK and the US. He received Grammy nominations for Best R&B Song for his R&B/pop vocal hit "Lies" and for Best Jazz Song for the instrumental "Going Home." His new album, Christmas Together, is out now.

Following her stint as a founding member of Bette Midler's Harlettes, Manchester established herself as a solo artist with Top 10 hits like "Midnight Blue," the Grammy-nominated "Don't Cry Out Loud," and the Grammy-winning "You Should Hear How She Talks About You." Her songs have been heard in motion pictures, netting her two Oscar nominations, and recorded by such artists as Barbra Streisand, Dusty Springfield, Alison Krauss, and Roberta Flack. On her latest album, The Fellas, she pays tribute to iconic male artists such as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, Johnny Mathis, and Tony Bennett.

Although he grew up in Copenhagen, Michael Lington was massively influenced by the soul music that emanated from Memphis, TN. At age 20, he made the fateful decision to move to the US and is now regarded as one of the world's top contemporary soul and jazz saxophonists. In his remarkable career, he has charted more than 20 hit singles and performed at some of the world's most prestigious venues. He recently recorded his first Christmas album, A Foreign Affair Christmas, which features numerous special guests, including Vince Gill and Dave Koz.

Born and raised in Houston, TX, Chris Walker began singing before he began speaking. He got his start in church, performing as a member of his family gospel group, The Walker Brothers. He has played with such jazz greats as Ornette Coleman, Art Blakey, Bob James, Jimmy Heath, Cassandra Wilson, and others. He served as musical director for Regina Belle and also for seven-time Grammy Award winner Al Jarreau. Walker's latest album, We're In This Love Together Celebrating Al Jarreau, is out now. It features many smooth jazz greats, including Dave Koz.

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