Davre Koz And Freinds Returns To Columbus 12/6 At The Palace Theatre

Multi-Grammy Award nominee and pop instrumentalist/saxophonist extraordinaire Dave Koz returns to Columbus with his smooth jazz hits, holiday favorites, and a special reunion of the original tour lineup. Rick Braun, David Benoit, Brenda Russell, and Peter White, who recorded "A Smooth Jazz Christmas by Dave Koz & Friends" in 2001, will perform hits from their respective catalogs and join together with Koz on a variety of holiday standards.

CAPA presents Dave Koz & Friends-A Smooth Jazz Christmas 2009 at the Palace Theatre (34 W. Broad St.) on Sunday, December 6, at 7 pm. Tickets are $62.50, $47.50, $37.50, and $27.50 at the Ohio Theatre Ticket Office (39 E. State St.), all Ticketmaster outlets, and www.ticketmaster.com. To purchase tickets by phone, please call (614) 469-0939 or (800) 745-3000. The Palace Theatre Ticket Office will open two hours prior to the performance. Students between the ages of 13-19 may purchase $5 High Five tickets while available. This presentation is made possible through the generous support of Univar and Cameron Mitchell Restaurants.

In a career spanning nearly two decades, Koz has established himself as a platinum-selling artist, humanitarian, entrepreneur, radio host, and instrumental music advocate. A six-time Grammy nominee, Koz was honored in September 2009 by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce with a star in the sidewalk of Hollywood Boulevard's Walk of Fame.

Born and raised in L.A.'s San Fernando Valley, Koz initially picked up the saxophone to gain entry into his big brother's band. What began as a ploy became a lifelong obsession. Years later, after earning his degree in mass communications from UCLA, Koz decided to become a professional musician. Within weeks of that decision, he was recruited as a touring member of Bobby Caldwell's band. It was during this time that Koz befriended keyboardist Jeff Lorber, who invited Koz to come play on one of his tours. That stint was followed by a 14-month tour with pop singer Richard Marx.

Signed to Capitol Records, Koz released his self-titled solo debut album in 1990. This was the first in a body of best-selling work, which includes the gold-certified Lucky Man (1993), Off The Beaten Path (1996), and the holiday-themed albums December Makes Me Feel This Way (1997) and Dave Koz & Friends - A Smooth Jazz Christmas (2001). His gold-certified fifth album, The Dance (1999), spawned no less than five Top 5 contemporary jazz hits. Saxophonic (2003) produced another four Top 5 singles and garnered Koz two Grammy nominations spanning two consecutive years.

In 2007, Koz released two chart-topping collections of standards. At The Movies, his lush, romantic celebration of timeless melodies from cinema, spent eight weeks atop Billboard's Top Contemporary Jazz chart. Produced by the legendary Phil Ramone, it was nominated for a Grammy in the "Best Pop Instrumental Album" category. Memories Of A Winter's Night, a festive collection of holiday standards, hit number one on Billboard's Top Contemporary Jazz chart in December 2007.

In September 2008, Capitol Records released Dave Koz - Greatest Hits, his first-ever retrospective album. The collection includes many of Koz's smash singles - including "Castle of Dreams," "Can't Let You Go" featuring the late Luther Vandross, "Together Again," "Honey-Dipped," and "All I See Is You" plus four new songs.

Koz serves as a radio personality in two different outlets-on weekdays as the host of an afternoon radio show that's nationally distributed on the Smooth Jazz Radio Network, and on weekends as the host of the syndicated Dave Koz Radio Show.

As an entrepreneur, Koz founded Rendezvous Entertainment. As a philanthropist, he serves as Global Ambassador for the Starlight Children's Foundation, completed a four-year term on the Grammy Foundation Artists Committee, has served as National Trustee for the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS), and is an ongoing member of the Board of Governors for the Grammy Foundation.

www.davekoz.com

About Rick Braun

The diversity of jazz trumpeter Rick Braun's résumé may surprise some. While attending the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, Braun and some classmates formed the jazz-fusion combo Auracle, which released two albums. His path toward a solo career led to some prestigious behind-the-scenes roles-first as a pop songwriter ("Here With Me" was a Top 20 hit for REO Speedwagon in 1988) then as a touring sideman with Rickie Lee Jones, Tina Turner, Glenn Frey, Natalie Cole, Crowded House, Tom Petty, and War. In July 2009, Braun released his 15th album entitled All It Takes.

www.rickbraun.com

About David Benoit

David Benoit is a pianist, composer, conductor, and a five-time Grammy Award nominee for his extraordinary contributions to contemporary jazz, including more than 25 solo recordings. Combining his virtuosity on the piano with conducting, Benoit has led concerts with world class orchestras such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, The San Francisco Symphony, The Atlanta Symphony, The National Symphony Orchestra, and many more.

www.benoit.com

About Brenda Russell

With a unique musical perspective, intimate voice, and prolific treasure-trove of lyrics, singer/songwriter Brenda Russell composed the classics "Get Here," "If Only for One Night," and the Grammy-nominated "Piano In The Dark." Russell's songwriting skills and ability to shift between and combine musical genres earned her a 2007 Grammy nomination for the original cast album of the Tony Award-winning hit Broadway musical The Color Purple for which she co-wrote the music and lyrics.

www.brendarussell.com

About Peter White

Peter White's distinctive guitar style first gained fame accompanying Al Stewart. During a 20-year tenure with Stewart, he co-wrote many songs, including the 1978 Top Ten hit "Time Passages." In the late 1980s, White accompanied Basia on a series of acclaimed albums. In 1996, Basia was featured on White's album Caravan of Dreams with vocals on the single "Just Another Day." In 1990, Peter began recording his own albums, and in 2009, released his 12th offering entitled Good Day.

www.peterwhite.com

Photo credit: James Sims

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