(JKPR) Following a headline show at the Hollywood Bowl and a flurry of press coverage (including NPR, AP, ABC News and The Daily Mail) of a viral video of Dave Koz & Friends breaking out their horns to lift spirits of fellow passengers on a grounded plane, Dave Koz announces his next national tour.
Dave Koz & Friends Christmas Tour 2025 will feature South African guitarist/singer Jonathan Butler and a trio of special guests: powerhouse vocalist Haley Reinhart, multi-instrumentalist Casey Abrams and chart-topping pianist Kayla Waters.
The 28th anniversary edition of the longest-running jazz-based Christmas tour will kick off on Black Friday (November 28) at Atlanta's Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center. Tickets are on sale now.
Each year, Koz curates a new lineup, bringing fresh versions of Christmas classics, a Chanukah medley and hits from each artist's catalog. Awarding last year's show a 10 out of 10 rating, Tampa Bay Music News said, "From the first note of music, we are captivated and taken on a musical journey that is inspiring, joyous, and touching...The night was so musically satisfying, there were four standing ovations..." Writer Gary Graff (Billboard, The Oakland Press) calls the tour "a holiday institution" while Esquire has noted, "A man who digs Dave Koz, is a man who digs life."
Earlier this year, "Santa Koz" (as the nine-time GRAMMY nominee is often referred to this time of year) teamed up with an icon who was born on Christmas Day - Bob James - on Just Us, a one-of-a-kind album that is unlike anything either artist has ever recorded before. Raw and unplugged, with just the saxophone and piano, it was recorded primarily in James' Michigan living room and contains both original songs and standards. Recognized as a milestone in both artists' careers, Just Us claimed the No. 1 spot on the Luminate (formerly SoundScan) Current Contemporary Jazz Albums chart.
Koz and James celebrated its release with a performance at the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles and a series of dates that included a sold-out May 2025 show at Myron's at The Smith Center in Las Vegas, which can be seen in the upcoming Vegas PBS special that will premiere on Friday, October 3, at 10:00 p.m. with additional airings on Friday, October 17 at 9 p.m., Saturday, October 18, at 3:30 a.m. and Sunday, October 19, at 12:30 p.m.
The acclaimed saxophonist's next release was with Dave Koz & Friends Summer Horns: "Vehicle," a sizzling version of the classic 1970 hit by The Ides of March, As the single climbed the charts, the band toured the nation. The run wrapped up last week at The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, where Koz headlines every other summer season as one of the legendary venue's "regulars." On September 13, Koz will depart for a one-week cruise of the French Riviera with his new cruise brand SOMMA, which offers the ultimate in luxury, relaxation and entertainment.
Koz has racked up an astoundingly impressive array of honors and achievements: nine GRAMMY nominations, 12 No. 1 albums on Billboard's Current Contemporary Jazz Albums chart, numerous world tours, a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, performances for multiple U.S. presidents and a 2023 Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. He has released eight holiday albums, including his most recent, Christmas Ballads 25th Anniversary Collection. In over 30 years of constant touring, Koz has graced the stages of some of the most prestigious venues the world over, including Royal Albert Hall in London, Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, Carnegie Hall in New York City and various symphony orchestras across the country.
Dave Koz and Friends Christmas Tour 2025
Featuring Jonathan Butler
With Special Guests
Haley Reinhart, Casey Abrams and Kayla Waters
All dates are subject to change:
11/28 - Atlanta, GA - Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center
11/29 - Clearwater, FL - Ruth Eckerd Hall
11/30 - Sarasota, FL - Van Wezel Performing Arts Center
12/1 - Naples, FL- Hayes Hall Artis
12/2 - Jacksonville, FL - Florida Theatre
12/4 - N. Bethesda, MD - Music Center at Strathmore
12/5 - Newport News, VA - Ferguson Center For The Arts
12/6 - Lansdowne, PA - Lansdowne Theater
12/7 - Cleveland, OH - KeyBank State Theatre
12/10 - Waukegan, IL (Chicago) - Genesee Theatre
12/11- Columbus, OH - Palace Theatre
12/12 - Carmel, IN - The Palladium
12/13 - Detroit, MI - Music Hall Center For The Performing Arts
12/16 - Tucson, AZ - Fox Tucson Theatre
12/17 - Mesa, AZ - Ikeda Theater @ Mesa Arts Center
12/19 - Cerritos, CA - Cerritos Center For The Performing Arts
12/20 - Cerritos, CA - Cerritos Center For The Performing Arts
12/21 - San Jose, CA - San Jose Civic
12/22 - Modesto, CA - Gallo Center For The Arts
12/23 - Santa Rosa, CA - Luther Burbank Center For The Arts
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