Dave Koz Rings in the Holidays at the CCPA Fri., Dec. 16 & Sat., Dec. 17, 8:00 PM
CERRITOS, CA –The New York Times declared, “Smooth jazz should own the holiday season, and the saxophonist Dave Koz is better positioned than anyone to make it so.” Gather up the family and get into the spirt of the season with DAVE KOZ AND FRIENDS 25th ANNIVERSARY CHRISTMAS TOUR at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts (CCPA) at 8 p.m. on Friday, December 16 and Saturday, December 17. Tickets start at $60. A VIP package is available.
The Seattle Times praised the six-time Grammy-nominated DAVE KOZ, citing in particular his “clean, fluid sax lines, which have been heard on a variety of recordings, from U2’s R&B remix of When Love Comes to Town … to albums by Ray Charles, Natalie Cole, Richard Marx, Gladys Knight, and Donny Osmond.” The Platinum-selling saxophonist-composer has sold millions of albums worldwide, including Lucky Man, and the holiday CDs Ultimate Christmas, December Makes Me Feel This Way, and A Smooth Jazz Christmas. Koz’s Saxophonic album was nominated for a Grammy and an “Image Award” from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). His latest albums are A New Day and A Romantic Night In (The Love Songs Album).
Called “sweet-toned yet funky” by the Los Angeles Times, celebrated trumpeter RICK BRAUN rocked the Smooth Jazz scene with the No. One album Shake It Up, a collaboration with Grammy winner Boney James; and RnR, a joint project with sax player Richard Elliot that also shot to the top spot on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz chart in 2007. Braun set a record at the 2002 National Contemporary Jazz Awards, winning five honors, including “Best Male Artist”; “Best Brass Player”; “Best Album” for the No. One Kisses in the Rain, which also won “Song of the Year”; and “Best Collaboration” for Shake It Up. He was chosen “Adult Alternative Artist” of 1995 by the Gavin radio trade magazine, which feted his Beat Street album as the year’s best “Adult Alternative” recording.
Guitarist PETER WHITE burst onto the music horizon performing with renowned British Folk-Rock singer Al Stewart. In his 20-year tenure with Stewart, White co-wrote numerous songs, including the 1978 Top 10 hit Time Passages. NBC praised White, saying his “lyrical lines and musical inventiveness are a joy to listen to. The affable Englishman’s charm and playfulness come through in his music, giving his style of Smooth Jazz a liveliness that others in the genre lack.”
Keyboardist KEIKO MATSUI has dazzled legions of fans and critics with her Jazz-charting albums Sapphire, Dream Walk, Whispers From the Mirror, and Deep Blue. Much of her music and compositions revolve around nature, including A Drop of Water, Night Waltz, Cherry Blossom, Full Moon, the Shrine,Moyo (Heart & Soul in Swahili), and Journey to the Heart. Aside from Matsui’s Smooth Jazz Awards, she garnered the 1997 Essence Award from the American Society of Young Musicians. She was also nominated for “Best Jazz Album of 1995” at the prestigious Soul Train Music Awards.
Singer-songwriter REBECCA JADE has worked with top names in the music industry, including Sheila E., Sir Elton John, and El Debarge. Her albums include The Jade Element; Rebecca Jade & the Cold Fact, which earned a San Diego Music Award as “Best Blues Album”; and Planet Cole Porter, a collaboration with Jazz guitar virtuoso Peter Sprague that earned the San Diego Music Award for “Best Jazz Album.” Jade also appeared in the Emmy-nominated show Let’s Go Crazy: The GRAMMY Salute to Prince.
For tickets or more information, call (562) 916-8500 or go to cerritoscenter.com.
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