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Dave Koz: Out and About
By Deborah J. Draisin
Openly gay Dave Koz has had music in his life for as long as he can remember. He took piano lessons as a toddler, then switched to drums in the fourth grade, but found no voice in either instrument. In middle school, as the only means of joining his brother newly formed band, Dave took up the saxophone and fell in love with it. Upon completion of his Bachelor’s at UCLA, Dave won a coveted spot in Bobby Caldwell’s band. The early notoriety paid off: next stop was a 14-month tour with renowned pop singer Richard Marx. Koz debuted his first album in 1990 and maintained a mutually fruitful 15-year relationship with Capitol Records, consistently topping the Contemporary Jazz charts, achieving double platinum status and garnering Grammy and NAACP Image Award nods.
Dave has also maintained a visible presence on the small screen. After completing a spot on the short-lived Pat Sajak Show, he found his footing among the "posse" on The Arsenio Hall Show. That spot led to appearances on ABC’s Family Matters, Beverly Hills 90210, Quincy Jones: The First 50 Years and the Disney Channel's American Teacher Awards. His single, "Faces of the Heart" (which appears on his upcoming cd) became the new General Hospital theme song, and this past spring, Dave lead the live band on The Emeril Lagasse Show. In a daring move personally, Koz came out to The Advocate in 2004. When asked why he chose that particular moment in time, Dave ruminated: "There was no epiphany or relationship that pushed me towards doing it — [I] was at the point of not wanting to settle anymore. Of course, I worried that my career would be over, but I was prepared to suffer any consequence for the gift of living a complete and whole life. Much to my amazement, there were no consequences at all. [It was] the best thing I’ve ever done in my life."Koz was voted by People Magazine later that year as one of their "50 Hottest Bachelors." He’d joked at the time that he’d gotten a few dates out of it, but how does he feel about the single life now? "It is a great dream of mine to be able to one day stand up in front of my family and friends across from the man I love and get married. Gotta find the man first!" he chuckles.
Speaking of marriage equality, Dave has this to say: "The train has left the station - you can see it in the attitudes of young people across the country. Marriage equality is coming, and I believe sooner than we all might suspect. Perhaps it’s my glass-half-full attitude in life, but I feel that we’ve come so far already. I recently heard the Herb Alpert classic ‘This Guy’s In Love With You’ with new ears. I recorded a new version for my upcoming album and I’m very proud of it; the best is that Herb Alpert himself makes a guest appearance on the track! I’m really hoping that [this song] will become a new anthem for gay marriage."
In answer to the dreaded "Focus on the Family" issues which plague the community, Dave enthuses that "It’s such a wonderful thing to see gay dads and moms starting families. Two of my dear friends have daughters now, and I have to say they are some of the best parents I have ever seen."
Dave has played alongside legends such as Burt Bacharach, Ray Charles, Natalie Cole, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, Barry Manilow, Rod Stewart, U2, Kenny Loggins, Michael McDonald and Celine Dion. Most notably, Koz had the honor of performing at President Clinton's Inaugural Celebration in 1993, and has this to say about being given his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2009: "To say [that] it was the most surreal moment of my life is an understatement. It was an absolutely amazing day — like being at my own funeral, but you get to actually be alive and enjoy it! The star is something permanent — it’s on the sidewalk, for Pete’s sake! Pretty mind-blowing; and I suspect that it will remain that way for me for a very long time."
Koz is currently serving his 17th year as Global Ambassador for the Starlight Children's Foundation (starlight.org). Sales of "Faces of the Heart" and all KOZ wine proceeds have been donated to this charity. He’s very proud to be a part of it all, and assures anyone who feels powerless to help that "there is no such thing as a small donation - every tiny bit of contribution helps, and I am not just talking money. Time is people’s most valuable resource, and there is an infinite number of ways and styles to give back."Smooth Jazz Radio Network’s The Dave Koz Radio Show is in its 15th year running, and Dave also performed recently with the late great Henry Mancini's daughter, Monica, on Live on BBC Radio. "It was a dream come true to play with the BBC Concert Orchestra in London live on the radio - to know it was heard by almost a million people (was) just awesome. I can’t see that happening in the U.S. - it’s a totally different thing over here. Radio is an ever-changing animal; it’s a non-stop moving target!"
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