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The Beginning.....
 

Dave was born and raised in suburban Los Angeles.  Dave's first inspiration to pick up the saxophone began when listening to the popular Seventies R&B band, Tower of Power.  Says Dave,"The first record I heard and  loved was Tower of Power's Back to Oakland. I was 10, and when I heard that horn section, I said, that's it!! ".  That was in junior high!  Then, Dave's older brother had his band of his own, and encouraged Dave to pick up the sax, "...Jeff had a band of his own and encouraged me to play the sax.  He didn't have a saxophonist on the band."

Dave practiced hard for one and a half years, and just before the beginning of his ninth grade, Jeff finally invited him to play with his band, in a wedding reception!  Dave said,"I'll always remember my my first real appearance.  All went well until I got paid $10 while the others skipped off with $100 each.  Conned by my own brother......I was fuming!"  Later, Dave was to receive his fair share of their performances, in gigs like social gatherings and fraternity parties.

The College Years.....
 

During his college years in UCLA, majoring in mass communications, Dave began taking his saxophone playing seriously.  It was during this time that Dave became a "sax-man for hire", and took up every offer to play!  Simultaneously, it was also at this period where Dave began to know more musicians by jamming with them and playing gigs for free, "...just to be able to hang out with those guys.  We were all looking for a break and I wanted to be one friend they would remember, when they 'make it'!! "

Later, Dave graduated and received a degree in mass communications in UCLA.

Bobby Caldwell.....and others as well!!!
 

Dave's big break came in the form of Bobby Caldwell.  It was a piggy back ride, where Dave began doing gigs which involved attendance by figures in the music industry,"....it was great exposure for me!! "  Subsequently, Bunny Hall (the writer of Patti LaBelle's New Attitude), another close friend of Dave's, recommended Dave to another of Dave's idol, JEFF LORBER.  At the same time, Jeff was looking for upcoming talents, and a private audition for Dave was arranged.  Undoubtedly, Dave got the job!  Encouragement from both Bobby and Jeff, seeing the natural talent that Dave has, led to Dave stepping into new grounds....as a solo artist!

Dave Koz.....
 

It was almost the end of 1990, and the release of Dave's self-titled debut album marked the entrance of one of contemporary jazz's most valuable saxophonist.  The album spent 25 weeks in Billboard's Contemporary Jazz chart. In addition, the first hit single, Castle Of Dreams (co-written with his brother Jeff), and hit song Nothing But The Radio On (with Joey Diggs on vocals) was also included in the Top Ten!  In addition, the album won double platinum in Malaysia and Singapore, gaining a larger, more diverse global audience.  It also reached #8 on Billboard's Contemporary Jazz Records for the year.

His second release, Lucky Man (1993) also marked another hit in the music, contemporary jazz industry.  It sold over 50,000 units in CD's and cassettes, and certified gold for sales, and spent over 2 years in the Billboard's charts.  This also acted as a booster for Dave's career, as it also launched a 132-show sell-out concert tours.  In his promotional tour to Malaysia, local television station TV3, produced a half-hour show honouring Dave and promoted Lucky Man.  The album included a Malaysian-made song, Sinaran, popularised by Malaysian singer, Sheila Majid.  In conjunction, Dave also included a special song, Faces Of The Heart, which was co-written with his brother Jeff.  It was chosen by ABC to be the theme song for the long-running series General Hospital.  Lucky Man included big names like Clarence Clemmons, Maceo Parker, Robben Ford, Jeff Lorber, Alec Milstein, Charles Pettigrew (of Charles and Eddie fame), Phil Perry, to name a few.

Off The Beaten Path, as the name implies, sparked a new adventure for Dave.  His third release marked a new pathway for Dave, as this album showcases a different side of Dave, a more personal side, so to speak.  This album is a testimonial from Dave, showing that he can break away from the status quo of contemporary jazz, and move into a more personal, expressive side of music.  This album boasts of a fusion of organic, not-entirely-associated with the sax, instruments, such as the mandolin, violin, djembe, accordion, harmonica, guitars, recorded in a 'live' environment, rather than using sound dubbing.  It also boasts of talented musicians, such as Jeff Koz, Kenny Aronoff, Tim Pierce, Lenny Castro, Brian Mann, Gregg Arreguin, Leo Kottke, Jim Kox, Mark Schulman, Greg Liesz, Mark Piltch, Stevie Nicks (of Fleetwood Mac), and also the brilliant production of Thom Panunzio, whose credits includes Fleetwood Mac and U2, among others.  One of the most rewarding part of this album is that Dave himself lends his voice for the song, That's The Way I Feel About You.  Emotionally-provoking songs such as Don't Look Back, Under The Spell Of The Moon, and Awakenings, in addition to upbeat, 'have-fun' songs, such as Wake Up Call, Flat Feet, My Back Porch, and the R&B number, Leave The Light On, not to forget Dave's own personally-written song I'm Ready, the mellow, emotional song Remembrance, Follow Me Home, Lullaby For A Rainy Night, and Let Me Count The Ways (with Stevie Nicks on vocals), make this album a particularly special album to be added to anyone's collection, and listening pleasure.

This is Dave's Holiday album, made in the spirit of the Christmas season.  Includes classic Christmas songs such as Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, Little Drummer Boy, a nice rendition of Auld Lang Syne, and a new song December Makes Me Feel This Way, where Dave puts forth his cool vocals once again!  Dave works again with some band members from the Off The Beaten Path album, such as Jeff Koz on guitars, David Piltch on acoustic bass, Bruce Watson on guitars, Phil Parlapiano on Hammond B-3 organ and keys, and more.  The last offering in this album, 'Twas The Night Before Christmas, featured the vocal rap of the late Phil Hartman (who was recently, tragically,shot).  Once again, this beautiful, emotional album, is produced by the excellent Thom Panunzio with Dave.

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