Out Spotlight

Today's Out Spotlight is a successful jazz musician who feared coming out would end his career, but found when he did it was the exact opposite. Today's Out Spotlight is jazz saxophonist Dave Koz.

Dave Koz was born on March 27, 1963 in Encino, California. He discovered his love of the saxophone in 7th grade. His saxophone became his best friend. Attending William Howard Taft High School in Woodland Hills, CA, he was as a member of the school jazz band. He went on to attend UCLA graduating with a degree in mass communications in 1986. Just weeks after graduation, he decided to try and make it as a professional musician. Within weeks he was hired as a member of Bobby Caldwell's tour. For the rest of the decade, he worked as a session musician for several musicians and tours, including Jeff Lorber and Richard Marx. He was also in the house band for the short-lived The Pat Sajak Show.

Because they look and sound similar, Koz is often compared to and mistaken for another well-known saxophonist, David Sanborn, and sometimes he has been billed as "the second coming of Sanborn."

In 1990, he began to pursue a solo career, and started recording for Capitol Records where he did made 3 albums His album Saxophonic was nominated for both a Grammy Award and an NAACP Image Award.

In 1994, he began hosting a syndicated radio program, The Dave Koz Radio Show (formerly Personal Notes), featuring the latest music and interviews with who's who in jazz. He also co-hosted of The Dave Koz Morning Show With Pat Prescott on 94.7 The Wave, a smooth jazz station in LA for six years. He moved on in January 2007 and was replaced by Brian McKnight.

In 2002, Koz started a record label, Rendezvous Entertainment, with Frank Cody and Hyman Katz.

Knowing he was gay since he was a teenager, Koz found the courage to come out to his family and friends after several "This Thanksgivings I will" as he says. Out to his family and friends, there was just on part of his life he was not out. His professional life. Koz feared that coming out would end his career as a jazz musician.

In an April 2004 interview with The Advocate, Koz came out publicly as a gay man. Just months later, he was named by People magazine as one of their "50 Hottest Bachelors" in their June issue.

When he came out he instantly expanded his already large fan base and shattered a lot of myths about gay men and music.
Looking back on his interview with the Advocate, he said, "I think everyone makes that leap at the right time in their own lives—there is no absolute rule, and thus I tend to shy away from giving anyone else advice on how to do this. In my own experience however, I never had a master plan to come out…that moment shocked me when it came—I sort of knew it instinctively and I said to myself, “It’s time”. Up until that point it was something I was either too worried, or too freaked out to do. I wasn’t willing to risk it…but then something surprising happened.

I was doing an interview for another gay publication—and the interviewer initially said it was just to speak on the music, no personal questions. His editors had a different agenda and he came back to me saying that in order for the article to run I would have to address my sexuality. Well, I noticed the way this information made me feel…and for the first time ever, it didn’t scare the &*%# out of me! I went to my managers with the idea of coming out—they were super supportive, having helped Melissa Etheridge along her journey. But they said if you’re going to do it, do it with The Advocate. And that’s exactly what happened—a few months later, just about in sync with my turning 40, it was done. This little piece of information that I’d been guarding so preciously all my adult life was finally out there for the world to see. Of course at the time I was freaking out…but I haven’t looked back since. By far, the very best thing I’ve ever done for myself. "

In 2006, he was selected to host a syndicated afternoon show for Broadcast Architecture's new Smooth Jazz Network. The show, based in LA, it is broadcast on Smooth Jazz stations across the country. Koz and Ramsey Lewis are the only two Smooth Jazz personalities to host two different syndicated shows during the week.

Since 2005 he has hosted the annual Dave Koz & Friends Jazz Cruises.

He is also the host of a weekly half-hour television series named Frequency put on by Fast Focus. The show is interviews with musicians such as Earth, Wind & Fire, Jonathan Butler, and Kelly Sweet and then Koz performing with the guests on their best known hits.

A busy performer with recording, touring, and shows, he also was the bandleader on The Emeril Lagasse Show.

For the past 15 years, Dave has served as Global Ambassador for The Starlight Children's Foundation, an organization dedicated to making a difference for seriously ill children. In 2006, he was awarded the Humanitarian Of The Year Award from Starlight and for the past five years, Dave and his fans have helped Starlight deliver cuddly bears to hospitalized children during the holidays.

On September 22, 2009, Koz received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The same year he celebrate 20 years with Columbia records. He's not the first out performer to receive a star, but finding another example among the 2,000 plus recipients is like a needle-haystack.

In October 2010, Koz performed "Start All Over Again" on a episode of Desperate Housewives alongside singer Dana Glover.“Start All Over Again” offers hope in the face of adversity. As Koz points out, “The message isn’t new, but it’s one that we all need to hear in one way or another. “No matter how bad things might be, if you’re still alive, if you’re still breathing, there’s still the opportunity for you to start over again and do whatever you want with your life. That’s the situation a lot of people are in right now. They’re being forced to pull up their bootstraps and figure out a way to move forward into uncharted territory.”

Koz took part in Dan Savage It Get's Better Project. He revealed how his music got him through the struggles of growing up gay and how coming out changed his life and career.

He also launched his own line of wines, with Whole Foods and auditioned for a “big TV show” that sounded a lot like Dancing With the Stars. And wound up on Bravo's Millionaire Matchmaker when his brother was looking to meet his match. But he's not ready to put his dating go reality show.

After 7 years after coming out and being named one of People magazine's Most Eligible Bachelors, he's still single, but looking for that right guy.



Dave Koz official site.