Musician Dave Koz closes out the end of the 2013 summer season with new studio music release Summer Horns.
Summer Horns is marked foremost for showcasing a collaborative use of horns, and the expansion of the releases’s horn section here, with the inclusion of Koz's notable musical group of selected “friends” comprised of horn instrumentalists Mindi Abair, Gerald Albright, and Richard Elliot. Besides joining the popular solo saxophonist, the festive collection also concentrates on a particular selection of music that veers from typical "all" Jazz standards to feature newly updated Jazz arrangements and interpretations of music made popular from other genres of music covering a wide spectrum from Pop, R&B, and Funk. The choice to incorporate tracks from 40‘s to the 80‘s is also another added plus. Featured sounds, as The Beatles’ “Got To Get You Into My Life,” Herb Alpert’s “Rise,” Sly Stone’s “Hot Fun In The Summertime,” and James Brown’s “I Got You (I Feel Good),” are a few examples of how the new arrangements of familiar tunes found on the release are refreshed. The overall sonic mix is also uplifted by added vocal guest appearances, from popular singers Michael McDonald, Jonathan Butler, and Jeffrey Osborne, on various tracks to break instrumental blocks ensuring the continued pace of the release. Stevie Wonder’s “You’ve Done Nothin’,” Chicago’s “25 Or 6 To 4," Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Reasons," and Billie Holiday’s Jazz classic “God Bless The Child,” are highlighted stand-outs. The track set, which begins with Ronnie Laws’ “Always There," closes out appropriately with the release’s namesake and only original tune “Summer Horns.”
Dave Koz & Friends: Summer Horns is a lively spin of accessible “good vibes" music that even non-Jazz aficionados can enjoy.