Dave Koz Christmas

The glossy, saxophone-driven aesthetics of smooth jazz define the evening as Dave Koz brings his long-running holiday tour to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. The veteran instrumentalist is joined by a rotating lineup of contemporary jazz heavyweights to reinterpret classic winter carols through the lens of West Coast funk, R&B, and pop crossover. Koz’s bright, melodic alto sax remains the focal point, driving complex arrangements that prioritize tight grooves over traditional orchestral swells. The performance offers a polished, fiercely upbeat approach to seasonal music, engineered for listeners who prefer their holiday standards delivered with sharp brass stabs and heavy syncopation.