Personnel include: Dave Koz (saxophone); Donna Summer, India.Arie, Johnny Mathis, Anita Baker, Vanessa Williams, Barry Manilow (vocals); Norman Brown (guitar); Peter White (acoustic guitar); Chris Botti (trumpet). Recording information: Capitol Studios, Hollywood, California. The contemporary jazz saxophonist Dave Koz explores the world of movie themes on this tribute to classic Hollywood musical moments, with the help of talented jazz and commercial singers like Johnny Mathis, Barry Manilow, Anita Baker, and Donna Summer. Koz's program of popular themes includes THE WIZARD OF OZ's "Over the Rainbow," the theme from THE PINK PANTHER, and the theme from SCHINDLER'S LIST, all performed in his signature mellow style.


Concept discs tend to go one of two ways--they dance around a theme, causing listeners to draw their own conclusions about how well the album hangs together, or they come on strong. Sax man Dave Koz's At the Movies floats mellifluously into the second category. From the moment Judy Garland's voice comes keening through the crackle of "Over the Rainbow," we're transported directly into the cinema alongside Koz and a handful of high-wattage friends. Only in Koz's theater, the music is at times more heart-tuggingly pretty than we remember.

"Moon River," from Breakfast at Tiffany's meanders gracefully before Barry Manilow surfaces to lend a languid, signature-smooth vocal. "The Shadow of Your Smile" from The Sandpiper sends ripples of bittersweetness down the spine straight through the soul. In a surprising standout track, India.Arie snakes her vocal to Tootsie's "It Might Be You" around Koz's sax so winningly you half-wish she had sung the original. Koz himself is no slouch here, either: six instrumentals belong to him exclusively, some so lush it seems a shame do-overs aren't on Oscar's radar. --Tammy La Gorce

TrackList
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01. Over The Rainbow
02. Moon River - (with Barry Manilow)
03. As Time Goes By
04. Somewhere - (with Anita Baker)
05. Shadow Of Your Smile, The - (with Johnny Mathis/Chris Botti)
06. Pink Panther, The
07. Way We Were, The - (with Vanessa Williams)
08. Summer Knows, The
09. It Might Be You - (with India.Arie)
10. Cinema Paradiso Suite
11. Whole New World, A - (with Donna Summer)
12. Schindler's List
13. It Might Be You - (Bonus Track, with Peter White)
14. Shadow Of Your Smile, The - (Bonus Track, with Chris Botti/Norman Brown)

Dave Koz was born on March 27, 1963 in L.A.'s San Fernando Valley. From an early age, he and his sister took piano lessons. "My mom basically forced my sister and me to play piano from when we were toddlers. I hated piano; I was never any good at it. But I have to thank her now for making me do it, because I write most of my songs on the piano." Around age nine, he rebelled and began taking drum lessons, but notes that he was not very good at drums, "I am the world's worst drummer. I could not keep time to save my life." At age 13, his brother, Jeff, had a band that Dave wanted to be in, but his brother told him over and over that there was no way he could be in it. Dave eventually wore him down, and his brother told him that the only way he could be in the band was if he could play the saxophone, because their band did not have a saxophonist. That was all he needed to hear. Two years later, he was in the band and working gigs with the band and by hisself.



He graduated from UCLA with a degree in mass communications in 1986, and only weeks after his graduation, decided to make a go of becoming a professional musician. Within weeks of that decision, he was recruited as a touring member of Bobby Caldwell's For the rest of the 1980s, Koz served as a session musician in several bands, toured with artists such as Richard Marx, and played in the house band on Arsenio Hall's late-night talk show.

In 1990, Koz decided to pursue a solo career. The move proved to be successful, and his self-titled album earned high praise from critics and fans alike. His later albums include Lucky Man, The Dance, and Saxophonic. Saxophonic was nominated for both a Grammy and an NAACP Image Award.

In 1994, Koz 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 the genre. He is currently co-host of the morning show on 94.7 The Wave, a smooth jazz station in Los Angeles.

In 2002, Koz started a record label, Rendezvous Entertainment, with Frank Cody and Hyman Katz. One of the first albums from that label was Golden Slumbers: A Father's Lullaby, which came at the time his brother Jeff became a father for the first time.

In an April 2004 interview with The Advocate, Koz came out publicily as a gay man. Later the same year, he was named by People magazine as one of their "50 Hottest Bachelors" in their June issue.

In 2006, Koz was selected to host a syndicated afternoon show for Broadcast Architecture's new Smooth Jazz Network. The show, based in Los Angeles, will be broadcast on other Smooth Jazz stations across the country. Koz and Ramsey Lewis will become the only two Smooth Jazz personalities to host two different syndicated shows during the week. (wikipedia)