This week, Ira spoke with Dave Koz and Cuba Gooding Sr.
Acclaimed saxophonist Dave Koz, along with friends Mindi Abair, Gerald Albright and Richard Elliot, will perform in Reynolds Hall at the Smith Center on Saturday, August 2, at 7:30 p.m.
Nine-time GRAMMY® nominee Dave Koz remembers the first record he ever purchased – Tower of Power’s 1974 album, Back To Oakland. It had a powerful impact on him, as his latest album, Summer Horns, shows. Teaming up with three of his most talented and trusted colleagues – Gerald Albright, Richard Elliot and Mindi Abair –Koz revisited the music that made him want to pick up the saxophone in the first place: classic tracks from Tower of Power and other brassy juggernauts that ruled the airwaves from the late 1960s through the ‘70s – bands like Sly & the Family Stone, Earth Wind & Fire, Chicago and Blood Sweat & Tears.
Over the decades, the saxophone has opened numerous doors for Koz. He’s played with such artists as Burt Bacharach, Ray Charles, Natalie Cole, Celine Dion, Shelby Lynne, Kenny Loggins, U2, Barry Manilow, Michael McDonald, Luther Vandross and Rod Stewart. He’s become a platinum-selling artist with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and is also known as a humanitarian, entrepreneur, radio host and instrumental music advocate.
http://www.thesmithcenter.com
http://www.davekoz.com
Cuba Gooding, Sr will be joining forces with Soul On Fire for 90 minutes of original material, including the new release of “Everybody Plays the Fool,” in Cabaret Jazz at the Smith Center on July 26 at 8 p.m. .
With more than 40 years under his belt as an entertainer, lead vocalist Gooding continues to entertain audiences around the world.
Gooding’s vocals were sampled by Grammy Award winning songstress Alicia Keys, on her smash single, “You Don’t Know My Name,” which, early in 2004, held the #1 spot on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles & Tracks chart for nine straight weeks.
Having achieved chart topping hits with the Main Ingredient, Gooding continues his musical legacy by pairing up with his son Omar Gooding to produced a rap infused old school groove on the project 2 Good, while simultaneously working on his own current project Rebirth.
http://www.thesmithcenter.com
http://www.cuba-gooding.com
