After hearing and reviewing Dave Koz’s latest release, Dave Koz and Friends – The 25th of December in the Music Scene section of Luxury Experience, we were excited to learn that Dave and a few friends would be performing in New York City for his annual Dave Koz & Friends Christmas Tour at the Best Buy Theater on Sunday, December 7, 2014. There is something magical about the holiday season in New York City; the lighted tree in Rockefeller Center, ice skating in Central Park, Bryant Park, or Rockefeller Center, seeing the department store windows sumptuously decorated, and the overall holiday spirit that prevails throughout the city, and we thought that a night of holiday music would be a perfect gift to ourselves for the season.
Dave Koz
The night opened with the Best Buy Theater Youth Group comprised of six talented singers ages 12-14 singing Jingle Bells for the 17th annual Dave Koz Christmas Tour to get the audience in the holiday spirit. Dave Koz front and center, and his band on guitar, keyboards, and drums, segued into The First Noel followed by Let It Snow.
By the third song, two-time Grammy nominee, singer, songwriter, guitarist Jonathan Butler joined Dave for The Christmas Song written by Mel Tormé and Robert Wells, with Jonathan singing and playing guitar with Dave on saxophone, and the energy that they created could have lit half of Times Square.
Next in the line-up was Maysa singing the 1963 George Wyle and Edward Pola song, It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year. This was her tour debut with the Dave Koz Christmas Tour, and what a powerful impact she made with her impressive voice. She also leant her vocals to a duet with Jonathan Butler on the song, Joy To The World.
Maysa, Dave Koz, and Jonathan Butler
photo credit Katherine Gilraine
The last "friend" to take the stage was the multi-talented 5-time Grammy winner singer, songwriter, composer, guitarist Christopher Cross who played guitar and sang on It’s Christmastime with the Best Buy Theater Youth Group accompanying him.
Continuing the holiday theme, Dave, Maysa, Jonathan, and Christopher rocked the house with the 1962 Gloria Shayne and Noel Regney Christmas standard Do You Hear What I Hear? Taking a break from Christmas music, Maysa sang a heartfelt cut off her new album, Living My Dream.
Next, Christopher Cross did a three-song medley of some of his most famous songs, Never Be The Same, Arthur (Best That You Can Do), and Sailing, along with an inspiring song from his Christmas album entitled, A Dream of Peace At Christmastime.
Dave Koz described Christmas songs as musical comfort food, and indeed they are; old staples in the memories of our lives. Other highlights of the evening included the group singing, Christmastime together, followed by Christopher Cross singing The Little Drummer Boy, a song close to his heart as he started playing drums when he was 10.
Maysa, Christopher Cross, Dave Koz, and Jonathan Butler
photo credit Katerine Gilraine
Maysa thrilled the audience with her rendition of the Gloria Shayne and Noel Regney Christmas standard written in 1962, Do You Hear What I Hear?, and My Grown Up Christmas List written by David Foster and Linda Thompson Jenner in 1990, both of which are on the Dave Koz and Friends – The 25th of December release.
Next in the line-up was Dave Koz singing Another Silent Night, an original song he wrote with Richard Marx and Trey Bruce for The 25th of December release, followed by a beautiful solo by Jonathan Butler playing guitar and singing on the 1847 Adolphe Adam and Placide Cappeau song, O Holy Night, and Christopher Cross singing Ride Like The Wind.
As on the Dave Koz and Friends – The 25th of December release, Dave Koz and friends closed out the evening with The Beatles song, Love Is All You Need, with the audience singing along, and perhaps taking some of that good feeling out in the starry night of New York City; we know that we did!
"The Best Buy Theater is a 2100-capacity venue operated by AEG LIVE and designed by the award-winning architect David Rockwell of the Rockwell Group. The venue officially opened in September 2005 and has the capability to hold a wide array of events, including concerts, live television, web broadcasts, live recordings, award shows and event parties."
Best Buy Theater
1515 Broadway @ West 44th Street, enter on 44th Street
New York, New York 10036
United States
Box Office: 1-888-929-7849
Box Office: +1-212-930-1940
Website: www.BestBuyTheater.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/BestBuyTheater
For information on other upcoming Marquee Concerts, please visit: http://www.marqueeconcerts.com/
Read the review in the Music Scene of Dave Koz and Friends – The 25th of December: Dave Koz and Friends – The 25th of December
Click the link to listen to Dave Koz and Friends – The 25th of December: www.YouTube.com/watch?v=tmcjwBfKQHw
For information on upcoming performances please visit: http://www.davekoz.com/
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Websites where you can procure Dave Koz and Friends – The 25th of December are Amazon and Best Buy.
© December 2014. Luxury Experience. https://luxuryexperience.com All rights reserved.