El Paso declares Dec. 13 ‘Dave Koz Day’

Thursday has been declared ‘Dave Koz Day’ by the City of El Paso. It’s the same day the legendary jazz musician will take the stage at the Plaza Theatre for his annual Dave Koz & Friends tour stop.

“Never in a million years would I have thought that we would be doing this for 21 years uninterrupted,” Koz said.

The annual tour during the holidays started from an idea during a trying time in 1997 for Koz and his friend, and fellow musician, David Benoit.

“We had both lost a parent that year. I lost my dad very suddenly. He lost his mom.”

So Benoit came up with the idea to go play a few shows during the holiday season.

“That way we make ourselves feel better and hopefully make some other people feel better,” Koz recalled of the phone conversation with Benoit.

Twenty-one years later, the Dave Koz & Friends tour has delivered on that goal and spans generations.

“It’s hard to explain, just like love’s hard to explain,” Jim Paul, Executive Director of Hospice El Paso, said. “It’s an amazing thing, but the connection between the artist and this audience here in El Paso is something else.”

Paul’s wife, Connie, is the promoter of the event.

“When we started doing this show 20 years ago, I used to strong-arm people to come. Once they came they came back.”

The people of El Paso have had a profound impact on the platinum-selling artist.

“El Paso, as a city, embraced me years and years ago and every time I come here it’s more than just doing a show. It’s more than just coming for a tour date. It’s just like coming home in a lot of ways. I live in Los Angeles, but in my heart El Paso is my second home.”

Dave Koz & Friends takes the stage Thursday, Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. at the Plaza Theatre. A portion of the proceeds will go towards helping local children battling serious illness.