March 25, 2025

BOB JAMES AND DAVE KOZ’S UNPLUGGED DUETS ALBUM,

JUST US, IS NO. 1 – LISTEN HERE

The Milestone Album And Tour Earn Stellar Reviews

“The beauty of duets is that there is no where to hide, and trust is the connecting ingredient. This collection from pianist Bob James and saxist Dave Koz is a beaut, filled with communication and lyricism.” – Jazz Weekly

“JUST US” PRESS RELEASE DOWNLOAD LINK

“JUST US” STORY/ARTICLE/BIO DOWNLOAD LINK

Download hi-res artwork and artist photos HERE

Contemporary jazz icons Bob James and Dave Koz claim the No. 1 spot on the Luminate (formerly SoundScan) Current Contemporary Jazz Albums chart with their aptly titled duo album Just Us, released by Just Koz Entertainment. Download / stream Just Us HERE.

Just Us is completely unlike anything either artist has ever recorded. It’s raw and unplugged with just the saxophone and piano only, on every song. They recorded most of the tracks in the living room of James’ Traverse City, MI home, setting up a mic for Koz’s alto and two soprano saxes next to Bob’s grand piano.

The longtime friends kicked off their “Just Us” mini-tour with a sold-out show at the intimate Alluvian in Traverse City. Local Spins said, “[The] pianist and saxophonist created musical magic as a duo with nary a drummer, guitarist or bassist in sight.” They’ll wrap up the run with shows at The Parkway in Minneapolis (March 25) and Jazz Alley in Seattle (April 1 – the 1st show is sold out; limited tickets remain for the 2nd show). Tickets are available HERE.

Tavis Smiley led a Q&A session with James and Koz prior to their performance at the GRAMMY Museum® in Los Angeles on March 16. Jazz Weekly noted, “The most impressive parts was the inspired playing by James, who at 85 played like he’s imbibed from the Fountain of Youth, while Koz’s strong and melodic tone revealed an aspect of his playing unable to be captured in a group setting. A rare evening of artists filling a rich canvas.”

The GRAMMY Museum event was attended by numerous artists – including Keiko Matsui, Randy Jacobs, Brian Simpson, Monica Mancini, Carnell Harrell (Dave’s keyboardist), Austin Gatus, Jon Gilutin, Patrick Bradley and Justin-Lee and Jamie Leigh Schultz – as well as record producer Gregg Field, comedian Craig Robinson and radio personalities Art Good and Pat Prescott.

Lead single “New Hope” – an elegant, deeply emotional reminder that we can be optimistic and dare to dream, even in uncertain times – is one of seven new original compositions found on Just Us. The album also features three standards – “My Ship,” “All The Way” and “Smile.” View James and Koz performing “T W O” in Bob’s living room HERE. “Even through our decades of friendship, I don’t think we could have made this album before this moment,” explains Bob James, a two-time GRAMMY® winner who’s known as both a hip-hop icon and the godfather of smooth jazz. “We were emboldened because for a long time we didn’t know we were even making an album. Everything was about our natural musical kinship, represented by the piano and sax in all their full, beauty, glory and nakedness. Where else can you hear these instruments without any sonic competition?”

As Dave Koz shared in this interview with Patty Peterson for Minneapolis’ Jazz88.FM, “We were just two friends in a room making music for ourselves.”

The Urban Music Scene said, “Despite their phenomenal chart history, who might have thought Koz and James would team to face unfamiliar territory – a strictly acoustic duet setting without the safety net of a trusted group of musicians. Thus, their special collaboration, Just Us, is a lesson in bearing one’s talents on an exceptional level to provide an entertaining blend of originals and standards in a variety of musical backdrops.” Smooth Jazz Therapy praised the album as “a timely reminder of the contribution these two musical icons have made….Spanning genres, moods and styles ‘Just Us’ is music for grown ups and comes highly recommended.”

BOB JAMES * DAVE KOZ "JUST US" TOUR:

3/25 – Minneapolis, MN – The Parkway

4/1 – Seattle, WA – Jazz Alley (1st show sold out, tickets available for 2nd show)

About Bob James:

Originally from Marshall, Missouri, two-time GRAMMY® winner Bob James (b.1939) has enjoyed a tremendously varied career, characterized by many fascinating twists and turns. To some, he’s a hip-hop icon because samples of his music played a pivotal role in the foundation of rap, while to others, he’s the godfather of smooth jazz. After being discovered by Quincy Jones at the Notre Dame Collegiate Jazz Festival in 1962, James made his mark at producer Creed Taylor’s CTI label in the 1970s when he was the architect of an innovative new sound that fused jazz with classical music and funk. James’ music found a broader audience in 1978 after his track “Angela” was used as the theme to the popular U.S. TV sitcom, “Taxi.” He also ran his record label, Tappan Zee, for many years, has released albums dedicated to classical music, and co-founded the popular and hugely successful smooth jazz group Fourplay. Now signed to international record label, evosound, Evolution Music Group, his latest album, Jazz Hands, was nominated for a GRAMMY.

About Dave Koz:

Dave Koz has racked up an astoundingly impressive array of honors and achievements: nine GRAMMY nominations, 12 No. 1 albums on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Albums chart, numerous world tours, a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, performances for multiple U.S. presidents and, most recently, a 2023 Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. He also received the 2023 Starlight Children’s Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. Koz, who has served as global ambassador for the Foundation for 30 years, has raised over two million dollars to date for the foundation through the Dave Koz & Friends At Sea silent auctions and his network of fans. In over 30 years of constant touring, Koz has graced the stages of some of the most prestigious venues the world over, including Royal Albert Hall in London, Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, Carnegie Hall in New York City and various symphony orchestras across the country. Koz also headlines The Hollywood Bowl every other summer season as one of the legendary venue’s “regulars.”

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For more information on Dave Koz:

Judi Kerr, Judi Kerr Public Relations

310-477-8191

judikerr@judikerrpr.com

For more information on Bob James:

Amy Lynch, Abelardo Management

407-454-4598

Amclynch@gmail.com

Download hi-res artwork and artist photos HERE

FOLLOW BOB JAMES:

www.bobjames.com