Tuesday, May 25, 2021

DAVE KOZ & CORY WONG · FAMILY REUNION ·RADIO SINGLE·

Just Koz Entertainment, Inc.
May 21, 2021

Saxophonist Dave Koz and hipster funk/jam band guitarist Cory Wong (Vulfpeck, the Fearless Flyers, Cory and the Wongnotes) celebrate the joy of reconnecting with loved ones on the infectious new single, “Family Reunion,” which is being serviced to radio on May 24. The track is from their forthcoming album, The Golden Hour, which will be released on June 11.

Dave Koz says, “‘Family Reunion’ is a complete musical celebration...you can just feel it in the energy of the track. A celebration not only for us musicians, but for the millions of families that due to Covid, have had to be separated from each other for a very long time. Families are now finally able to come together, to hug, to once again feel the special joy of being around loved ones – something we’ve all missed so much. That’s the musical DNA of this particular song.”

Cory Wong – who produced the album, co-wrote 10 of its 11 tracks and played electric guitar, among other instruments – notes, "It’s the kind of song that takes me right to the backyard on a hot summer day...the smell of the grill, the presence of friends, and an air of optimism that says 'everything's gonna be alright'. When we wrote this song, we wanted to capture the feeling of community. Recording a 10-piece band in a live room with that live energy really brought the song to life in a way that can't be fabricated by studio tricks!"
In a recording career that spans three decades, saxophonist Dave Koz has racked up an astoundingly impressive array of honors and achievements: nine GRAMMY nominations, 12 No. 1 albums on Billboard’s Current Contemporary Jazz Albums chart, numerous world tours, performances for multiple U.S. presidents, a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and more. A Platinum-selling artist, the California native is also known as a humanitarian, entrepreneur, radio host and instrumental music advocate.

His 2020 album, A New Day -- released exactly 30 years to the week after his very first album came out – marked Dave’s first album of original material in 10 years and his 20th overall album. Conceived and recorded completely under the umbrella of COVID-19, with the express purpose of providing some musical comfort in these extremely uneasy times, it featured special guests Brian McKnight, Antwaun Stanley (Vulfpeck), Meshell Ndegeocello, Bob James, Marc Antoine, Rick Braun, Jeff Lorber, Chris "Big Dog" Davis and others. The album reached the No. 1 position on numerous jazz charts, including iTunes and Amazon, and delivered two back-to-back No. 1 singles: “Side By Side” ft. David Sanborn and “Dr. Norm” ft. Paul Jackson Jr. Koz will be touring the U.S. this summer.

GRAMMY® Award-nominated songwriter, producer, and guitarist extraordinaire Cory Wong is a masterful musician and impossible-to-categorize artist adept at blending a variety of genres into his own unique sound. From his work as a member of Vulfpeck and The Fearless Flyers, to collaborations with Dave Koz and Jon Batiste, the Minneapolis, MN-based Wong has proven a restless creator and visionary musician, hailed for his distinctly original approach and dazzling live performances. 2020 saw Wong release an extraordinarily diverse series of eight original albums, spanning a stunning selection of sounds and musical styles. This year has already seen the premiere of his inventive new YouTube musical variety series, Cory and the Wongnotes, as well as an original album collecting music from the series’ first season backed by his explosive new 11-piece big band. CORY WONG AND THE WONGNOTES marks the first album in what will undoubtedly be another busy year for the indefatigable Wong as he continues making his mark as a prolific, once-in-a-lifetime artist and personality.