Dave Koz and his band were in flight delay hell. So they picked up their instruments
Share and Follow


Passengers on a flight from St. Louis to Seattle got an unexpected pick-me-up when jazz saxophonist Dave Koz and bandmates held an impromptu jam session in the aisle while the plane was stuck on the tarmac hundreds of miles from their final destination.

It happened Aug. 11, when Koz and fellow musicians on the Dave Koz & Friends Summer Horns Tour were headed to Seattle for two days of shows. What was supposed to be a direct flight was beset by delays, including having to divert to Boise, Idaho, after flight crew members timed out and needed to be relieved and the plane encountered a mechanical issue, Koz said Tuesday.

This wasn’t the first delay the band experienced since its tour started around mid-July, and it even had to cancel two shows because of travel-related issues, Koz said. But the delay last week was particularly deflating not just for the musicians but for everyone on the plane.

“You could just feel the energy. Everybody was so frustrated,” Koz said.

A flight attendant who saw the musicians bring their instruments on board asked if they’d be willing to play a song while they were stuck in Boise.

A video of them performing Stevie Wonder’s “You Haven’t Done Nothin’” — the closer to their show — went viral on social media. It shows Koz and fellow saxophone player Marcus Anderson grooving in the aisle with other horn players behind them and Jeff Bradshaw on trombone getting creative to play the large instrument between seats.

Passengers are seen smiling and swaying in their seats, with some recording the performance on their phones.

Anderson said it felt good to lift spirits, though Koz admitted being nervous that some passengers might not like “horns playing in people’s ears.”

Anderson likened the feeling afterward to that of a great workout at the gym. The musicians never thought about the possibility of going viral, he said. “It was just doing something good for the people.”

They performed just the one song, but they knew that was enough.

“It just was right, and it brought everybody together in a way that was very special,” Koz said. “I’ll remember that moment for the rest of my life.”

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Gator | firstcoastnews.com

Alligator Sightings Surge Across First Coast Region

In Sarasota County, Florida, a determined trapper and a team of deputies…
DC school launches program to PAY high school students just to show up

DC School Implements Initiative to Compensate High School Students for Attendance

A high school in Washington, DC, has introduced an initiative offering students…
British man says he was arrested after posting photos with guns on July 4 trip to Florida

British Tourist Claims Arrest in Florida Over July 4th Gun Photos

A British IT consultant has described his experience as a dystopian ordeal…
Nancy Mace responds to rumors sweeping Capitol Hill

Nancy Mace Sets the Record Straight: Tackling Capitol Hill Rumors Head-On

Nancy Mace recently aired her dissatisfaction with the current GOP leadership, but…
Suspect arrested twice after allegedly carrying out two separate unprovoked assaults only minutes apart

Shocking Double Arrest: Suspect Nabbed for Back-to-Back Unprovoked Attacks in Minutes!

A Portland man has been apprehended twice within a week in connection…
Pete Hegseth's 'war crime' video detonates inside secret intel brief

Explosive Leak: Pete Hegseth’s Controversial ‘War Crime’ Video Shakes Insider Intelligence Briefing

The release of video footage capturing a subsequent airstrike targeting alleged drug…
Doctor whose husband left daughter, 2, to die in hot car breaks cover

Physician Speaks Out Following Husband’s Alleged Negligence Leading to Toddler’s Tragic Death in Hot Car

Despite enduring two devastating tragedies in just 18 months, Erika Scholtes showed…
FILE - A sign with the CDC logo is displayed at the entrance to the agency

Kennedy’s Committee Evaluates Hepatitis B Vaccination for Newborns: Key Takeaways

A federal vaccine advisory committee gathered in Atlanta on Thursday to reassess…