Passengers on a flight from St. Louis to Seattle experienced an unexpected delight when jazz saxophonist Dave Koz and his bandmates initiated a spontaneous jam session in the aisle. This happened while the plane was delayed on the tarmac, far from their intended destination.
On August 11, as part of the Dave Koz & Friends Summer Horns Tour, the musicians embarked on a journey to Seattle for a couple of shows. Their journey, expected to be a direct flight, was riddled with delays, including a detour to Boise, Idaho. This occurred because the flight crew reached their maximum duty hours and needed replacements, coupled with a mechanical problem, as explained by Koz on Tuesday.
Since the tour began in mid-July, this wasn’t the first setback the band encountered, having even cancelled two shows due to travel disruptions, said Koz. However, the recent delay felt particularly discouraging for both the musicians and fellow passengers.
“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 capturing their performance of Stevie Wonder’s “You Haven’t Done Nothin’,” usually their closing number, quickly gained traction on social media. The clip features Koz and fellow saxophonist Marcus Anderson entertaining in the aisle, backed by other horn players and Jeff Bradshaw’s inventive trombone play 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 described the experience as rejuvenating, similar to an invigorating gym session. The musicians hadn’t considered the potential for viral fame, he noted, emphasizing that it was simply about bringing joy to those around them.
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.”
