Dave Koz & Cory Wong Smooth World Film Premiere Announced
(JKPR) On October 21, Smooth World will have its world premiere at the Newport Beach Film Festival. This new documentary from director Mickey Duzyj - director/creator of the Emmy-nominated Netflix docuseries LOSERS - offers a surprising glimpse into the world of Smooth Jazz: a once-mighty musical genre that became terminally uncool, with radio stations across the country quietly dropping the genre from the airwaves.
Yet, against the odds, a host of devoted fans known as "smoothies" have waged a heroic battle against taste and time to save the Smooth World. The film tracks how flagship artist Dave Koz, a chart-topping saxophonist who has earned 10 GRAMMY nominations and successfully navigated the obstacles of the genre, emerging with 15 years of sold-out cruises, multiple headline shows at the Hollywood Bowl, annual Summer Horns outings and nearly 30 years of Christmas tours, teams up with upstart guitarist/producer Cory Wong to create a new trajectory in the world of smooth jazz.
Duzyj approaches the subject with humor and poignancy. In addition to Koz and Wong, Smooth World also features such genre stars as Kirk Whalum, Norman Brown, Mindi Abair, Vincent Ingala and Alexander Zonjic plus numerous "smoothies," including Deb Lammens, who put her love of the music this way: "It's like crack cocaine. Although I don't do drugs, it brings me to my happy place."
In a recent episode of the "Pablo Torre Finds Out" podcast, which was highlighted by The New York Times' Watch Page, Duzyj discussed Smooth World, which is his first feature film. Duzyj is not alone in recognizing there's something special about Koz. Esquire noted, "A man who digs Dave Koz, is a man who digs life" and People Magazine featured him as one of the "Hottest Bachelors" after he came out in an interview with The Advocate. He is the host of the pioneering Dave Koz & Friends At Sea cruise, a yearly smooth jazz pilgrimage featured in the film.
Directly following the October 21 screening, Koz and Wong will give a short performance and participate in a discussion with director Mickey Duzyj, Pat Prescott and Leatrice Allen. Limited tickets are available here. The Newport Beach Film Festival will take place at the Lido Theatre in Newport Beach, CA. Doors for Smooth World will open at 6:15 PM; no admittance after 6:45 PM since the event will be filmed.
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