Dave Koz and the Summer Horns delighted travelers with an impromptu concert on the tarmac in Boise, Idaho, early Tuesday morning. No one was more shocked than them at how well they performed! They’d recently seen their trip from St. Louis to Boise unceremoniously diverted by some unforeseen circumstances. The unique concert showcased the power of music to uplift spirits amidst travel disruptions.
The Nonet, made up of 16 incredible young musicians played a funky and cool version of Stevie Wonder’s You Haven’t Done Nothing. Among the performers were notable musicians Jeff Bradshaw on trombone, Evan Taylor on trumpet, and Leo P on baritone saxophone. Fellow saxophonist Marcus Anderson was brought on as well, adding to their high-energy performance that certainly set the tone with the audience.
As the concert unfolded, little kids who were passengers on the flight recorded the performance, capturing the moment for social media. The video went completely viral, getting more than 2 million views between Instagram and Facebook. Fans enthusiastically dubbed this unplanned session a “playover.” It challenged its unconventionalness and introduced great, unmeasurable joy to both the players and the audients.
At the time, Koz couldn’t hide his gratitude at how things had turned out. He shared, “All of us were involved and including our band members, even if they couldn’t break out their guitars and basses, they were slapping along.” The collaborative spirit among the musicians created a vibrant atmosphere that lifted everyone’s spirits.
Anderson provided a fitting capstone to that sentiment by remembering how the performance fell into place. Charlene was like, ‘Do you guys play?’” he recalled. This very modest prompting brought out a moving musical experience that changed the emotional landscape of everyone there. Anderson reflected on the experience, stating, “We were just taking a moment trying to make lemonade with lemons, and it tasted very good.”
Koz acknowledged the collective frustration many travelers face in today’s climate, remarking, “This really taps into everybody’s sort of frustration right now of traveling in the United States, where you feel so out of control.” He remarked on the way music can be a powerful platform for expression in moments like these. “We were able to sort of channel that energy and turn the vibe completely,” he added.
