An Alaska Airlines flight stuck on the tarmac turned into a one-song jazz concert after Dave Koz and his Summer Horns bandmates played for frustrated passengers.
Passengers on a St. Louis-to-Seattle flight got an unexpected show when smooth jazz star Dave Koz and his bandmates broke out their instruments during a lengthy delay.
The group, traveling on Alaska Airlines en route to their next stop on the Summer Horns Tour, had their flight diverted to Boise, Idaho, on August 11 due to mechanical issues and timed-out staff. With travelers sitting on the tarmac in the early morning hours, flight attendants asked the musicians if they’d be willing to lift spirits. And they did.
Jazz musicians break out instruments to entertain passengers after multiple delays
Koz, joined by fellow saxophonist Marcus Anderson, agreed. Phones came out, passengers leaned into the moment, and the band filled the cramped cabin with their rendition of Stevie Wonder’s You Haven’t Done Nothing.
“You could just feel the energy. Everybody was so frustrated,” Koz said. “This wonderful flight attendant said, ‘Can you guys play?’ and it brought everyone together in a way that was very special. I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.”
Anderson compared the feeling to finishing a great workout, adding that the band wasn’t thinking about going viral. “It was just doing something good for the people,” he said.
The impromptu “playover” has since racked up over 2 million views across Instagram and Facebook, with commenters hailing the smooth jazz legends for turning a miserable night into a memory.
It wasn’t the band’s first brush with travel chaos on tour. Koz said they’ve already faced multiple delays since July, even canceling shows along the way. But this flight, packed with weary passengers, may have been their most unusual venue yet.
The group only played one song, but it was enough. Smiles replaced scowls as the horns echoed through the cabin. “It just was right,” Koz said. “It brought everybody together.”
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