Saxophonist Dave Koz is, pardon my French, a bitch. Man, can that guy play the alto sax! I just got a reminder of how good he is after listening to a YouTube cut of his tune “Shakin’ the Shack” from off of his “Lucky Man” CD.

I bought the CD years ago and was so enamored with Koz’s electrifying, hard-bop approach to smooth jazz that I transcribed a couple of his solos. I thought I had lost those transcriptions long ago, but guess what surfaced the other day while I was sifting through some old music charts I had written? That’s right: my transcription of Dave Koz playing his solo on “Shakin’ the Shack.”

Well…at least part of the solo. Evidently I never completed the transcription, which is really a shame, because this first section is just the preamble. Dave is a fabulous musical storyteller, and his solo really starts cooking in the section that follows, building momentum and tremendous excitement in a joyous musical romp that makes me want to laugh and shout and dance and do other things most unbecoming of a 54-year-old white, Germanic male.

I regret that I can’t offer you the full transcription of Dave’s solo, but such as I have, I share with you now. Click on the thumbnail to enlarge it.

If you’ve never heard “Shakin’ the Shack,” I strongly encourage you to give it a listen so you can hear how the solo actually sounds in its musical context. For that matter, do yourself a biiiiiig favor and buy the entire “Lucky Man” CD. It’s beautifully produced and bubbling over with  joie de vivre–traveling music of the first order, perfect for putting a smile on your face when you’re out on the open road.