Dave Koz celebrates summer with his music, and one of the places where he does it is Temecula.
Koz is part of the Champagne Jazz lineup at Thornton Winery and has been since the early ’90s.
Tickets are on sale for this year’s season, which begins May 3 with R&B Grammy winner Lalah Hathaway and Paul Taylor, who like Koz is a saxophone player.
Koz will bring his Summer Horns tour to the winery for two evenings in August.
It’s a great gig, he said in a phone interview.
“Now it’s over 30 years of playing there, pretty much every single summer for their Champagne series,” Koz said. “The Thornton family I’ve gotten to know very, very well over the years. They provide a beautiful environment for wonderful wines and great food.
“You’re not only going to get great music, you’re going to have a full sensory experience. But from an artist’s point of view, it really is a great experience as well. They really take care of the artists.”
Koz is not the only musician who keeps coming back to Thornton. Brian Culbertson, Mindi Abair and Jeffrey Osborne are among this summer’s returning artists.
Koz has been doing Summer Horns with various musicians since 2013.
“This year for Summer Horns we have a full horn section, three saxophones, a trombone and trumpet player. So this is really going to be a celebration of the summer. We haven’t put the show together yet, but I know it’s going to be filled with gems,” he said.
The lineup includes Marcus Anderson, Marcel Anderson, Jeff Bradshaw, Leo P and Evan Taylor. After Temecula, the show will play Aug. 29 at Humphrey’s By The Bay in San Diego and Aug. 31 at the Hollywood Bowl.
“Summer Horns is exactly that,” Koz said. “It’s a celebration of all that great music that the horn bands made in the late ‘60s to the late ‘70s. Earth, Wind & Fire, Tower of Power, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Chicago, Kool & The Gang, I could go on and on and on. Just this pantheon of the greatest music. Remember, this is coming from a horn player. This is the music I grew up listening to and what made me love saxophone and horn sections. There’s that tightness and brightness and that real excitement.”
Thornton is not the only winery that puts on ticketed concerts with headliners throughout the summer. Here are shows that have been announced so far.
Champagne Jazz Series
Where: Thornton Winery, 32575 Rancho California Road, Temecula. 951-699-0099. thorntonwine.com
Details: Concerts start at 7 p.m. Gates open at 6 p.m. General admission is first-come-first-served with lines starting two hours before show time. Gourmet supper packages are available with assigned tables and dedicated servers.
Tickets: $104-$249
The lineup
Lalah Hathaway and Paul Taylor, May 3
Peter White, Rick Braun and Richard Elliot, May 24
Brian Culbertson, June 22
Gerald Albright and Brian Simpson with Jessy J, June 28
Eric Benet and Althea Rene, June 29
Vincent Ingala and Nathan Mitchell with JJ Sansaverino, July 19
Damien Escobar and Nicholas Cole with Jackiem Joyner, July 26
Michael Lington with Ruben Studdard and Jazz Funk Soul featuring Jeff Lorber, Everette Harp, Paul Jackson Jr., Aug. 2
Najee and Adam Hawley, Aug. 9
Dave Koz and Friends, Summer Horns 2025, Aug. 16-17
Mindi Abair and BPM, featuring Brian Bromberg, Paul Brown, and Michael Paulo, Aug. 23
Kirk Whalum and Jonathan Butler, Aug. 30
Jeffrey Osborne and Erin Stevenson, Sept. 13
Regina Belle and Eric Darius, Sept. 20
Will Downing and the Braxton Brothers, Oct. 4
“Very special returning guest,” Oct. 11.
Country Concert Series
Where: Wilson Creek Winery & Vineyards, 35960 Rancho California Road, Temecula. 951-699-9463. wilsoncreekwinery.com.
Details: The winery books country stars occasionally throughout the year. The 2025 lineup launched March 21 with Justin Moore, followed by Nate Smith on March 23. Tickets tend to sell out fast. They are on sale for Leading Ladies on May 16. The performers are Avery Anna, CeCe, Meghan Patrick, Runaway Jane and Priscilla Block. Prices start at $40.
Rhythm on the Vine
Where: South Coast Winery Resort & Spa, 34843 Rancho California Road, Temecula. 844-428-6292. southcoastwinery.com
Details: Three concerts have been announced: Colbie Caillat on June 29; Kenny Wayne Shepherd with Bobby Rush on Sept. 7; and Queen Nation on Oct. 16.
Tickets start at $89, and table seating with full-service dining is available.
No announcements have been made for the Rhythm on the Vine Jazz concert series.