Taze Kozak Embraces Country Tradition Through a Modern Lens on “Kings and Queens”
There’s a looseness to Taze Kozak’s music with the kind of songwriting that resists settling into one fixed identity. Based on Vancouver Island, Kozak has carved out a path that leans heavily into DIY ethos and community, pulling from late-night jams, deep-cut influences, and the kind of musical curiosity that comes from being surrounded by both isolation and connection.
His latest single, “Kings and Queens,” finds him digging further into that approach, drawing on country swing and jazz traditions while quietly unraveling something more existential beneath the surface. Inspired in part by the raw, live-recorded energy of Jimmie Rivers’ Brisbane Bop, the track carries a timeless, almost playful feel — but its lyrical core tells a different story. Beneath the easy groove, Kozak reflects on power, complacency, and the strange dissonance of existing in a world where overwhelming realities unfold in the background of everyday life.
Recorded live off the floor and later expanded with a cast of trusted collaborators, “Kings and Queens” is a reminder that even in its most casual moments, Kozak’s work is deeply considered. Read our Q&A with the artist down below.
REVERIE: For readers discovering you for the first time, how would you introduce yourself as an artist?
Hard question, as art is subjective to the viewer, listener, feeler, etc. I’ll do my best though. Mostly running in the DIY fashion I tend to lean into whatever I’m inspired by, listening back to some of my previous releases might show I’m not solidified into any one idea about my musical identity, or how I want to present it. But, that’s all subjective.
REVERIE: Being based in BC, how has your community shaped or influenced your songwriting and sound?
We have such a deep catalog to explore musically online at this point in time, a lot comes from that freedom, and I think that in turn helps open the doors to accepting many styles. Vancouver Island does have a lot of great songwriters, late nights, fires, laughs, and songs get tossed around a lot. So I’m sure that has influenced things. The island has its restrictions, not many towns to play if you want to do a tour. In a way I guess these things sort of force all the musicians to know each other, with the small communities. Which does the same as having access to so much music online, it opens doors to different musical styles and also the people that come with it. Through music on the island I’ve formed many lifelong friendships, it’s really special.
REVERIE: Your sound leans into a swingy, country-inflected style — what artists or traditions have been most influential in shaping your direction?
This song “Kings and Queens” definitely stemmed from an influence. My good friend and the best guitar player I know (James Lambert) gave me this CD probably 8 years ago, it’s called “Brisbane Bop” by Jimmie Rivers. It blew my mind. I believe it was recorded between 1961-63, in the club the band would play. Absolute country jazz mastery, Jimmie Rivers a complete melodic monster on the guitar, seamless transitions between the head(hook) of the song into solos it’s hard to tell them apart as ever line he plays is so musical. And taboot his guitar playing is match by the incredible Vance Terry on the lapsteel.
I couldn’t get enough of this CD, I still can’t. It’s not on Spotify. Anyway I was heavily inspired by this style of music. Basically I was trying to mock is style and in a basic way (the only way I knew how) haha. It’s far from what is on that CD but that’s where the inspiration came from hands down. The country swing jazz stuff, love it, and would love to learn it one day, for now I fake it.
If you love music go find that CD or maybe it’s on YouTube idk. “Jimmie Rivers - Brisbane Bop” it’s a true music force.
I wrote and have written many songs inspired by the same vein and hope to get them all out one day.
REVERIE: You just released a new single “Kings and Queens” - tell us about the track!
The music / instrumentation came from the above question. As far as the lyrics go, the song is pretty much a melt about the overseeing powers (kings and queens) but also about us as consumers running aloof kind of just dolting along as horrific things are happening around us in the world. The human condition partially, I guess.
The track was funded by Creatives BC. We cut the bass, guitar, and drums live off the floor at Risque Disque studio. Later I went to Vancouver to track vocals at Stephanie Pockets Rangno’s (Bpockets) studio, Bpockets also was the engineer/ mixer and in on the Creatives BC grant, props.
And sort of full circle to my love of the Brisbane Bop CD I was given. I was on a small island tour playing lead guitar in a band I’m in “Tubbs and the Sad Boys” and we teamed up with interior band “Those Volunteers” which just so happened to give me a connection to Liam, who fronts that band. And just so happened Liam is a complete hot shot on the lapsteel and in the fashion I love, Liam also loves that Jimmie Rivers Brisbane Bop album, and he can hold tight in that style, a true gem.
So I reached out after our tour to see if Liam would track some lead / accompaniment over “kings and queens” and he accepted. And totally knocked it out of the park, he got the vibe instantly. His playing really sealed the song and the vision I had for it from the start, as the Lapsteel added exactly what I had been inspired by when writing the song.
Quinn Etheridge-Pedden played bass on the track and again knocked it out of the park. Quin plays lead fiddle in what I think is one of, or not the best BC based Americana/Folk/Newgrass bands “The Unfaithful Servants”. So having him give his time and energy towards this project meant a lot to me, one of the only players I personally know that I would trust in this style. Go check out his main project, he’s fiddle playing is top notch.
Drums were performed by Jonathan Fairbank. Jons playing again was superb and I knew I could trust him, as he is heavily influenced by jazz, he has the chops to hang and let loose when the song needs it. Totally in pocket, knows his drum tones, ace. Fortunate to have met Jon when I did and have him living close. Jon is also a great craftsman in carpentry, I believe his company is called alder.carpentry on IG, some real beautiful stuff.
I feel incredibly lucky to have these people perform on this track, it’s hard to find players that understand vision and can execute it. The balance between skill and feel isn’t easy to find, the players around the song are the stars here. This backing band (Jon and Quin) we present as “Taze Kozak & the Sweet Talking Hustlers”
And Bpockets just really brought the tune above and beyond anything I’ve been involved with in the past. Most of my work is DIY and having Bpockets bring the professional polish to this is very special. It was so refreshing to work with someone and take the load off the recording end of things, and to soundboard ideas whether they were met with acceptance or a big old NO, haha. I love that part of music, the discussion around the sound, vision, recording approach, all of it, hashing it out is really something I love about playing music / recording. When me and Bpockets first met I feel we both put that on the table, neither of us were afraid to voice options and neither of us were afraid to hear the response one would give. We had some good conversations around the music and just chit chat.
REVERIE: What’s next? Anything you’re working on?
I’m working on some more stuff at home. One project I’m trying onto only use my 8 track Tascam 688 cassette recorder. And I’ve got a bunch waiting on my computer too. Hopefully just keep writing and releasing. Ideally I’d love to put out more songs like “kings and queens” as I have a lot in that fashion waiting to be heard. I will say it is hard to keep things moving forward with a band and availability, also the funding of going into a studio and tracking live with a band like we did, lucky it was funded, shout out Creatives BC! You made this work.
That’s the dream, have a steady band, release albums, write, perform, get the real band thing going. Have a band name.
