David Simon Berwick Broza ( he, דויד ברוזה; born September 4, 1955) is an Israeli singer-songwriter. His music mixes modern pop with Spanish music.

Biography

David Broza was born in

Haifa Haifa ( he, חֵיפָה ' ; ar, حَيْفَا ') is the third-largest city in Israel—after Jerusalem and Tel Aviv—with a population of in . The city of Haifa forms part of the Haifa metropolitan area, the third-most populous metropol ...

, Israel. His father was an Israeli–British businessman of German-Dutch Jewish descent. He grew up in England and Spain, attending

Runnymede College Runnymede College is a co-educational independent school located in La Moraleja, Madrid, Spain. It was founded in 1967 by Arthur Powell CBE as the first British school in Spain. It is a private non-denominational school offering a British educa ...

, in Madrid. Broza's grandfather,

Wellesley Aron Major Wellesley Aron, MBE (1901–1988), was an English born Jewish businessman, community leader, and soldier who served in WWII as a member of the Jewish Brigade. Pre-war he served as a community leader in the East End of London. Having bee ...

, co-founded the

Arab-Israeli The Arab citizens of Israel are the largest ethnic minority in the country. They comprise a hybrid community of Israeli citizens with a heritage of Palestinian citizenship, mixed religions (Muslim, Christian or Druze), bilingual in Arabic an ...

peace settlement Neve Shalom – Wāħat as-Salām (''The Oasis of Peace''), Jewish Music Group (archived webpage) and the Habonim youth movement. Young David Broza originally planned to become a

graphic artist A graphic designer is a professional within the graphic design and graphic arts industry who assembles together images, typography, or motion graphics to create a piece of design. A graphic designer creates the graphics primarily for published, p ...

, and by age 17 he was selling his paintings in the

Rastro El Rastro de Madrid or simply el Rastro is the most popular open air flea market in Madrid (Spain). It is held every Sunday and public holiday during the year and is located along ''Plaza de Cascorro'' and ''Ribera de Curtidores'', between ''Calle ...

, Madrid's Sunday

flea market A flea market (or swap meet) is a type of street market that provides space for vendors to sell previously-owned (second-hand) goods. This type of market is often seasonal. However, in recent years there has been the development of 'formal' ...

. Following high school, and while serving in the

Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; he, צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the Israel, State of Israel. It consists of three servic ...

, he began playing guitar in cafes to earn extra money. Eventually he was offered a record deal, but as he still hoped to attend the

Rhode Island School of Design The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD , pronounced "Riz-D") is a private art and design school in Providence, Rhode Island. The school was founded as a coeducational institution in 1877 by Helen Adelia Rowe Metcalf, who sought to increase the ...

, he declined. He later recorded a tape to promote his live shows. Broza was married to Ruti Gabison, from whom he is divorced. He has three children. He lived in

Cresskill Cresskill is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States census, the borough's population was 8,573,Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...

and is a member of Kehilat Sinai, a

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...

synagogue.

Musical career

His music reflects a fusion of the three countries in which he was raised: Israel, Spain and England. Since 1977, when his hit song “Yihye Tov” (It'll be Good) first hit the airwaves, David Broza has been working to promote a message of peace. In 2013, Broza began work on a new project – bringing together Israeli and Palestinian musicians for 8 days and nights to work side by side in an East Jerusalem recording studio. The result was ''East Jerusalem West Jerusalem'', a collection of thirteen songs that blends cultures, languages and styles into a powerful statement about collaboration and coexistence. The album, produced by

Steve Earle Stephen Fain Earle (; born January 17, 1955) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, author, and actor. Earle began his career as a songwriter in Nashville and released his first EP in 1982. Initially working in the country music g ...

, features a stirring duet with

Wyclef Jean Nel Ust Wyclef Jean (; born October 17, 1969) is a Haitian rapper, musician, and actor. At the age of nine, Jean immigrated to the United States with his family. He first achieved fame as a member of the New Jersey hip hop group the Fugees, a ...

. In 2007, a concert at

Masada Masada ( he, מְצָדָה ', "fortress") is an ancient fortification in the Southern District of Israel situated on top of an isolated rock plateau, akin to a mesa. It is located on the eastern edge of the Judaean Desert, overlooking the Dea ...

featured Broza with special guests

Jackson Browne Clyde Jackson Browne (born October 9, 1948) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and political activist who has sold over 18 million albums in the United States. Emerging as a precocious teenage songwriter in mid-1960s Los Angeles, he h ...

and

Shawn Colvin Shawn Colvin (born Shawna Lee Colvin, January 10, 1956) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. While Colvin has been a solo recording artist for decades, she is best known for her 1998 Grammy Award-winning song "Sunny Came Home". Early ...

. David Broza has appeared as a guest and shared the bill with

Paul Simon Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actor whose career has spanned six decades. He is one of the most acclaimed songwriters in popular music, both as a solo artist and as half of folk roc ...

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...

Van Morrison Sir George Ivan Morrison (born 31 August 1945), known professionally as Van Morrison, is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose recording career spans seven decades. He has won two Grammy Awards. As a teenager in t ...

and many more.

Musical collaboration

In 1994, David Broza performed with Texan singer-songwriter

Townes Van Zandt John Townes Van Zandt (March 7, 1944 – January 1, 1997) was an American singer-songwriter.

during a Writers in the Round concert in Houston. They never met or had any further contact thereafter, and yet, when Van Zandt died three years later, he left Broza a shoe box full of unreleased poems and lyrics with a request that Broza set them to music. Years later, the result of that unusual story was the album "Night Dawn: The Unpublished Poetry of Townes Van Zandt", which was released by Broza in 2010. In 2007, David Broza performed at his annual Sunrise at

concert in Israel where Broza collaborated with

and

. The concert was filmed as part of a PBS special and was released in 2014 on DVD and CD by Magenta Label Group. In early 2013, Broza recorded sessions at Sabreen Studios in East Jerusalem with a band composed of both Israeli and Palestinian musicians, including

Mira Awad Mīrā Anwar ‘Awaḍ ( ar, ميرا عوض, he, מירה עווד; born June 11, 1975) is an Arab-Israeli The Arab citizens of Israel are the largest ethnic minority in the country. They comprise a hybrid community of Israeli citizens ...

, Shaa'nan Streett of

Hadag Nahash Hadag Nahash ( he, הדג נחש ', ) is an Israeli hip hop/funk band, founded in 1996 in Jerusalem. The band is known for its leftist political statements in many of its songs. Some of the band's songs have been used in protests. Name and sy ...

, West Bank rap duo G-Town and

. The resulting album, "East Jerusalem/West Jerusalem," produced by

and Steve Greenberg, was released in early 2014 on

S-Curve Records S-Curve Records was founded in 2000 by former Mercury Records executive Steve Greenberg. It is based in New York City. In 2001 the label established a distribution and licensing agreement with EMI Records. Among the hits released by S-Curve b ...

Peace activism

Broza was appointed a goodwill ambassador for

UNICEF UNICEF (), originally called the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund in full, now officially United Nations Children's Fund, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing Humanitarianism, humanitarian and Devel ...

. His song "Together" (co-written with Ramsey McLean) was the theme song for the UNICEF 50th anniversary celebration in more than 148 countries.

Discography

*''The Long Road'' (Single) (English, 2016) *''We Are All Alike (All Tears Are Alike) (Single)'' (Hebrew, 2016) *''Andalusian Love Song'' (Hebrew, 2015) *''East Jerusalem / West Jerusalem'' (English, 2014) *''Third Language'' (Hebrew, 2011) *''Night Dawn: The Unpublished Poetry Of

Townes Van Zandt John Townes Van Zandt (March 7, 1944 – January 1, 1997) was an American singer-songwriter.

'' (English, 2010) *''At Masada: The Sunrise Concert featuring Shawn Colvin & Jackson Browne'' (English, 2007) *''Broza 5'' (Live at Zappa Tel Aviv, 2007) *''Things Will Be Better: The Best of David Broza'' (JMG, 2006) *''Parking Completo'' (Spanish and Hebrew, 2006) *''Hameitav'' (Best Of in Hebrew, 2004) *''Parking Completo'' (Spanish, 2004) *''Todo O Nada'' (Spanish version of ''All or Nothing'', 2002) *''All Or Nothing'' (Hebrew, 2002) *''Painted Postcard'' (English & Hebrew, 2002) *''Spanish Heart'' (English, 2001) *''Isla Mujeres'' (''The Women's Island''), DRO East West/Warner Records Spain (Spanish, 2000) *''Matchil Linshom'' (''Starting to Breathe''), Hed Artzi/RGB Records Gold (Hebrew, 1999) *''Sodot Gdolim'' (''Big Secrets''), RGB Records (Hebrew, 1995) *''Stone Doors'', RGB Records (English, 1994) *''Second Street'', RGB Records (English, 1994) *''Elements of Love'', RGB Records (Hebrew, 1994) *''Masada Live'', RGB Records Platinum (Hebrew, 1994) *''Time of Trains'', RGB Records (English, 1993) *''Neshika Gnuva'' (''Stolen Kiss''), NMC Music (Hebrew, 1991) *''First Collection'', NMC Music (Hebrew, 1990) *''Away From Home'', RGB Records (English, 1989) *'' Poets in New York (Poetas en Nueva York)'' (contributor,

Federico García Lorca Federico del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús García Lorca (5 June 1898 – 19 August 1936), known as Federico García Lorca ( ), was a Spanish poet, playwright, and theatre director. García Lorca achieved international recognition as an emblemat ...

tribute album, 1986) *''Broza'', NMC Music (Hebrew, 1984) *''Haisha Sheiti'' (''The Woman by My Side''), NMC Music Quadruple Platinum (Hebrew, 1983) *''Klaf'' (ACE), NMC Music (Hebrew, 1981) *''David Broza'', NMC Music (Hebrew, 1979) *''Hakeves Ha Shisha Asar'' (''The Sixteenth Sheep''), NMC Music (Hebrew, 1978) *''Sikhot Salon'' (''Small Talk''), Phohokol (Hebrew, 1977)

References

External links

Official website

British Friends of Neve Shalom

David Broza
at aviv2.com
American Friends of Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam

David Broza: Making the Music the Poem Wants

David Broza's recording of 'V'ulai'
for Pioneers for a Cure {{DEFAULTSORT:Broza, David 1955 births Living people Flamenco Folk rock musicians Israeli activists Israeli folk singers Israeli guitarists 21st-century Israeli male singers Israeli people of British-Jewish descent Israeli people of Dutch-Jewish descent 20th-century Israeli male singers Jewish singers Singers from New Jersey People from Cresskill, New Jersey People from Haifa Israeli Sephardi Jews Spanish-language singers Israeli male singer-songwriters