David Broza joined us for an exclusive meet and greet,
plus a solo mini performance on February 6, 2014
at Kolbo Fine Judaica Gallery.
“East Jerusalem/West Jerusalem”
Israeli superstar David Broza has been considered one of the most dynamic performers in the singer/songwriter world, spanning four decades. As famous and acclaimed as he is as a singer/songwriter, he is also well know for his dedication to several humanitarian causes, especially the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
This multi-platinum recording artist was hosted by Kolbo Fine Judaica Gallery. He talked about and played songs from his recent album. East Jerusalem/West Jerusalem is the culmination of a decade-long pursuit of his dream to collaborate with musicians from both Israel and Palestine.
His charismatic and energetic performances have graced audiences worldwide with a fusion of the three different countries in which he was raised, Israel, Spain, and England. His unique style ranges from flamenco rhythmic and percussion techniques, to dazzling finger picking, to a signature rock and roll sound. He composes his own lyrics and also features lyrics of the world’s greatest poets.
This album, produced by Grammy-winning American producer Steve Greenberg and Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Steve Earle features a range of international and local guests, including Steve Earle, Wyclef Jean (who co-wrote and sings on the title track), Israeli musicians Gadi Seri, Yossi Sassi, and Shaanan Street, Palestinian hip-hop duo G-Town, and Palestinian-Israeli singer Mira Awad.
USA TODAY premiered the track from the album and the video (What’s so Funny “Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding, viewable here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMFewr2HHBI
A highlight of the album The Lion’s Den is adapted from a heart-wrenching poem written by Judea Pearl, the father of slain Wall Street Journal writer Daniel Pearl.
The cover songs on the album all have themes of goodwill and collaboration interwoven into their lyrics. Timmy Thomas’ Why Can’t We Live Together, Cat Stevens’ Where Do The Children Play and Roger Waters’ Mother (from Pink Floyd’s The Wall) speak of breaking down barriers, while Elvis Costello’s Every Day I Write the Book and Nick Lowe’s (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding talk broadly about the need for better communication to achieve better connections.
Broza wanted to create an atmosphere for East Jerusalem/West Jerusalem that truly connected the participants to the setting in Saîd Murad’s East Jerusalem recording studio. Murad is a renowned Palestinian composer and band leader. For (an almost biblical) eight days and eight nights, the entire group stayed together. “We brought Israeli and Palestinian chefs in to cook amazing meals, and we were able to completely dive in to the music and turn the studio into a home,” says Broza.
For the first time in a career that spans almost forty years, Broza wrote songs in English, which he thinks gave the lyrics a “more loose and conversational” tone. Songs like “Wild Carnations” and “1 to 3″ connect the feelings of personal relationships to the tensions of the Middle East—the sense, he says, “that everything is falling apart, but held together by love.”
