David Broza Adds Mira Awad to Town Hall Performance

David Broza is regularly referred to as "the Israeli Springsteen," but the moniker belies the wide range of styles he combines in his music and the diversity of collaborators with whom he works. The singer-songwriter's new concert, David Broza & Friends, brings his varied musical explorations together in a single, signature performance. Starting the evening alone on stage, Broza will introduce a band member or group of band members with each song, creating a show that culminates, Boléro-style, in an ecstatic big-band crescendo.

David Broza & Friends features guests including Ali Paris, master of the qanun, the 76-string Arabic zither popular throughout the Middle East that dates back to the 14th century and is played by only a handful of people across the globe; and revered saxophonist Jay Beckenstein. Other performers include guitarist and composer Alon Albagli, drummer Yuval Lion, jazz pianist Eden Ladin, bassist Uri Kleinman, jazz vocalist Tammy Scheffer, drummer Yonadav Havely, pianist Shaul Eshet, and bassistJonathan Levy plus many other surprise artists.

David Broza and Shawn Colvin will release their live collaboration, "Shotgun Down the Avalanche" this Friday, December 30. They'll perform the song together once again at David Broza & Friends at Town Hall on January 7. David Broza: "This song came from one of the most challenging and exhilarating concerts I had ever produced: the 2007 Masada Sunrise Concert with special guests Shawn Colvin and Jackson Browne, for PBS. The Masada show is an annual event I do every summer. The concert starts at 3 AM and goes until sunrise, which is about three and a half hours later. It was my first time meeting and singing with Shawn and Jackson - two of my forever favorite artists whom I have been listening to for many years. I chose to sing "Shotgun Down the Avalanche" because of the beauty of the melody and the guitar harmony along with the painful and near tragic story. We sang it as a duet which makes the story a little more compassionate although it is a very sad and painful story of one person, that is, when Shawn songs it alone. It's been eleven years since we sang it together and I'm very excited to perform it with Shawn once again."

David Broza also recently released "The Long Road," a track recorded eighteen years ago featuring revered Irish singer Maura O'Connell and produced by Ben Wisch. The song was intended for a covers release. However, shortly after recording the song, David was involved in a near-fatal car accident and the song was shelved for nearly two decades. The magical song is now ready to be heard.

Singer, songwriter and actress Mira Awad has just been added to the lineup for David Broza & Friends. Born to a Palestinian father and a Bulgarian mother, Mira has received praise around the globe. Stephen Holden of The New York Times reviewing a 2013 performance: "This music, with its entrancing sensuality accentuated by the singer's guttural crooning, was intensely seductive, and I felt drawn into its mysterious spell." She has collaborated with many acts including Noa, Idan Raichel, Andrea Boccelli and Bobby McFerrin among others. As a composer, she is known for fusing together sounds from the East and the West, weaving the Arabic language with Western harmonies. She is a relentless peace activist who believes in anti-violent activity to build bridges towards resolutions.

Raised in Israel, Spain and England, Broza has been giving his charismatic and energetic performances worldwide since 1977, when his hit song "Yihye Tov" first hit the airwaves, promoting a message of peace. Broza is also known for his commitment and dedication to several humanitarian projects, especially a resolution to Israeli-Palestinian conflict through dialogue, culture, music and tolerance. Now, with a string of multi-platinum albums-in Hebrew, English and Spanish-he continues to hone his message. Broza was awarded a Spanish medal of honor by the King of Spain, Juan Carlos I, for his longtime contribution to Israel-Spain relations and his promotion of tolerance. A passionate peace advocate, he has also been named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

Broza garnered widespread acclaim for his 2013 album East Jerusalem West Jerusalem, produced by GRAMMY Award-winner Steve Earle and Steve Greenberg, and recorded in its entirety in the Palestinian Sabreen Studio in East Jerusalem. The work, featuring a band of both Israeli and Palestinian musicians, resulted in a beautiful, intimate documentary of the same name. Vanity Fair called the documentary "extraordinary" and added "if no one else is going to try and heal the world, he will." East Jerusalem West Jerusalem is currently streaming on Netflix. Throughout 2015, Broza worked on another studio recording with the Andalusian Orchestra of Ashkelon and musical director/conductor Tom Cohen. The album, Andalusian Love Song, includes re-imaginations of some of Broza's greatest hits, as well as some of the greatest works of renowned Arab composers including Abed Al Wahab, among others.

Purchase tickets to David Broza & Friends at Town Hall on January 7 here.

For more information on David Broza, please visit his official site.