MUSIC

Linda Lowe and Writers in the Round (WITR), hosted by Main Street Theater, proudly present David Broza in Concert for the Texas release of "Night Dawn" the Unpublished Poetry of Townes Van Zandt. The performance, with special guest G.E. Smith of Hall and Oates/Saturday Night Live, is a tribute and benefit for Lowe’s Writers in the Round Concert Series 20th Anniversary and will be held Saturday, April 24, 2010 at 8:00pm at MST – Chelsea Market, 4617 Montrose Blvd.

This concert culminates a special connection amongst David Broza (pictured), Townes Van Zandt, Linda Lowe, and David Amram which began when Broza’s agent first contacted Linda Lowe to ask her to consider him as an artist for WITR. She went to hear Broza at Rockefeller’s and later hosted his Texas release of “Time of Trains”. Lowe has presented Broza in concert 4 times over the years, including the concert at Main Street Theater in 1994 where she introduced Broza and Van Zandt. It was the first time the two played together.

“That combination was pure magic and the sparks that flew between David and Townes were out there in the stratosphere. When David's turn came around it was hard to keep your seat,” recalls Lowe.

Karl Caillouet, the sound engineer that night, very much agrees. “David Broza puts on a song like a suit of clothes.”

Lowe's WITR took the show to the Kerrville Folk Festival, and the foursome reunited one last time. Townes Van Zandt helped Linda Lowe launch her Writers in the Round Series at Main Street Theater in 1990 and continued to perform for the series once a year. 

On New Year’s Day, 1997, Van Zandt tragically passed away. But a few weeks before his passing in several phone conversations with Lowe, they spoke of the WITR at Main Street Theater concert and how much it meant to them. Lowe recounts that Townes said that it was one of his favorite concerts, and he especially enjoyed getting together with David Broza. During one of those conversations, Van Zandt recited some of his unpublished poetry and lyrics, and they talked briefly about a possible collaboration with Broza. Knowing how much that sentiment would mean to Broza and Amram, Lowe called both of them and read the lyrics over the phone.

After Van Zandt’s death, his widow, Jeanene Van Zandt, requested Broza to not take the poems, but let her present them to Townes’ fans like Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and others. Eight years later, after never surfacing, Broza asked for them and started a four year process writing music for 10 of the unseen works. More than a decade after initially being given to Broza, Van Zandt’s unpublished poems and lyrics are now being heard for the first time. 

For more information, contact Writers in the Round: 713-660-7500, www.witr.org  or e-mail lindalowe@witr.org.  

About David Broza
David Broza was raised and educated in Israel, Spain and England. As a multi-platinum artist over the past three decades, he has positioned himself as an international artist, releasing records in Hebrew, Spanish and English. While he is known primarily in Israel, Spain and America as a balladeer, he’s also an accomplished classical guitarist. 

Over the years, Broza has been a soldier, a peace activist, one of the founders of the Israeli peace group Peace Now, a teacher, an artist-in-residence at Bennington College in Vermont, an ambassador of goodwill for UNICEF and has literally circled the globe numerous times performing his music. Making his recorded debut in 1978, Broza has released a total of 25 recordings including 15 solo, studio albums, four live albums, three anthologies and three as a member of a band. He also released the acclaimed David Broza at Masada DVD in 2007, which featured Jackson Browne and Shawn Colvin that received support from PBS.

About Writers in the Round
Writers in the Round Concert Series a non-profit community sponsored Performing Arts organization began in 1990 at Main Street Theater’s Times Blvd. location. The goal was to gather songwriters together in a nurturing theater environment where the focus is on the songs and the people who write them. The “in the round” format helped to create a warm, informal atmosphere conducive to spontaneity. It has also revived the true tradition of music-making, allowing audiences to become part of the music.

Over the years WITR has presented local songwriters alongside well-known artists from around the world in this living room atmosphere. The collaborative nature of performing in this style draws out stories and the beginnings of new creations. Often the combinations become infectious, and the show continues in tours across the country. In 2000 WITR kicked off Summer Music Camp and the Performing Artists in Residence program teaching Music Lessons to Kids and Adults of all ages. This year the Performing Artist in Residence roster includes: Joe Romano, Susan Elliott, Erin Wright, Henry Darragh, Mary Ann Willis, Ruth Zeger, Dave Zeger, Bill Royall, Gary Gillispie, Gary Burgess, Basirah Dean, Julia Olivarez and Linda Lowe.

The WITR Kids in Concert will be performing Townes Van Zandt songs at the West University Classical Music Concert Series on Friday, April 23 from 6-7 opening up for Zeger Strings at Colonial Park Gazebo on Academy & Byron in West University Place.