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Because I'll forget on the actual date, Israeli singer Ofra Haza died on February 23, 2000 at the age of 41. the official cause of death was "massive organ failure" but it was soon after revealed that she had died of full blown Aids and that her husband, family, record company, etc wanted it kept a secret.

"AIDS activists lamented Haza's reported decision to keep her disease a secret, suggesting it reinforced the message that the disease is shameful. Others raised the prospect that in a more tolerant environment, Haza could have followed the example of someone like American basketball star Magic Johnson, who retired after his 1991 disclosure that he is HIV-positive but has stayed in the public spotlight and become a campaigner for AIDS education. "*
It was said that "shame, stigma, and lack of information are what killed her". Granted, this is Israel we are talking about - not exactly a welcoming hot bed of Aids activism.

I discovered Ofra Haza in the late 80's on Marrs' "pump up the volume"- her own music became a fusion of ancient Yemenite devotional poetry with 1980s techno. She had a very distinct and gorgeous voice - that was once dubbed "the killer Wail".

She released only a handful of albums in the US but a boatload of them in the middle east. Her English language stuff is mostly Eastern tinged ballads and severely dated techno - I Love it! She appeared on albums by sisters of mercy, paula abdul and black dog, She was the voice of Joseph's mother in "the Prince of Egypt" and had a posthumous duet with Sarah Brightman on her 2004 "Harem" album.

Anyway, I bought a 1990 live cd of her at the Montreaux Jazz Festival last night and am really enjoying it.

Ofra Worth seeking out:
01. Love Song ( non-remix version )
02. Im Nin Alu (recently used in Madonna's lame "Issak")
03. Galbi (preferrably a remix)
04. Shaday
05. Da' ale Da' ale





*The Dead Musicians Directory