Jozo Penava (26 May 1909 â 17 January 1987) was a Bosnian-Herzegovinian music producer, composer, arranger, musician and vocalist. Penava immensely contributed to the development of folk songs and the traditional Bosniak folk music sevdalinka. He worked with many prominent sevdalinka singers of the 20th century, such as Safet IsoviÃÂ, Zehra DeoviÃÂ, Himzo Polovina, Nada Mamula, Beba SelimoviÃÂ, Nedà ¾ad SalkoviÃÂ, Silvana ArmenuliÃÂ, and Meho PuziÃÂ, among others.
Penava was born in the village of Paleà ¾ near Kiseljak, in what is today Bosnia and Herzegovina. As a young man he studied to become a baker. Penava was in love with the craft of baking, but was never attracted to getting up early and working in high temperature kitchens. His passion for music was stronger. After serving his military service in Sombor in 1939, Penava composed his first songs: "Sa prozora" (From the Window) and "U baà ¡tici, kraj bijele ruà ¾ice" (In a Small Garden, by the White Roses). He enrolled in a music school where he gained musical knowledge. Penava was one of the founders of Radio Sarajevo in April 1945 after World War II. Penava led the tambura orchestra of Radio Sarajevo for more than twenty years.