What’s in a Name? In Search of John Hidar, Derbecki Player
What’s in a Name? In Search of John Hidar, Derbecki Player A rare photo of John Hidar. Caravan newspaper. Newspapers.com Ever since we researched, composed, and posted the story of Jeanette Harouni, aka Hanan or Hanaan , in 2019, we have known the name John Hidar. According to the album credits on Hanan’s The Arabian Nightingale released in 1959, John Hidar [spelled Hyder] sat in as one of two featured drummers along with Ezra James as Hanan’s records transitioned from recording on 78 rpm to 33 1/3 LP. Other musicians in her ensemble included Philip Solomon , Jack Ghanaim , Ray Beilouny, Hakki Obadia, and the great oudist Wadih El-Safi. Hidar’s name rarely, if at all, comes up in discussions about Arab American music, yet his appearance of The Arabian Nightingale was not his only recorded performance. To be sure, in 1962, when Lila Stephan’s Lila: A Thousand and One Nights hit record stores, it too, included John “Hidar” on derbecki joined by Mohammed El-Akkad on kanun, Jack G