Fathalla Abyad:  An Overlooked, Underappreciated, but Seemingly Ever- Present Mahjari Oudist

Fathalla H. Abyad in the 1950s. Photo courtesy of Raymond Rashid.

In April 1920, Fathalla Abyad left Aleppo, Syria, to immigrate to the United States. It was only six months before French Troops wrestled control over the former Ottoman territory under the newly implemented League of Nations mandate system. Onboard the ship Rochembeau, Wadia and Fathalla Abyad, a couple who had wed approximately ten years before, and their daughter, Antoinette, arrived at Ellis Island. Word was that in addition to lower Manhattan’s Little Syria and Brooklyn’s Little Syria, Arabic-speaking people had been building a community across the river in Paterson, New Jersey. In fact, the Abyads listed Paterson as their final destination. Fathalla's cousin, Bashir, had already settled in Paterson and some sources suggest Fathahlla may have come to the United States earlier, lived in Hudson, New Jersey, then left, and returned to the United States.

Whatever the case, Fathalla Abyad was not a household name among growing audiences of Arabic music in America, nor would his name ever be. Since his arrival, he put his past skills as a weaver to use and toiled as a machine operator in a kimono and negligee factory. Whether he schooled Wadia in the art of weaving, vice versa, or that both acquired these skills independently, both Antoinette, born in 1912, and Jeanne, born in 1923, worked in the same industry when they came of age and after their parents retired. It was not as a weaver, however, but as an oudist that Fathalla became best known in Arabic-speaking communities in the northeast United States. 

Born in Aleppo on 14 February 1883 or 1884 or 15 March 1884, by 1934, Abyad was clearly a well-known out player amongst the who’s who of Arab American musicians. We don't know for sure whether or not he played oud in an ensemble or takht that backed lead artists on the Maloof Phonograph Company or A.J. Macksoud's label in the 1920s. He did, however, appear on WEAF radio with Naim Karacand and Shehadi Ashkar in the 10:25 PM slot in 1925. Another one of his earliest documented performances found him accompanying former Columbia and Victor singer, Moses Cohen, violinist Naim Karacand, and famed percussionist Mike Hamway at a charity event where nearly 500 people reportedly turned out for the annual picnic for the Syrian-American League of Passaic County. Other musicians at the event included Michael Nakash (1912 -2009) and his Orchestra. The next year, Abyad joined Moses Cohen, Naim Karacand, and Mosa Kalooky on the program. Over 500 people attended in 1935 as well. Abyad accompanied Najeeba Morad, Tony Abdelahad, Toufic Moubaid, Joe Budway, and others at honoring Naim Karacand in the spring of 1937. Months later,  when Saint Anne Parish held its fifteenth annual two-day outing on 14 and 15 August 1937, Philip Solomon drove down to join Abraham Dwek, Mosa Kalooky, and Mike Hamway.

 

Mayer Murad stands at the mic, Naim Karacand plays violin, and Fathalla Abyad on the oud in Brooklyn. Photo property of the Sephardic Heritage Museum. New York, New York. 

Moses Cohen and Fathalla Abyad play an annual event. Article from The News, 14 August 1935.  Courtesy of Newspapers.com

With the outbreak of World War II, some 15,000 Arab Americans fought for the United States military - at nearly 60, Fathalla Abyad was too old to enlist. According to his World War II draft card, the Abyads moved to Brooklyn and lived at 173 Court Street. During the same time, Alfred Alam’s Alamphon Records operated at 123 Court Street, just a few blocks down near where Court intersects with Atlantic Avenue. Alamphon Records ran some of the most overtly supportive advertisements supporting General Eisenhower and President Roosevelt, while encouraging its customers to buy war bonds. Alamphon also printed special war-time record sleeves encouraging Arab Americans to support the United States and the Allied Forces in World War II. At Alamphon, Fathalla Abyad joined Toufic Barham, Mike Hamway, and sometimes Jamili Matouk at recording sessions and made a rare appearance on an Alamphon sleeve as a member of an ensemble. 

Fathalla Abyad with Alamphon ensemble including Naim Karacand, Jamili Matouk, Toufic Barham and Mike Hamway. Courtesy of Richard M. Breaux collection.

While some scholars mark the fairly late arrival of Arab Americans into the United States House [1959, George Kasam and United States Senate [ James Abourezk, 1973] as a sign of indifference or diverted interest to electoral politics before the 1960s, Arab American communities formed Syrian American Republican and Democrat clubs at the local and state levels. Many of these political events included “Arab” [Arabic] and “American” [English-language] entertainment. While someone like Virginia Atter, Russ Carlyle, Louise Carlyle, or later Nick Anthony or Paul Anka, might provide the “American” entertainment, Fathalla Abyad clearly positioned himself among Arabic-language entertainers. In 1945 and 1946 New Jersey, Najeeba Morad, Naim Karacand, Mike Hamway, and Fathalla Abyad played at the Syrian American Republican Party rallies. In 1948, the same lineup played at a celebration for George Hajjar, the head of the Syrian-American Democratic Club in New Jersey. The quartet closed out the 1940s again at the Syrian American Republican meeting in 1949. In these instances, some Arab American musicians demonstrated no political favor. Business was business and these were paid gigs.

WWII Draft Card for Fathalla Abyad. Courtesy of Ancestry.com

The end of the 1940s and 1950s brought new political issues with which many Arab Americans were concerned including the death of President Franklin Roosevelt, who had promised to at least consult Arabs about the nation’s stance on the British mandate territories, and Harry Truman’s decision to almost immediately recognize the newly-formed Jewish state of Israel. Statehood and the resulting forced and violent displacement of Palestinians or the nakba created a refugee crisis that brought new waves of Arabic-speaking immigrants to the United States and other parts of the world. Back in the states this led to the formation of the New York Volunteer Committee for Palestinian Refugees. By 1951, this non-profit organization out together a host of fundraising, aide, and charity events including a night at the Brooklyn Academy of Music starring Jamili Matouk, Kahraman & Naif Agby, Hanan, Naim Karacand, Mike Hamway, Mohammed al-Akkad, and Fathalla Abyad. Several UN delegates from Syria and Lebanon also attended the event. In addition to a concert, organizers showed the film “The Refugees Today” narrated by Dorothy Thompson. The nakba, of course, brought Amer & Sana Kadaj to the United States as unintentional permanent residents turned citizens.

The diversity and breadth of musicians and singers Fathalla Abyad performed with in the 1950s expanded exponentially during the golden age of recording, radio, and the hafla/mahrajan circuit. The Syrian and American Lebanese American Federation of Eastern States held its 17th annual convention in Manhattan 1 thru 4 October 1953. The convention featured sightseeing tours, panel discussions, parlor parties, a grand ball, banquet, and music and dancing. Amer & Sana Kadaj, Naim Karacand, Joe Budway, Mike Hamway, and Fathalla Abyad, plus Eddie Kochak & his Orchestra  supplied the convention’s music. Saint Nicholas Young Men’s Club hosted it annual event at the Hotel Saint George on 15 November 1953 and Fadwa Abeid, Elia Baida, Antoun Abdelahad, Naim Karacand, Philip Solomon, Joe Budway, Mosa Kalooky, Eddie Kochak, and Fathalla Abyad, all  performed that evening. Celebrating its twenty-first year, the Arabian Nights Radio Program broadcast its Gala Radio Show on 20 July 1954 featuring Mohammed el-Bakkar, Russel Bunai, Naim Karacand, Fred Rahal, Joe Budway, Mike Hamway, Most Kalooky, and Fathalla Abyad. A particularly special moment came at the Saint Maron’s 30th Annual Banquet on 13 February 1955 when Abyad was a part of a trio starring Tony Ghost on vocals and famed violinist Sami al Shawwa. At the same event, Abyad assisted Hanan, Emil Kasses, Sami al Shawwa, and Mike Hamway. Then, later that spring, Abyad backed Asthma Sabbagh at an Hamelet El Teeb  celebration given by the Hamelet El Teeb Ladies Society of Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Brooklyn. Metropolitan Antony Bashir and Archbishop Samuel David of Toledo presided over mass which included singing by Archbishop David.

 

Photo of Mohamed El-Bakkar and his Ensemble. Sitting on the front row are Naim Karacand, Sami al Shaawa, Mohammed El-Bakkar, and Fathalla Abyad. Also in the photo are Mike and George Hamway, Fred Elias, Mosa Kalooky Photo courtesy of Raymond Rashid.

Mohammed El Bakkar & His Oriental Ensemble "Al La Zain," https://youtu.be/5M8yuwKYxxI

Reports of Fathalla Abyad at hafla and maharajas disappeared from the press reports by 1956/1957. At least one of his daughters, Jeanne or Jeanette, wed Oliver J. Philipak. Sadly, Wadiha Abyad, died Tuesday, 22 March 1960. The family held services for her at Our Lady of Lebanon Church in Brooklyn.  Nearly seven months later, Fathalla travelled to Aleppo to visit his brother George. Seventy-six years old and still mourning the death of his wife, Fathalla suffered a massive heart attack and was taken to Saint Louis Hospital in Aleppo. He died at the hospital 13 October 1960. Buried in Syria at the Syrian Catholic Cemetery at Sheikh Maksoud in Aleppo, we don’t believe he and Wadiha are buried together.

Richard M. Breaux

© Midwest Mahjar