Midwest Mahjar: The Recorded Sounds of the Arabic-Speaking Diaspora in the United States at 78 RPM

  Petrophon Records: A Rare Arab American Record Label Releases Patriotic Songs at World War II's Beginning Petrophon Record featuring Najeeba Morad on vocals and Petro Trabulsi leading the orchestra in his own composition. Courtesy of Richard M. Breaux collection. https://youtu.be/MDhAPoCpLNg   Until a few years ago, we had never heard of Petrophon Records, nor had we seen their label. A Grand Rapids, Michigan record collector listed two or three 78 rpm records featuring Najeeba Morad on the popular auction site eBay in 2021. These records were not pressed on the well-known Morad Records later operated by Najeeba and her family, these were both on Petrophon Records.  Najeeba Morad Karam, 1944. Courtesy of  Ad-Deleel. LOC. Close examination of these two discs reveals that Petro Trabulsy or Peter Trabulsi and his Arabian Orchestra backed Najeeba Morad on these sides. Petro Trabulsy was the “Petro” from which Petrophon derived. The label also notes that Petro compose...

  The HW Syrian Record Label: Hanna Wackeen, Dave Bonnesar, and the Connections Between Arabic Music in La Crosse and Los Angeles "Hanna John George Wackeen (oud), Dave M. Bonnesar (riqq), Andrew Mekanna (derbke), pose with Tillie Hakim and Mary Simon." Los Angeles Times Photographic Archive, Library Special Collections,  Charles E. Young Research Library, UCLA. On April 24, 2022, we purchased a 78-rpm record on a label we had never seen before. A metallic-gold label, with black font printed in both Arabic and English puzzled us as to whether this “HW Syrian Record” was a disc released with an intended Mahjari or Mashriqi audience in mind. We were equally bewildered by the idea that we purchased this disc from a mobile DJ and record collector who lives in the most northern reaches of the State of Wisconsin – all the way up in Door County. After making the purchase, we inquired as to how such as rare gem had found its way to Door County? Dave replied, “I used to live in Los ...

Andrew E. Mekanna (Musician) Andrew Mekanna, 1935. Los Angeles Times Photographic Archive, Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, UCLA. Permission granted. Tracking down Andrew Mekanna in written sources feels nearly impossible at times. The practice of anglicizing an immigrant's name at either the time of arrival or sometime down the line on the path toward naturalization complicates the process of writing biographies. Yet when record collectors are lucky enough to locate an A.J. Macksoud 78 RPM disc it is likely to be one recorded by  Assad Dakroub , Wadeeh Bagdady ,   Louis Wardiny or Andrew Mekanna. So, who was Andrew Mekanna and why are documents related to his life in the United States so difficult to find? The anglicizing of his name and the various spellings that consequently resulted can lead a researcher down several rabbit holes. Androus Elias Moukanna aka Andrew E. Mekanna or Andrew Mckenna (Mckanna) was born 17 April ...