George Letter. Gorayeb: Brand new Partial Story of your own Sundown Film Organization and you can Arabphon Information
Back to , long before producing Midwest Mahjar, a fellow 78 RPM listing enthusiast and i also discussed the tiny we realized regarding Alamphon Info, Farid Alam’s label that’s as commonly found because of the 78 RPM debt collectors out-of Arab Western songs because the well known “red-title Columbia” ideas should be any person whoever looked by way of crates otherwise boxes of 78 RPM suggestions overall. I closed the new dialogue because of the writing to the other enthusiast, “Tell me should you ever discover one facts about Arabphon.” The guy in hopes me however and that is the conclusion the fresh discussion. We’ve got never ever discussed Arabphon Info once more.
As hitting 78 RPM Arabic list gold in the , I have received no less than a-two dozen details towards Arabphon identity. When i asked other 78 RPM collectors, really seeking Arab Western brands in hopes myself one Arabphon are maybe not a very wanted label. It’s content corners taken from most other a lot more better-known names means that Arabphon Information was indeed relegated on their “trade” or “offer cheaply” pile. In fact, brand new Sami Shawa disk that appears in this facts was given for me “no-cost” of the a supplier of which I got myself an alternative, different 78 RPM record.
Midwest Mahjar: This new Filed Songs of your own Arabic-Talking Diaspora in the usa from the 78 RPM
Since it turns out, Arabphon’s label emphasized a guy using an excellent Bedouin-influenced keffiyeh and you will thwab astride a horse (heart title), making a middle Eastern area, and you will riding regarding the recommendations an increasing sunshine. The fresh new powerful rays of the sun shine owing to the majority of new history. The text “Arabphon” are often printed just beneath the floor on what the new horse really stands or in a semi-circle along the label’s center top. Frequently the fresh new identity was released that have red-colored, white, and you may cyan ink with a yellow sunshine. Either green replaced the newest red-ink and you can reddish otherwise purple replaced cyan. Variations of title provided a brown pony with an excellent substantially brownish-skinned driver along with most other aspects a comparable but sunlight is reddish. There is and additionally a much less popular grey on blue and you can black colored on purple title with the exact same company logos.
The first bits toward Arabphon Suggestions puzzle arrived together when you look at the Albert Ansara released photo of their grandparent’s “Arabphone, Inc.” catalog. In the event spelled to the extra “e” in the bottom, around it was – a list of most of Arabphone’s collection, title regarding Arabphon’s chairman – George Letter. Gorayeb, and you may proof he also-ran a movie distribution company – Sundown Film Company- out of his practices in the Brooklyn. At that time, a search for “George Letter. Gorayeb” lead a wedding and you may dying go out, but not far else to be on. Upcoming into the , about three other incidents when japanske datingsider you look at the fast series gave united states sufficient to set some parts to one another: 1) Canary Records re-material number manufacturer, Ian Nagoski sent us a classic tattered, however, viewable Sunset Videos Corp evaluation program inside the a swap; 2) i discover the book out-of Detroit’s Al-Daleel paper produced on line by the Library off Congress, and you may 3) Push digitized Brooklyn’s The Caravan magazine authored by and also for Arab Americans of 1953 so you’re able to 1961. With your ultimately the assistance of George Letter. Gorayeb’s people, who sadly was just eight and you may around three when the dad passed away, this is what we have reach know.
George Naim Gorayeb was given birth to all of our, Higher Syria (today Lebanon) only ten miles southern away from Beirut. Damour’s economy in the nineteenth century stayed heavily based of cotton, nevertheless the collapse of one’s cotton community about 1880s, according to writer Sara Gualtieri, first due to the fact state ravaged this new silkworm population in the Deeper Syria and then because of the method of getting silk regarding eastern China, pressed of many who were completely dedicated to cotton production so you’re able to forget agriculture they. The newest industry’s conversion process forced the newest Gorayeb students to depart within the venture off almost every other financial solutions after the brand new turn of your century. Zahra and you may Wadih apparently had eleven children, the majority of who sooner kept Damour. A few of Wadih’s brothers had prior to now gone to live in the usa and compensated in the New york city, from inside the Down Manhattan’s Little Syria community centered up to Washington Roadway.