This black and white flyer of Khayam Taverna (Greek Restaurant) in Bahrain features its 3 resident musicians -- -- Akis, bouzuki player, Helen -- singer and Roberto Hernandez, keyboard player in 1988.
(Flyer designed by Michael Stankiewicz)
MICHAEL STANKIEWICZ IS INTRIGUE
WITH TAGALOG WORD
"BABAYARAN" (To Pay)
When I was offered to play music in Bahrain in 1987, I was informed that I will be playing in a Greek Restaurant and that my would be music partner is from Cyprus that will be playing the Greek national instrument --buzouki.
When I arrived at Bahrain International Airport, there are some Filipinos that are going back to Philippines for vacation or for good. I said to myself, "They are going home now and here I am, just starting."
I sat for a few minutes in the waiting area. I saw a Bahraini approached me. I thought he is the one to pick me up. He said, "Where are you going?" I answered with a question, "Do you know Omar Khayam Hotel?" He said yes and it's $15.00.
He dropped me there and I met for the first time Rolly, the Captain Waiter, Beth and Rizza dela Rosa, the service staff.
They said that one of our boss, Michael Stankiewicz went to the airport to pick me up in his Mercedes Benz car. I felt sorry for my $15.00 and the opportunity to meet Mr. Michael on my first day in Bahrain.
When he comes, he is a little furious that I didn't wait for a few more minutes.
Khayam Taverna is the name of the place where I will be playing with my partner Antonis "Toni" Sergio.
On my first night, I sit next to the Indian keyboard player, who is working there part time. He don't play there regularly that's why the management decided to hire a full-time keyboard player.
The other partners in that business is local Bahraini Mr. Abdul Rahman Fakhro and American banker Mr. John Potter.
I watch the Indian player of how he is playing with Greek music without a drummer and uses only a special rhythm box with 9/8 beat included in it. You can't find that rhythm in a regular keyboard.
I noticed that the Indian uses his left hand for bass and the right hand for additional rhythm.
I was given a beer while watching them. Toni is drinking white wine, the Indian doesn't drink and I'm having Foster beer from Australia. Drinks is free for musicians.
Once in a while, especially on Friday (the rest day in Arab countries), Mr. Stankiewicz, or Mike as he wants us to call him, take us to park, race car, volleyball games and other outdoor activities.
One day while we are going back after strolling around Bahrain, he heard Beth and Rizza talking and was intrigue by a Filipino word "babayaran", which mean "to pay".
He asked in European accent, "What is "babayaran"?
Rizza and Beth simultaneously said, "to pay".
I said, "Babayaran kita" means I'll pay you. Beth and Rizza agree.
I JOKINGLY ADDED, "BUT DON'T CHANGE THE "R" TO "G" as "Babayagan kita" means "I'll kick your 'balls'!"
A VERY LOUD LAUGHTER FROM EVERYBODY!
While we are watching the Closing Ceremony of the 2010 World Chess Olympiad in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, FM and IO Brian Jones asks my teammate Tito Cabunagan if his name is really Tito or is it a surname?
Tito said,"It's really Tito, like the Russian Emperor Tito."
I JOKINGLY ADDED, "BUT DON'T CHANGE THE "O" TO "I" as Titi means penis in Tagalog or Filipino word.
A LOUD LAUGHTER FROM 3 OF US BUT NOT AS LOUD AS IN BAHRAIN.
Roberto and Tito's tour guide for Palau team is a Russian girl named Kiki, which means pussy in Filipino word.
Joselito Marcos joked that Tito and Kiki are a good pair.
Source: Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
The Beginning of Chess in Palau
By Roberto Hernandez
January 1987-April 2015
To be published as a book in the future
Roberto Hernandez, left, Kiki and Titi.
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
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PLAYING GREEK MUSIC IN BAHRAIN
WHEN I accepted an offer to play
keyboard with a Greek (actually Cypriot) bouzuki player in January of 1987, I
only know one Greek song – Never On Sunday. I didn’t anticipate that we will be
playing 90% Greek music.
During
my first week, I sat near the stage where I am studying the style of
playing/accompanying of an Indian keyboard player (part-time) playing with
Antonis Sergio, a good-looking, gigolo -type Cypriot musician.
The
Indian keyboard player uses his left hand as ‘bass’ and the right hand for
chords and additional accompaniment. For one week, I listened to cassette tape
music that they are playing every night. At first, it sounds all the same to
me. That’s the biggest challenge in my musical career.
Antonis
has his own rhythm box that has a set-up for the most complicated beat that I
encountered, the 9/8 beat. In my more than a year partnership with Antonis, I
can’t play the 9/8 beat without stomping my left foot just to get the feel of
the beat.
My
first two weeks with Antonis is the most difficult part. But after 3 months, I
can sing Greek songs which became the reason for Antonis to get lazy. Usually
our playing schedule is I play solo instrumental music from 8:00 – 8:45 pm and
then 15 minutes break. We play together for 45 minutes starting at 9pm and 15
minutes break up to 12:45. On Thursday evening, it's up to 2:45 am especially if
there are lots of guests because Friday is rest day in Bahrain and other Arab
countries.
When
I can sing and play some Greek songs, Antonis break became 30 minutes as he
lets me play extra 15 minutes alone before he joins me for 30 minutes. It keeps
going on for a while until Antonis contract has expired and he was replaced by
Cypriot couple Akis and Helen.
This time I don’t have to sing because Helen did the singing most of the time. I remember one time when they are arguing about the way Helen is singing without much expression. Akis likes Helen to sing all out in every song which is impossible to do if she is singing about 20 songs a night.
Helen
never sings standing. She is always sitting while singing which is not a good
thing to see a performer sitting while singing. It’s okay if she’s playing a
piano but she’s not.
My
partnership with the couple lasted only a few months and they were replaced
this time by Mavroudis, a very sentimental guy who always misses his baby girl.
He treated me once to a Dairy Queen food chain and he’s crying in front of me
because he misses his wife and daughter.
A few months before the end of my 2-year contract, I’m playing by myself as Mavroudis can’t handle being away from his loved ones. My contract was extended for another 3 months before I went back for good to Philippines in April 1989.
One of my funny memories with Antonis was when Mr. Abdullah requested a song to him “Zorba, the Greek”, which he knows very well and we’re playing it every night. He said to Mr. Abdullah, “I don’t think I know the song.” It’s just a way of Antonis to make Mr. Abdullah do something so that he will remember the song.
Mr.
Abdullah then would ask a waitress to change his 20 Bahraini dinars into single
ones. He will ask her to staple 10 single Bahraini dinars to make it like a
“dinar lei”. He will then put on our neck 10 dinar lei each and presto, Antonis
remember the “Zorba, the Greek” right away!!!
It
is also in Bahrain that I met my high school classmate (1973) Remedios Bautista
Roy. At first, she is not sure that it’s me. She asked the waitress if the name
of the keyboard player is Roberto. When she said yes, she asked her again, “is
his surname Hernandez?” When it’s confirmed, I sat with her and her Lebanese
employer. They are just passing by in Bahrain for a week. We haven’t seen each
other since graduation—15 years.
During
that week, she borrowed $500.00 from me which she was able to pay fully in
pesos while we are staying in Philippines in 1989. During her final payment,
she went to our house in Hagonoy, Bulacan and gave us jackets that they are
making in the factory, as a show of gratitude.
I
was able to teach some students in Bahrain as part-time job. I taught Pakinee
Shuler, a former Miss Thailand who is married to an American banker. Also I
taught 3 Taiwanese girls in which the youngest one, 8 years old, is doing
better when she’s eating something while I’m teaching her!
When
I’m attending church service there during summer, the mass is shortened by 30
minutes because it’s too hot. It’s the same thing during winter where it’s too
cold.
Playing the keyboard by using my left hand as bass was the best thing that I’ve learned in Bahrain which I was able to apply that technique when I come to Palau in 1992.
A 3-member band (lead guitarist, drummer and keyboard player) became and sounds like a complete band because of that technique when I played with Wilson Prima and Willy dela Cruz at Image Restaurant in July 31, 1992 till 1994.
Source: Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
Pages 8-9
Volume 21
Issue 54
August 09, 2012
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