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THE sounds of Salsa are being given a touch of Bahraini magic at one of the kingdom's leading nightspots by a pensioner with a passion for percussion, writes Shilpa Chandran.
Mirza Al Sherif, 75, is a member of the celebrated Latin Jazz and Samba outfit keeping the music-loving regulars at the Gulf Hotel's Typhoon bar crying out for more.
Known as 'Mr Mirza' he was responsible for bringing the spirit of Salsa to the kingdom in the early 1960s after giving up a medical training course to pursue his love of music.
He said: "Latin music is pure and clean. The songs are celestial and romantic. It is a medium between classic and modern music with many different variations."
Mr Mirza, from Adliya, boasts half a century of experience in the music business and inspires the young players in the band which is led by singer and guitarist Farooq Sulaiman.
Mr Mirza left Bahrain in the late 1950s to start a doctor's degree course in London but got sidetracked by the swinging 60s.
"I used to hang out at a student's club where I first heard the bongos played by a man. I listened to him for a month and in six months I started playing for different bands.
"My major inspiration was Tito Puente, the king of Latin whom I have also had the chance to play with. I bought all his records and learned to play by listening intensively."
He left his course midway to form the Mirza Men with fellow music-mad friends and even released an album called the Latin Beat-les in 1969.
"I used to shuttle to and from Bahrain and used to bring cassettes for my family and make them listen to different styles of music," he said. "Also, the music of the American forces based here had a major influence on the locals. We were a cosmopolitan community and absorbed all kinds of trends."
He defines his most memorable day playing alongside American brass player, Jose Feliciano, when the star visited the island. Mr Mirza also guides young drummers who are keen to play professionally. He said: "I have a huge collection of old records and cassettes that begin at the roots of Salsa. If you want to learn any kind of instrument you need to watch, listen and practice."
