1963 Trinidad
Pan Player, Arranger, Composer
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LENNOX ‘Boogsie’ SHARPE 1963 Trinidad Pan Player, Arranger, Composer |
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Other Items: A Sharpe Time in New York - ‘Boogsie’ in the NEW YORK TIMES - 990903
Len “Boogsie” Sharpe, the last of eight children of Mr and Mrs Randolph Sharpe, was born in 1963 at Benares Street, St James.
By the time “Boogsie” was able to creep, he used to go outside in his parents’ yard (which incidentally was the headquarters of Symphonettes) and used his hands to pound on the pan.
His mother once told me that he used to use green mangoes at the end of a stick to make his own pan sticks and "beat" the pans.
He started composing at the age of nine years; while he still attended primary school.
“Boogsie” began his pan career as a member of Starlift and co-arranged tunes with Ray Holman. Two pieces which he arranged for Starlift were Drunk and Disorderly and Never Can Say Goodbye.
Around the same time, he also did some arranging for Silver Stars. Some of his early tunes were Malick, his first composition for pan. Mr Norbert done in 1971 for Tropical Angel Harps and Hush Up done in 1973 for Birdsong.
By 1975, “Boogsie” really began to get the recognition he deserved. His tune Rock It With Pan followed in years by Rags to Riches, I Like to Beat Pan, Carnival is Bacchanal, 79 is Mine, No Panorama, Pan in a Rage, Pan Take Over, Pan Rebels, culminating in 1989 with I Music, all set the stage for events which were to follow as far as Panorama was concerned.
“Boogsie” not only concentrated on Phase II but arranged music for many other bands. For instance, in 1982 he arranged both for Jewel 22 and Deltones, and this also was only signs of what was to follow later.
In 1987, rather than [Phase II] playing a calypso by one of the calypsonians [as was] more traditional; “Boogsie” made Panorama history by being the first person to [have] composed and arranged his [own] prize winning piece This Feeling Nice.
In this year [1996], his arrangements were played by Zonal winners in Tobago Our Boys playing Pan Progress, the Old Time Steelband Skiffle Bunch who played This Feeling Nice as well as Deltones from the Southern Zone who played Sing Ram Bam.
“Boogsie” repreated his 1987 feat in 1988 with the composition Woman is Boss not only in the large band category in the finals, but also won again with Skiffle Bunch playing Woman is Boss in the Old Time Steelband category. Additionally, he captured the East Zonal title with Scherzando who played Hard Times, another of his compositions. This band tied with Potential Symphony who also played a Len “Boogsie” Sharpe arrangement of This Parti Is It.
There is no looking back for this illustrious pannist and composer. He is still composing songs for the pans. It is true to say that Len “Boogsie” Sharpe is a pannist of yesterday, today and tomorrow.
© 1997 Gideon Maxime: Pg 218; PAN THROUGH THE YEARS (1952 - 1996)
| © 1997: tobagojo@gmail.com - 19971210 - 1m20071228 - 2m20140615 Historic Update: 19 April 1998; Last Update: 19 July 2014 03:30:00 TT Processed by: Jeremy G de Barry |
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