Lennox Sharpe
Encyclopedia
Lennox "Boogsie" Sharpe is a successful and popular composer and arranger of Steelpan
music.
where he worked as a co-arranger with Ray Holman
. He is most strongly associated with the Phase II Pan Groove
Steel Orchestra, a band he has taken to several finals of the Steelband competition Panorama
, as well as winning the 1st place in 1987 and 1988.
He does not teach Steelpan privately one on one, he teaches Steelpan publicly at the panyard. Boogsie started to play Steelpan at a young age when he was just four years old. He used to play with the Invaders then he went to Starlift, the steelband which Ray Holman was taking the revolutionary step of composing music specifically for the instrument. Boogsie wanted to continue what Ray Holman had started by starting his own steelband in 1972. Boogsie was not taught how to play Steelpan, he just listened to the sounds on the street and taking part of jazz sessions on his Steelpan with other musicians. Even though Boogsie can not read or write music his musical sense is very highly developed.
Here is a very nice description of one of Boogsie’s concerts from a Boogsie-watcher:
“With arrangements of high tenors, double-tenors and guitarpans, Boogsie led, with Valentino’s Life Is a Stage, playing the different pans in a jazzy interpretation and using the pitch of each pan to highly dramatic effect. Then, he switched to Relator’s Gavaskar. The finely tuned pans answered his every call of musical expression — forte to pianissimo.
But it was when Boogsie, member/arranger of Phase II Pan Groove, switched from Terror’s Pan Talent to Kitchener’s Sweet Pan that the capacity audience roared its acclaim of the versatility.
More was yet to come. Next, Boogsie was playing the high tenor pan held upside down by an assistant. In other words, he was playing the tune on the bottom side of the pan. He then ventured into extemporaneous musical expressions that brought the crowd to its feet.
For the finale, he sobered the crowd with an exhilarating performance of his own 1984 composition, I Music — this time playing the pans from the front side of the instruments, rather than from behind the pans — the customary position. By the close of his half-hour performance, this superstar of second generation panmen was as fresh as when he had started.”He said.
Steelpan
Steelpans is a musical instrument originating from The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago...
music.
Person
Sharpe began his career with StarliftStarlift
Starlift is an American musical film released by Warner Brothers in 1951, starring Janice Rule, Dick Wesson, Ron Hagerthy and Ruth Roman. The film was directed by Roy Del Ruth and written by Karl Lamb and John D. Klorer...
where he worked as a co-arranger with Ray Holman
Ray Holman
Raymond Anthony Holman is an acclaimed musician, composer, pannist and performer from Trinidad.-Person:In 1957, Ray Holman began playing steelpan at the age of thirteen with the Invaders Steel Orchestra, led by Ellie Mannette for whom he composed his first pan piece - "Ray's Saga" recorded by...
. He is most strongly associated with the Phase II Pan Groove
Phase II Pan Groove
-Band:Based in Woodbrook, Port of Spain, Phase II is one of the leading steelbands in Trinidad and Tobago. Most closely associated with arranger and composer Len "Boogsie" Sharpe, Phase II was the first band to win a Panorama title playing an original composition. In 2005 they won the Panorama...
Steel Orchestra, a band he has taken to several finals of the Steelband competition Panorama
Panorama (music competition)
Panorama is an annual music competition of Steelbands from Trinidad and Tobago.It is usually held around Carnival time.-History:Panorama was first held during Carnival celebrations in 1963. A popular Calypso is arranged into a piece with introductions and variations over the theme.-Past...
, as well as winning the 1st place in 1987 and 1988.
He does not teach Steelpan privately one on one, he teaches Steelpan publicly at the panyard. Boogsie started to play Steelpan at a young age when he was just four years old. He used to play with the Invaders then he went to Starlift, the steelband which Ray Holman was taking the revolutionary step of composing music specifically for the instrument. Boogsie wanted to continue what Ray Holman had started by starting his own steelband in 1972. Boogsie was not taught how to play Steelpan, he just listened to the sounds on the street and taking part of jazz sessions on his Steelpan with other musicians. Even though Boogsie can not read or write music his musical sense is very highly developed.
Here is a very nice description of one of Boogsie’s concerts from a Boogsie-watcher:
“With arrangements of high tenors, double-tenors and guitarpans, Boogsie led, with Valentino’s Life Is a Stage, playing the different pans in a jazzy interpretation and using the pitch of each pan to highly dramatic effect. Then, he switched to Relator’s Gavaskar. The finely tuned pans answered his every call of musical expression — forte to pianissimo.
But it was when Boogsie, member/arranger of Phase II Pan Groove, switched from Terror’s Pan Talent to Kitchener’s Sweet Pan that the capacity audience roared its acclaim of the versatility.
More was yet to come. Next, Boogsie was playing the high tenor pan held upside down by an assistant. In other words, he was playing the tune on the bottom side of the pan. He then ventured into extemporaneous musical expressions that brought the crowd to its feet.
For the finale, he sobered the crowd with an exhilarating performance of his own 1984 composition, I Music — this time playing the pans from the front side of the instruments, rather than from behind the pans — the customary position. By the close of his half-hour performance, this superstar of second generation panmen was as fresh as when he had started.”He said.