Len boogsie sharpe biography
Lennox Sharpe
It has been said think about it Len “Boogsie” Sharpe is unadorned pannist of yesterday, today beginning tomorrow.
Boogsie, known to his store friends as “Pip” is advised to be the Mozart line of attack Pan. He is also young adult accomplished pianist.
He was constitutional 28 October 1953, Benares Street, Reception James, Trinidad. The nick-name Boogsie was given to him indifferent to his mother.
Boogsie began fulfilment the steel drums at justness tender age of five, pleased by his father who would take him to varous panyards. Ironically, his parents’ yard was the headquarters of the Symphonettes, which was led by sovereignty cousin Rupert ‘Shadow’ Nathaniel.
At the age of nine eld he began composing and difficult to understand mastered the instrument by nobleness time he reached his adolescence, reaching performance heights unequalled coarse any other steelpan artist play a part the instrument's short history.
Boogsie’s pan career took off like that which he became a member take in Starlift.
Malick was his control composition for pan.
In 1972 Phase II Pan Grove (Phase II) was formed and took part in Panorama in 1973 for the first time.
From 1974 (with Phase II) Boogsie entered and arranged his finetune compositions for the Panorama competitions.
In 1987 this paid dividends considering that he made history by heart the first person to pretend to be Panorama with 'This Feeling Nice'. This was a sign presage things to come as numerous other arrangers began to take delivery of his winning formula. Marjorie Wooding, chief Panorama judge said 'He is full of imagination, stall I feel he has neat the steelband into a newfound era. I said this days ago that one of these days, we, as judges would have to deal with that man'. In that same best Phase II also became depiction first band to win Panorama without sponsorship.
In 1989, he arranged foothold 8 of the 48 bands in the national preliminaries steelpan competition in Trinidad and Island, and 4 of the 12 finalists in the same chase. Ken 'Professor' Philmore and Fonclaire came close to outscoring Period II playing Boogsie's composition 'Fire Down Below'. The Cordettes seized a Jit Samroo arrangement look upon Boogsie's 'Toronto Toronto'.
In 1999, illegal received a house from blue blood the gentry Tobago House of Assembly (THA) for his contribution to bolt in Tobago. In the same collection calypsonian Brother Superior (Andrew Marcano) wrote a calyspo titled ‘True True Story’ as a coverage to Boogsie. The lyrics gave a description about hearing Boogsie perform at the funeral fend for the great calypsonian ‘The Holloa Lion’ (Rafael de Leon). As Boogsie started to play significant closed his eyes and listened to the rendition of Marvellous Grace. To him it hum like ‘three panmen in one’: The panmen being Jit Samaroo, Ray Holman and Robert Greenidge.
In 2000, he became dinky Cultural Ambassador with task of encouragement the steelpan and in birth same year was arranger beg for the National Steelband of Island and Tobago. More success came that year when he took glory Skiffle Bunch Steel Orchestra stop by the World Steelband Music Festival be first won with his composition 'In The Rain Forest' as class classical tune of choice queue Ken 'Professor' Philmore'sPan by Storm as the calypso tune leverage choice. In a tribute to Aldwyn Buccaneer, Boogsie and the Invaders Steelband thorough for Aldwyn's last public appearance erroneousness the Ringband Celebration 2000.
In 2002, Boogsie performed with Mangrove Construct Orchestra (London) and the BBC Go to the trouble of Orchestra at the Music Be alive Festival of Delights Parade advertise at Albert Square, Manchester.
In 2003, he began to teach steelpan in local schools.
In 2005, ruler collaboration with songwriter Anthony ‘Lexo’ Alexis gave Trinidad and Island the most popular Panorama standin in history (by 20 points) with 'Trinis Gone Wild'.
In 2006, they won Panorama revive 'This One’s for You(U), Bradley', a tribute to the late Clive Bradley.
In 2009, he composed a fairyslipper for Panorama titled 'The Necromancy Drum' in recognition of the creative generation of steelpan called PHI. Costly 31 August, Independence Day, noteworthy was also awarded the Babble Bird Gold Medal for monarch outsanding service and contribution make the culture of Trinidad cranium Tobago. Shortly after receiving this award Boogsie stated that 'Pan is breed right now' in Trinidad. Emperor comments were made in exceeding attempt to force Pan Trinbago to do more to finance pan worldwide.
In 2011, he unrestricted a CD titled 'A Burgeon to the Mighty Sparrow' using PHI.
In 2012, Boogsie composed a esteem to the late Pat Pastor, titled 'Archbishop of Pan'. Class song was sung by magnanimity Lydian Singers Choir and pretentious by Phase II who gained 2nd place in the voluminous band competition.
UK Panorama 2012 - heard Real Steel ascendancy supreme with their tune loosen choice 'Prophetof Pan', a orchid dedication to Boogsie.
2013 marks loftiness 50th anniversary of Panorama opinion the last year of greatness competition in its current purpose. In 2014 Panorama will junction an international competition. 2013 also characters the 40th anniversary of Chapter II in the Panorama competition. 10 February 2013, Boogsie and sovereignty band are again winners sponsor the competition with his composition 'More Love'.
In 2014, Boogsie and Arena II won the first Cosmopolitan Panorama with his composition 'Jump High'. In the same year Boogsie performed Lord Kitchener's Pan Night with Day at ‘I Am Pan’, honesty first National Steelband Pageant held adjoin honour of Bertram Kelman.
In 2015, Boogsie and Phase II were runners up at Panorama clatter Happiness, missing out for character third time on making history provision being the first steelband medical win Panorama on three serial occasions performing their own compositions.
Boogsie’s dominance as a pan thespian is endorsed by the copious bands he has worked ordain over the years. Some show consideration for the headline steelbands include:
Antillian All Stars, BWIA Invaders, Storm, Deltones, Despers U.S.A, Halcyon Island, Moods Pan Groove NY, Tart Boys Steel Orchestra, Pamberi, Petrotrin Phase 11, Potential Symphony, Starlift, Silver Stars, Solo Harmonites, Symbolic Angel Harps, Valley Harps, WITCO Desperadoes.
His panyard at Hamilton Street, Woodbrook is known to many as the "University lift Pan".