Boogsie the Greatest

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Hands of musical genius Len 'Boogsie' Sharpe finding all the right notes for these lucky folks from everywhere in the world.

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  • By de way if any of all yuh see Sharpe in de streets give him a big hug for me please, I give thanks to our creator for allowing us such a blessing, a 'Trini'on the throne..the Pan King. 

  • Big Respect to you guys, Ghost, Spiceman, Glenroy, Valentine, for your thoughtful comments, and opinions, which we are all entitled to. But, having said that, i wish we would stop comparing our "maestros", and big them all up, for their contribution towards gaining the Respect, worldwide, for our treasured instrument. Robbie, Andy, Tello, Boogsie, 2lef, are ALL great, BUT, in my opinion, Boogsie is a musical innovator! "Archbishop", this year, was a masterpiece, of Panorama arranging! What the judges are hearing, I don't know....I suspect there is some BIAS towards B#, .......but, you know, when I hear bands from the Austrian Alps, Finland, Switzerland, Japan, Nigeria, Cuba, Sweden.......etc, etc.., playing good pan music,MAAN, I feel so proud!

  • Emile/spiceman, thanks for clarifying. I did not see where you had previously stated that Tello was your "second 'dad' and superhero", or you previously mentioning him as being the "undisputed champ" anywhere on this WST forum, so thanks for  repeating yourself. I am sure you can appreciate how the title of your video clip can be misleading, though, and maybe it should have been "Boogsie the Greatest, at what he does..." My statement that George "Sonny" Goddard was the GREATEST LEADER of the STEELBAND MOVEMENT, was also misunderstood, however, I was open in stating "movement", although, some still took offense to it. Again, as I previously stated, Kitch was the leader of a tent; Boogsie, the leader of a band. George was the leader of a MOVEMENT! Finally, we ALL agree: Boogsie is a GENIUS. However, I chose to mention the unforgotten and unmentioned GENIUS - Othello Molineaux, as NO ONE, you included, ever mentioned your "second dad and superhero", on this WST forum. You should be thankful that I did, and I will continue to highlight our forgotten heroes and sheroes of the steelband fraternity. Thanks for your thoughful comment, Emile. Shem Em Hotep (Peace).

    GHOST

  • I will repeat myself for clarity's sake, Othello my second 'dad' and superhero of the commitment to pan's global success particularly in jazz is the undisputed champ in that field, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, 'Monk' Jaco Pastorius,Miles Davis,Roy Brooks,Othello Mollineaux,Monty Alexander,Ahmad Jamal  all brought genius to the table just to name a few, however on some other levels in other fields genius also exists enters the 'panman' conversation, Sharpe was born in a panyard and plays all the pans, when new pan products appear Boogsie gets the call to both demonstrate and qualify their authenticity[ who better? ] how many arrangers/composers can belt out their own panorama songs with the bands they drill so diligently and then take a red hot 'solo' I know how we love to honor our dead in Trinidad,I predict in time to come we will be boasting 'Nobody ever shared licks like Sharpe'..He was the hardest,fastest,strongest the baddest..etc etc..

  • I want to share with you all the irony of Spiceman's posting of this video and title. When I first came to the US, ALL I knew was Boogsie. Trinidad Tripoli members, used to get on my case, telling me that Othello Molineaux was the GREATEST steelpan player in the ENTIRE WORLD. Of course, I had no idea who Tello was, but they idolized him. The bass player, Callie, even bought an Olympic bass guitar and used to practice Jaco's bass lines, and Spiceman proudly displayed (in his basement) a large Black and White photo of him and Othello on stage. Back then Othello was Spiceman's "GREATEST", and Boogsie was mine. (Oh how things and times change. And people.) Now, Othello is my "GREATEST", and Boogsie is Spiceman's. I know what changed my mind: I got introduced to Tello's music, and I became more musically "educated", and knew what to listen for. It would be interesting to find out what made Spiceman switch to Boogsie, and I hope he can share that with us. Finally, I would love to hear ALL the "GREATEST" perform on the same tune, rhythm changes, or chord progressions, so we can compare their playing. I'm going to search if there are any common tunes between them, and if I find any, I will share on WST. Again, NOTHING but love for ALL our MAESTROS, however, that love, compels me to be honest and truthful to them all. I'm not going to brown-nose or "mamaguy" anyone I claim to admire and love, and Robbie, Andy, Tello, and Boogsie, are NO exceptions!

    GHOST.

  • Cecil, you are full of BS! That is the LAMEST excuse, for what we saw: BOOGSIE ABUSING HIS PANS! What would have made it more effective, is if he went all the way, by going "Jimi Hendrix" on them, and took a hammer, then blow torch, and finished destroying his instruments, in true "Wild Thing" fashion. That would have been impressive.

    When I first started playing pan, my "teachers" - Bellies, Hackett, and Gibby R.I.P. (all Phase II), would get on me for "beating" and not playing, and certainly, as a student of Dr. Dawn Batson, "stick control" was heavily emphasized. (I know, that doesn't kosher, does it? lol. Stick control? Hmm...) After all, "music" is supposed to be dynamic, with crescendos and decrescendos, augmentations and diminutions, etc., and approaching your instrument the way Boogsie did on this clip, eliminates those options, and relegates your playing to "noise". If that is the intent, then that is fine (by me), for the original intent of the use of steel instruments were for that (noise-making) purpose. Finally, I think that Cecil's lame excuse, discredits Boogie's abilities and skills, for, I have confidence that Boogsie can play at the same speed with more control than what we witnessed on this video clip. I GUARANTEE, you will NEVER see a clip of Othello Molineaux being this ill-disciplined, regardless of how fast he chose to play, because he understands the distinct difference between MUSIC and NOISE. It hurt me to hear those two pans cry out in pain, the way they did. And like a wife, you make love to your instrument, and not subject her to domestic abuse. As Buju Banton advised, "bedroom bully, she doh want that, yuh know...no man fe make she feel pain." Action. TENDER SATISFACTION. I say make love to your instrument, don't abuse it. Thanks to ALL my "teachers", for breaking me out of that cycle of abuse, and teaching me how to make love to my instrument. (And that statement, also sounds kind of suggestive. I know. lol.) Pan. Pan. lmao.

    GHOST.

  • In viewing a few of the comments,,i have only one question,,in playing or running the pan,,,speedily,, this is panman talk,,,,Can one control the force delivered to or on the notes,,EMF,,,,electromotive force,,my comment may be out of order ,,and i would be much pleased to be corrected,,once more one has to be a true lover,,,have an undescribable feeling towards the steelpan,, having the pan Talk to you an ambigious statement for many whom have not the Gift,,,God Given Gift,,,to know what,s it,s like when you are in the process of being deep into the music, I woud close by saying once more ,,He who feels it knows it all,,,,,some do tend to say that a Panman is a madman,,,,a musician is a madman,,one should carefully look at the antics of many a great directors of a symphony orchestra, their physical movement,,,seems to be crazy to many,,,it,s the music talking,,,,gettting into their  bones,,for musical clarification ,,i,m no scholar,,i have no Doctorate in Music,,only the Gift of God the Almighty to transform the old oil drum,,discarded oil drum into an instument that produces the chromatic scale,,no professional and do respect the God Given Instrument of T&T ,,the Steelpan,,,God Bless.

  • You could never touch and play fast you always end up hitting, If Robie played at Boogsie speed he would hit the pan just as hard.

  • In my opinion, ramajay and jazz improv, are two entirely different things, with the former being disorganized, and the latter being organized....do you care to expand on that statement Ghost?

  • Emile, with all due respect, I don't think that "God" chooses any one person. I think that we are ALL chosen fragments of this concept we call "God", and NO one more important or "chosen" than the other. Like parts of a body, we have different strengths and weaknesses, and Boogsie is no exception. We are all "chosen" for different purposes, and I will continue to do what I was "chosen" to do. By "God". I say we can only move on as a people, when we learn to move on within ourselves, and answer to that calling. Finally, I hope you can present the proof of God's choosing of this ordinary Trinidadian as the voice of "We the Pan People", because "God" didn't send me the memo. For certainly, Boogsie does not represent me, nor my visions or ideas. We agree on some things, and we disagree on some things. Again, I was responding to comments, and to the video clip. What is so wrong and unappreciative of "God's Chosen One" (Pan's Golden Child, the Jesus Christ of Pan, or however anyone else views him), in making an honest comment about him? That kind of bias, I still cannot get.

    GHOST. (David)

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