Phase II Pan Groove Steel Orchestra in Panorama Finals with Madd Genius, Madd Skills, Madd Players and Madd Music


WST Steelband Panorama 2016 logo

by When Steel  Talks

This music is mad music
This music is mad people music
Time to get on bad music
This music is bacchanal music
So jump up like
We mad
And party like
We mad Enjoy we life
Cause it’s bacchanal day and night -

Madd Music -- by Len “Boogsie” Sharpe lyrics by Nigel Rojas

“Keep the tape rolling. He reminds me of “Bird” (Charlie Parker) - you never know when he might do something magical.” These were the words spoken to me (this writer) by the late great legendary jazz drummer Max Roach. At that time I was the engineer on a special project that Max was producing featuring Len “Boogsie” Sharpe. Max was so impressed with Boogsie’s pan playing - he talked about bringing in the likes of Herbie Hancock and a host of other legends to surround Boogsie.

That was simply one genius recognizing the genius in another.

So what happens when you take a tune like “Madd Music” after it has been processed through the mind of Len “Boogsie” Sharpe, and placed in the musical sandbox of a world-class steel orchestra like Phase II Pan Groove for execution?

It is said with age comes wisdom - a greater understanding about the world, life and what one is about - mixed in with a heavy dose of fewer inhibitions.  The result is an amalgamation of life lessons and experiences for a singular purpose that define you. Interlock that wisdom and experience with the musical genius of Len “Boogsie” Sharpe through the sheer competence of Phase II Pan Groove, and you have the facility for magical moments in music.

Never one to shy away from doing it his way, there is not anything on a pan that can’t be done by Len “Boogsie” Sharpe. Such is the performance acumen of the man known simply as “Boogsie.”

Madd Music 2016; it’s a Ferrari moving down the road at 50 miles, opting for that speed just because we can. Only doing what is necessary to make the statement and get the job done.

Madd Music is a portrait of Trinidad and Tobago Carnival Folk music and riffs wrapped in a “Boogsie” Funkadelic soul-laden tapestry that would make George Clinton blush... Real music storytelling - on the level of Clive Bradley, Jit Samaroo and Ray Holman.

Coming out of the semi finals Phase II finds itself in the lead with a score of (274). More importantly “Boogsie” had almost a minute and a half of unused time for him to add more magic/maddness going into the finals.

Phase II in their yard -- 2016
Phase II performing at Prelim Panorama Showing for Judges - 2016

Phase II ain’t nothing but a bunch of madd men and madd women led by the maddest arranger the world has ever known, performing the music of Trinidad and Tobago . Be afraid, be very afraid.

Performance

Phase II Pan Groove 2016 Panyard Performance

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