"Boogsie"




2002

June 2004


February 2005

LENNOX   SHARPE

DATE OF BIRTH: 1953
PLACE OF BIRTH: St. James, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad
EDUCATION: ...
STEELBANDS:
  • Starlift
  • Phase II Pan Groove
  • SPECIALTIES:
  • Player
  • Arranger
  • Composer
  • CAREER:                                Sharpe was born in St. James and grew up in a home where the premises were used as the practice arena for the Symphonettes Steelband. Thus, he was exposed to pan music at a very young age. He began his steelband career with Starlift where he later became an arranger and began composing music. In 1974, he left Starlift with tuner Michael Phillips and other panmen to form a new band, Phase II Pan Groove. In 1987, he composed and arranged "This Feeling Nice" for Phase II Pan Groove and made history when he became the first arranger to play his own composition and win the Panorama competition. He repeated this feat with Phase II Pan Groove in 1988 with his composition "Woman Is Boss." He won consecutive Panoramas in 2005 and 2006.
                                                       Throughout his career, Sharpe has arranged for many other steelbands in the Panorama competition, including Silver Stars, Tropical Angel Harps, Birdsong, Jewel 22, Deltones, Our Boys (Tobago), Skiffle Bunch, Scherzando, and Potential Symphony. In many instances, his arrangements were played by bands that competed against each other. He has also arranged for the Pan Rebels Steelband of New York, USA. In the 1990s, Sharpe moved to Miami, Florida, where he established his operating base. Sharpe spends his time arranging for steelbands year-round in four locations: (1) Trinidad, at Carnival time; (2) Disneyland, California, USA, in the spring; (3) Brooklyn, New York, USA, in the summer for the Labor Day parade; and (4) Miami, Florida, USA, in October for the Columbus Day parade. An outstanding soloist, Sharpe has performed at various nightclubs and has accompanied calypsonians, such as the Mighty Sparrow and David Rudder, and jazz musicians, such as Wynton Marsalis, Randy Weston, and Art Blakey. In addition to his winning Panorama tunes, Sharpe's other compositions include: Rock It With Pan (1975); '79 Is Mine (1979); No Panorama (1979); Hard Times (1988); I Music (1989); Prayer for Pan (2000); Walk in The Rain Forest (2000); Rags to Riches; I Like to Beat Pan; Pan In A Rage; Pan Take Over; and Pan Rebels. The following is a summary of Sharpe's success in the steelband Panorama competition with the Phase II Steelband:
    • 1978 - Carnival Is Bacchanal (Lennox Sharpe), 3rd
    • 1986 - Pan Rising (Lennox Sharpe), 2nd
    • 1987 - This Feeling Nice (Lennox Sharpe), 1st
    • 1988 - Woman Is Boss (Lennox Sharpe), 1st
    • 1989 - Fire Down Below (Lennox Sharpe), 2nd (Tied)
    • 1990 - Break Down (Lennox Sharpe), 3rd
    • 1992 - Jam Meh Up (Lennox Sharpe), 2nd
    • 1993 - Birthday Party (Lennox Sharpe), 2nd
    • 1997 - Misbehave (Alvin Daniel), 2nd
    • 2000 - My Time (Lennox Sharpe), 3rd
    • 2002 - Do What Yuh Want (Lennox Sharpe), 2nd
    • 2003 - Music in We Blood (Lennox Sharpe), 3rd
    • 2004 - We Like to Play (Lennox Sharpe & Anthony Alexis), 2nd (Tied)
    • 2005 - Trini Gone Wild (Anthony Alexis), 1st
    • 2006 - This One's for You, Bradley (Lennox Sharpe & Anthony Alexis), 1st
    • 2007 - Sharing Licks (Lennox Sharpe/Crazy), 2nd
    • 2008 - Musical Vengeance (Gregory Ballantyne), 1st
    • 2009 - Magic Drum (Lennox Sharpe), 2nd
    • 2010 - Pan Army (Lennox Sharpe), 2nd
    • 2012 - Archbishop of Pan (sung by Lydian Singers), 2nd
    • 2013 - More Love (Lennox Sharpe, sung by Black Stalin), 1st
    • 2014 - Jump High (sung by Destra Garcia), 1st
    • 2015 - Happiness (Lennox Sharpe), 2nd
    • 2016 - Madd Music (sung by Keith Lucas, composed by Len “Boogsie” Sharpe and Nigel Rojas), 3rd (Tied)
    AWARD:
    • 1987 - Trinidad & Tobago Chaconia Medal Silver (for Culture)
    • 2020 - Honorary Doctor of Letters (D Litt), University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad
    Compiled by Ronald C. Emrit