Len Boogsie Sharpe - Boogsie's Golden Memories of Xmas

eCaroh Price: $15.95

Track Listing

Latin Parang
Little Drummer Boy
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
Silent Night
Away in a Manger
The First Noel
Jingle Bells
The Christmas Song
The Spirit of Christmas
Little Town of Bethlehem
I’ll Be Home For Christmas
Gloria in Excelcius

Review

Boogsie, Steelpan and Christmas

It is fitting that we close the year with a Christmas CD from Len Boogsie Sharpe who led Phase II to win the 2005 Steelband Panorama. It is common - place to hear plaudits year round of his extraordinary artistry as a composer and arranger. This Christmas many will experience his range of talent through Boogsie's "The Golden Memories of Xmas". Whether you're on the North Pole or in Port-of-Spain, you'll feel you're home from the first track.

"Latin Parang", which could be called more appropriately "We Parang", brings several contemporary music sounds into harmony. This soca parang has a chutney shading from the harmonium-like introduction and its influence almost takes you out of the Christmas season. But not for long.

Voices lead, and sometimes accompany, the pan on the traditional seasonal songs. In many, tradition comes only in the title. For example, there is a jazz rhythm to "Little Drummer Boy" with a cappella-like voices by the Lydian Singers. Similarly, the pan and choir blend sweetly in the Latin sounding "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear". Then, Phelham Goddard, who is a co-arranger with Boogsie, introduces "Jingle Bells" with electronic chimes. The four tracks make the case for adding Boogsie's "The Golden Memories of Xmas" to your collection. Buy it and get eight more tracks as a bonus.

[eCaroh/Ron – October 2005]

See also:

Len Boogsie Sharpe - Bridge Over Troubled Water

Len Boogsie Sharpe - Fresh Air

Phase II Pan Groove Another Phase

Phase II - The Sweet Groove

Phase II Pan Groove World Music

Yohan Popwell - Christmas Carols on Steel Pans