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Newsday reporter
Panorama 2023 heralds the first live carnival since 2020—and Hadco Phase II Pan Groove maestro Len “Boogsie” Sharpe is welcoming it with his tune, We Come Out to Party.
A media release said the song’s lyrics celebrate the end of pandemic lockdowns and a return to free street carnival fun.
Sharpe composed the melody and the song was developed by a dream team: arranger/producer Leston Paul, lyricist Christophe Grant and vocalist Aaron Duncan, the release said.
Sharpe often composes the tunes selected for Phase II and has seven Panorama winning tunes, with titles he composed and arranged for the group that won the festival in 1987, 1988, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2013 and 2014.
The release states that during an interview with him in the band’s garden in early January, band members were already at work on his arrangement. “They were excited when they heard the song,” he said, adding, “The players enjoy the way I make my music.”
Vocalist Aaron Duncan is a young calypso and soca artist who has dominated the Junior Calypso and Soca Monarch competitions and is poised to have a great career as an adult artist.
“I fell in love with his voice,” Sharpe said in the release. Sharpe had never worked with Duncan before Paul recommended him for the project.
Duncan was thrilled to have this opportunity. “I feel honored to be collaborating with the legend himself, Boogsie Sharpe,” he said. “When he introduced it, I thought it was a great song and just knowing it was going to be the featured song for Phase II, I immediately wanted to be a part of this project.”
Lyricist Christophe Grant is also a first-time collaborator with Sharpe, and was also brought onto the project at the producer’s recommendation. Grant has written Calypso Monarch title-winning songs for several calypsonians, including the late Singing Sandra (Voices from the Ghetto) and Denyse Plummer (Nah Leaving). Paul asked him to keep the song light, Grant said.
“He thinks we need that kind of catharsis, that sigh of relief after two years of gridlock and people wanting to hit the streets,” Grant said. “I didn’t hesitate to agree because Phase II is an institution and Boogsie is a cultural gift to this nation.”
Paul’s catalog of party and pants hits is huge and he wanted to add this song to the list. The team collaborated on the song through WhatsApp chats, Paul said.
“After Boogsie sent me the tune, he wanted the lyrics above all to have this friendly appeal to the average partygoer.” He added, “Working with the genius Boogsie himself, precision of notes and phrasing was of utmost importance.”
The preview of the Panoramas of the large conventional groups of the Northern Region is scheduled to take place on January 31.
“This carnival is going to be a boss carnival like we’ve never seen in our lives,” Sharpe said. “The lockdown was difficult for everyone. This year will be good. We have a beautiful song,” he said, humbly thanking the Father for his gift of music and adding his thanks to Paul, Grant and Duncan. He especially thanked HADCO co-CEO John Hadad for looking after the group during the two years of lockdown. “This carnival will be a bumper carnival. Can you imagine people missing Carnival for two years?”
