The Mozart of Pan — A Brilliant Calypso Tribute to Boogsie Sharpe
By Ananda/Sokah2Soca
in
Blog
December 24, 2025
This post first appeared on Kaiso Dial, where Caribbean music meets wit, rhythm, and real talk. Island Vybe Radio spins the tunes—we decode the culture.
Calypsonians have the unique ability to craft stories that capture the imagination of the people. Take, for example, that quirk of learning music—the similarity between B‑sharp and C‑sharp. B‑sharp does exist in music theory, but when it comes to playing an instrument, it is effectively C‑sharp, a concept known as enharmonic equivalence. Now step into the spotlight, calypsonian Pharaoh, with his humorous twist that “B” is for Boogsie—a cheeky line that delivers classic kaiso mischief.
This clever and musically literate calypso, titled “The Mozart of Pan,” turns this music‑theory quirk (yes, we had to look it up online to grasp it properly) into a tribute to the beloved Dr. Len “Boogsie” Sharpe. Boogsie, as he is fondly known, is a pan genius and the legendary musical arranger for Phase II Pan Groove. Co‑written with Morel Peters, better known as King Luta, the song is a witty, affectionate salute to the arranger whose genius has shaped generations of Steelband music.
So how did the songwriters deliver such a compelling gem? It began with a conversation between an elder and the panman about B‑sharp and references to Mozart and other classic European music arrangers. The elder spoke about B-sharp, but Pharaoh, the mature panman, insisted that “there is no B-sharp in music” and responded with “B is for Boogsie”—because when you’re talking about brilliance, innovation, and melodic imagination, Boogsie is the note above the rest. It’s a line that lands with both humor and respect, grounding the joke in deep musical truth.
Witty lyrical content shines brightest when paired with strong musical backing. On steelpan was Boogsie himself, supported by a range of live instruments (see the production notes below). The music was produced by Future Sounds Productions and mixed and mastered by GQ Maxzimum. The track is clean, warm, and performance‑ready—a fitting sonic frame for a song honoring a man often described as the Mozart of the steelpan.
To summarize why this salute to Boogsie is so compelling, here are the key points:
- Witty music‑theory wordplay that musicians will love
- This is a heartfelt salute to Boogsie Sharpe, one of pan’s greatest arrangers—who also performs on the track.
- Strong vocal storytelling from the Pharaoh, co-written by King Luta.
- Classic calypso humor blended with cultural reverence, keeping the art of the calypso conversation alive.
- High‑quality production from Future Sounds, featuring live instruments rather than digital substitutes
Songs like this are the reason Kaiso Dial exists. This is the kind of calypso that reminds listeners how deeply music, humor, and heritage intertwine in Trinidad & Tobago—and why Boogsie’s name continues to ring out across the pan world.
Production Notes/Music Credits:
Song Title: The Mozart of Pan ?
Artist/Performed by: Darwren “Pharaoh” Greenidge
Written by: Morel Peters “King Luta”
Co-writer: Darwren Greenidge “Pharaoh”
Double Tenor Pan Solo: Dr. Len "Boogsie" Sharpe
Keyboards: Keishon Jack
Bass—Andy Garcia
Trumpet—Junior Frank
Trombone—Lincoln Henry
Saxaphone—Irwyn Roach
Background vocals—Safiya Chinnama and Morel Peters, “King Luta”
Mixing and Mastering—GQ Maxzimum
Produced by—Future Sounds Productions
Artwork—Nu. Kreativ Media House
Origin: Trinidad, Republic of Trinidad & Tobago.
Genre: Calypso ?
Empowering Caribbean Creatives
? Listen. Share. Amplify. Kaiso Dial—Where Rhythm Lives. Calypso, Steelband, and Soca thrive every day, not just at Carnival. ?✨ Elevate Caribbean music and culture—be a cultural ambassador and spread the word! ? Find us on Facebook and YouTube.
We present the music here for your listening pleasure and promotional purposes only, adhering to the "Fair Use" Musical Content Copyright Disclaimer under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976. Kaiso Dial/Calypso Music Blog © 1990 by Santiwah is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/.
♫Please press the music player button below to listen now (small triangle in the Music player/TV Frame).
Small Conventional Semis Deliver Nail‑Biter at Victoria Square: Carnival 2026 Panorama
By Ananda/Sokah2Soca
in
Blog
December 24, 2025
This post first appeared on Kaiso Dial, where Caribbean music meets wit, rhythm, and real talk. Island Vybe Radio spins the tunes—we decode the culture.
The sweet sounds of steelband music filled the air as Trinidad's Panorama competitions unfolded. The Small Conventional steelband semifinals took place yesterday at Victoria Square, Port of Spain. The entire show was streamed via Pan Trinbago’s Pay‑Per‑View platform for US $25. Pay-per-view customers complained about camera angles but more importantly, poor audio quality. The quality issue was not the case for those who attended and enjoyed the captivating performances.
Clearly, the competition was fierce, with quality musical arrangements separated by the tonal quality of the pans. Some may disagree with that statement, but every biased supporter has a "bush judge" sense of judgment when it comes to our national instrument. The score sheet reflected the closeness of the competition. Just two points separated the top four bands, underscoring the quality and competitiveness of this year’s field.
Top Performers
- Southern Stars Steel Orchestra—Let's Build A Nation Together by Merchant, arranged by Duvon Stewart
- Uptown Fascinators—Band From Space by Crazy, arranged by Ojay Richards
- Golden Hands—All Aboard by Atlantik with lead vocals by Tony Prescott, arranged by Vanessa Headley-Brewster
- T& TEC New East Side Dimensions—Water De Garden
- Fascinators Steel Orchestra—Both of Dem
- Tunapuna Tipica—Hot Hot Hot
Indeed, it was a tight race with more surprises in store for the finals, high musical standards, and a lineup that promises to deliver real excitement. Everyone will be out to clip Duvone Stewart and his Southern Stars Steel Orchestra that rose to the top at the Semis. Get ready for a finals that promises all the drama we love for steelband panorama finals performances.
Production Notes/Music Credits:
Competition: Small Bands Panorama Semi-Finals Carnival 2026
Venue: Victoria Square, Port of Spain
Date/Time: Saturday, 20th December, 2025/4:00 PM
Origin: Trinidad, Republic of Trinidad & Tobago.
Genre: Steelband music. ?
Code: SCBPS2026
Empowering Caribbean Creatives
? Listen. Share. Amplify. Kaiso Dial—Where Rhythm Lives. Calypso, Steelband, and Soca thrive every day, not just at Carnival. ?✨ Elevate Caribbean music and culture—be a cultural ambassador and spread the word! ? Find us on Facebook and YouTube.
We present the music here for your listening pleasure and promotional purposes only, adhering to the "Fair Use" Musical Content Copyright Disclaimer under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976. Kaiso Dial/Calypso Music Blog © 1990 by Santiwah is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/.
♫Please press the music player button below to listen now (small triangle in the Music player/TV Frame).
This post first appeared on Kaiso Dial, where Caribbean music meets wit, rhythm, and real talk. Island Vybe Radio spins the tunes—we decode the culture.
Lady Aisha has a belly full of laughs in store for you. She returns with a playful, story‑driven calypso titled Wrong Order, a cheeky take on mix‑ups, expectations, and surprises in the world of modern dating. The song follows her humorous tale of requesting an “ageable man” to ease her loneliness—only to receive a much younger match instead. Clearly, she puts in an order for an “ageable man”… The dating agency mixed up her order and she got more than she could handle... Licks and steamy endings!
What follows is a hilarious tale of getting more than you ordered: wink, wink! She was disappointed at the start, but that disappointment quickly turned into a twist she didn’t expect, delivered with Lady Aisha’s trademark boldness and theatrical flair. It’s a straightforward double‑entendre piece, lighthearted and built for audience reaction rather than subtlety.
Early listeners commenting on the YouTube post are already embracing the fun of it, and many are excited to hear how it lands in the calypso tent. As always, calypso finds a way to spark conversation, laughter, and surprise—and Wrong Order is shaping up to do just that.
Production Notes/Music Credits:
Song Title: Wrong Order
Artist/Performed by: Lady Aisha
Written by: Ronald Forde
Produced & Arranged by: Kendall Houlder
Engineered (Mixed & Mastered) by: Kendall Houlder
Origin: Trinidad, Republic of Trinidad & Tobago.
Genre: Calypso ?
Empowering Caribbean Creatives
? Listen. Share. Amplify. Kaiso Dial—Where Rhythm Lives. Calypso, Steelband, and Soca thrive every day, not just at Carnival. ?✨ Elevate Caribbean music and culture—be a cultural ambassador and spread the word! ? Find us on Facebook and YouTube.
We present the music here for your listening pleasure and promotional purposes only, adhering to the "Fair Use" Musical Content Copyright Disclaimer under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976. Kaiso Dial/Calypso Music Blog © 1990 by Santiwah is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/.
♫Please press the music player button below to listen now (small triangle in the music player/TV Frame).
This post first appeared on Kaiso Dial, where Caribbean music meets wit, rhythm, and real talk. Island Vybe Radio spins the tunes—we decode the culture.
Don’t you know that Trinis love their callaloo & calypso? Oh yes, they do! This presentation by DJ Aaron 868 serves up a rich, flavorful blend of classic and contemporary Calypso from one of WACK Radio’s most beloved selectors. We’re confident you’ll have these selections presented here on the Dial for your listening pleasure.
DJ Aaron 868 has a gift for stitching songs together with smooth transitions and deep cultural intuition, and the YouTube comments already show how much listeners appreciate this well‑curated Calypso mix. While everyone is out searching for Soca mixtapes, we believe Calypso mixtapes are long overdue. Many DJs don’t realize what they’re missing, but Aaron is tapped directly into the heartbeat of the culture—and we are the beneficiaries of this excellent musical selection.
This is the kind of set that reminds the diaspora why Calypso remains the heartbeat of the people—storytelling, rhythm, and heritage simmering in one pot. We love it, and we’re pleased to bring it to you today to spark that Calypso fire in your soul. So dial into the music, enjoy, and let your friends know you found it here at the Dial—your Calypso dial!
YouTube Artist's Note:
Callaloo is a mix-up pot where we combine many different ingredients to create one of the most enjoyable dishes, and similarly, kaiso brings together various topics to form a wonderful genre of music. More importantly, whoever gave you the impression that kaiso can’t mix like soca hasn’t listened to a Callaloo & Calypso Mix from DJ Aaron 868.
Mixtape/Track List:
- Kurt Allen—Your Turn Now
- Machel Montano—Soul of Calypso (Calypso Monarch 2024)
- Black Stalin—In Times (Calypso Monarch 1995)
- Gypsy—Little Black Boy (Calypso Monarch 1997)
- Singing Sandra—Voices From De Ghetto (Calypso Monarch 1999)
- Yung Bredda—We Rise
- Erphaan Alves—I Am
- Wendell Goodridge —Who To Blame
- Kenny Phillips—Ah Next Song
- Karene Asche —No Excuse
- T’zayah O’Connor—Sing Hallejuah (Calypso Monarch 2023)
- Terri Lyons—Obeah (Calypso Monarch 2020)
- Mistah Shak—Take Time
- Black Stalin—Look On The Bright Side (Calypso Monarch 1991)
- Ras Kommanda—Trinbago Is Mine
- Johnny King—Appreciation
- Mighty Shadow—Columbus Lied
- David Rudder—Dedication
- David Rudder—Rally Around The West Indies
- David Rudder—High Mas (Calypso Monarch, Road March, Soca Monarch 1986)
- Freetown—Take Me Home
- Black Stalin—Sufferers
- Lady Gypsy—Meet We On De Pavement
- Tigress—Wajang
- Mistah Shak—Rogue
- Mistah Shak—Bois!
- Anslem Douglas—When Ah Dead
- Ella Andall—Black Woman
- Andre Tanker—Sayamanda
- Brother Resistance—Cyar Take Dat
Production Notes/Music Credits:
Mixtape Title: Callaloo & Calypso
Curated & Mixed by: DJ Aaron 868
Origin: Trinidad, Republic of Trinidad & Tobago
Genre: Calypso ?
DJ AARON 868 Contact Information
Instagram: @djaaron868
Twitter: @djaaron868
Facebook: @DJAaron868
Soundcloud: www.soundcloud.com/DJAaron868
Bookings: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Empowering Caribbean Creatives
? Listen. Share. Amplify. This is your Kaiso Dial—Where Rhythm Lives. Calypso, Steelband, and Soca thrive every day, not just at Carnival. ?✨ Elevate Caribbean music and culture—be a cultural ambassador and spread the word! ? Find us on Facebook and YouTube.
We present the music here for your listening pleasure and promotional purposes only, adhering to the "Fair Use" Musical Content Copyright Disclaimer under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976. Kaiso Dial/Calypso Music Blog © 1990 by Santiwah is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/.
♫Please press the music player button below to listen now (small triangle in the Music player/TV frame).

