Phase II struggles to keep Panorama date

Llyn Murray, Chairperson of the Telethon for the Arts project, on Friday donated $15,000 to offset some of the medical expenses so far incurred by ace pannist Len “Boogsie” Sharpe.

Sharpe underwent emergency surgery last Tuesday at the St Clair Nursing Home, which cost $20,000. And with expenses mounting daily, Murray said, his stay is becoming increasingly costly. In the meantime, the big question on pan lovers’ minds this weekend is whether the popular Petrotrin Phase II Pan Groove will be ready when the judges visit its Woodbrook panyard this Thursday for the preliminary round of the Panorama 2004 competition. Even though the band is practising nightly, Sharpe’s 2004 composition “Come out to Play” there are fewer than the 120 players needed to qualify for the big band category in which Phase II is registered. A report indicated that some players have migrated to other big name bands, as Phase II struggles to finish the arrangement Sharpe started before he fell ill a week ago. According to reports, Sharpe had arranged approximately half of the mandatory eight minute piece.

One report which was denied, stated that Sharpe although seriously ill in the hospital had been calling out notes via telephone to a senior member of the band in the panyard and that he had started doing so two days after emergency colon surgery last Tuesday. Reports also indicate that although the banner of the band will state that “Come out to Play” has been arranged by band members, the arrangement is all really Sharpe’s. Sharpe was hospitalised at St Clair Nursing Home last week with high blood pressure and extremely high sugar levels. He underwent emergency surgery after his colon ruptured. However the following day, Sharpe had reportedly refused oxygen and was asking to go home so he could finish his song. When he began calling notes over the telephone, doctors banned visitors except for a very small group.

But yesterday, reports indicated that he was still in contact with his band members in his determination to see the band through to the competition. Sharpe’s illness is not the only problem that Phase II has this Panorama season. Its captain Michael Phillip is in New York recovering from surgery and has been there since October. Yesterday, Junior Culture Minister Eddie Hart visited Sharpe at the nursing home but the general ban on visitors still remained. Band manager Franklyn Ollivierre said Sharpe is still anxious to be discharged. Sharpe asked Ollivierre how the sesssion was going and he would be going home soon. However Ollivierre advised him to stay in the hospital.  Olliverre said that Boogsie had resigned himself to discussing with him how to restructure the remaining parts of the arrangement.