HADCO's evening of pan with Phase II

John Hadad, one of the co-directors of the HADCO group expressed his love for the players of HADCO Phase II Pan Groove during an evening of pan held at the band’s panyard on February 12.

“You guys are really amazing. Your dedication and commitment have been outstanding this year and we really appreciate it. We of HADCO really appreciate you all.”

Then to the leader Len “Boogsie” Sharpe Hadad said: “We really appreciate you, we love you, thank you, thank you for allowing us to be a part of this and we will continue working towards making plenty more love.”

He then asked: “Do we love this man?” A loud “Yeah!” was the response. Hadad also asked: “Do we like the music that he is playing?” an even louder “Yeah!!!” came from the crowd.

Hadad got a little emotional when he told guests: “Always remember, a second chance is very important in this world for all of us. That man (Boogsie) deserves more than a second chance. Len we love you. Phase II Pan Groove and the players, we love you. Excellent work.”

He also praised the HADCO staff for the work to make the event a success and commended guest performer Etienne Charles for flying TT's flag all over the world. “Continue to do what you do!” The crowd cheered.

Hadad was also happy to have Barbadian saxophonist Romaro Greaves, as a guest performer.

He said: “Tonight is about music, tonight is about celebration. The whole week has been about panyard night, not sponsors' night. What we do this week is celebrate the panyard and the music that we give to the community of TT. This is what we do, supporting the music and getting it out there to support the culture. This is about Trinidad and is about what we do. This is about us as a people. Love you. Thank you very much.”

At the event, HADCO Phase II, led by Boogsie and under the baton of Akua Leith, who is also musical director of The National Steel Symphony Orchestra, opened the live entertainment with Lovely Day (Bill Withers) and Mr Magic (Grover Washington Jr), featuring Greaves.

The huge crowd loved the combination of steel and brass, as they swayed to the cool jazzy numbers.

The band and Greaves next gave guests Caribbean Connection (Merchant). The swaying continued.

Greaves then gave way to world-acclaimed trumpeter Charles who together with the band entertained the crowd with Sans Humanité, a song by the Melbourne Ska Orchestra and Dingolay (Winston “Shadow” Bailey).

But the temperature raised when Greaves returned to the stage and together with Charles and Phase II they rocked with their version of Kees Dieffenthaller’s Savannah Grass.

The band and Charles closed their stint with a medley of old-time calypsoes like Ethel, Soca Baptist, Lizard, Jane, My Pussin, Melda, Doh Do Dat and Drunk and Disorderly.

For the soca performances, Olatunji “Ola” Yearwood was first, and after singing a couple of his hits, sang Phase II’s Panorama song 2020 Vision, a Boogsie composition.

That was the signal for the full band to play a slower version of the Panorama arrangement. The crowd loved it.

Soca artistes Erphaan Alves and Lyrical (Devon Martin) continued the entertainment with their popular songs including Soca Global and Rukshun.

MC Jerome “Rome” Precilla kept guests fully entertained for a bit then, when he introduced Vincentian soca artiste Skinny Fabulous (Gamal Doyle), the crowd jumped to Up and Up, but roared when soca superstar Machel Montano appeared on stage to sing Stink Behaviour.

Montano continued with a sort of concert performance. All who came for the event left totally entertained.