MR BONGO
Boogsie - Phase2 (2026 Reissue) Boogsie
Mr Bongo reissues, in full for the first time, a pioneering Trinidadian steelband album from 1979 - masterminded by the key and highly influential calypso / soca steelpan player, Len "Boogsie" Sharpe, Phase2 showcases Boogsie's innovative fusion of jazz, funk and Caribbean rhythms in stunning style. Dubbed 'the Mozart of Pan' by Wynton Marsalis, Boogsie began playing pan at the age of five and composed his own music by the age of nine years old. Across a long and illustrious career, he has won seven National Panorama Championships in Trinidad and Tobago with his compositions and band, a world Steelband Music Festival with his original compositions "In the Rainforest", and two Notting Hill Panorama Championships with Mangrove Steel Orchestra. Over the years he has also played with Andre Tanker, Lord Shorty, Lord Kitchener, Leston Paul, Clive Zanda, and other amazing Caribbean greats. Len became an arranger for the National Steelband of Trinidad and Tobago and is a cultural ambassador for the country promoting the instrument.
Phase2 is built up predominantly of original compositions by Boogsie, alongside a track penned by fellow Trinidadian musician Raf Robertson and an outstanding Trinidadian-disco cover version of Roy Ayers' classic 'Can't You See Me'. Phase II is the name of the band Boogsie started with six of his friends who sought to compose their own music.
Drenched in feel-good island-life energy, the eight tracks showcase Boogsie's creative approach to the pan and its ability to elevate the flavour of a host of genres not usually associated with the instrument.'Can't You See Me' is an underground disco banger that has become highly sought-after. It's no surprise why, with pan injecting Caribbean heat to Ayers' original. When rare groove DJs picked up on it and began playing it in their sets, it introduced Boogsie's talents to a wider audience.
Far from a one-track wonder, there is plenty more to dig into on the album. The cosmic jazz-funk of 'Boogie Kaiso' is pure brilliance. Starting off with a soul-nourishing piano introduction, it drops into a super deep, addictive, pan-infused disco groove which has Cloud One-esque vibes to it. The composition sounds fresh and is the perfect secret weapon for the dancefloor. Elsewhere, 'Weight' is another highlight. A sweet, catchy jazz-funk dancer with some sublime playing throughout. 'Yoga Styling' and 'Punk Party' kick off with brilliant breaks, before opening out into grooves rich in leftfield disco swagger, hypnotic musicianship and blistering pan solos by Boogsie. Then there's 'Celebration', reminiscent of a mix between a Stevie Wonder song and a calypso classic, with amazing, relaxed, but on-point funk drumming by Richard Bailey. Providing a moment to pause for breath, 'Passing Time' is meditative and deep with just Boogsie on the pan, a moment of relaxed and regenerative calm on the record.
Whether you're already familiar with the iconic sound of Len "Boogsie" Sharpe or are discovering his magic for the first time, we hope you get inspired by this masterpiece from one of the best in their craft.
Track List
A1 - Weight
A2 - Can't You See Me
A3 - Celebration
A4 - Boogie Kaiso
B1 - '79 Is Mine
B2 - Passing Time
B3 - Yoga Styling
B4 - Punk Party
Pickup available at Cambridge
Usually ready in 24 hours. Unless it's a Pre-Order
Product information
Shipping
We aim to keep postage costs as low as possible while making sure your records arrive safely. All orders are packed securely using Defenda MusicMax stiff cardboard mailers, with plenty of “FRAGILE” tape, to provide the best protection in transit.
Shipping costs are calculated automatically at checkout based on the weight and destination of your order, along with packaging materials.
We send most orders via Royal Mail tracked services. For larger or heavier orders, we may use a courier service or split your order into multiple parcels to ensure it arrives safely and efficiently.
Pre-orders
Any items ordered alongside a pre-order item will be held back and posted alongside your pre-order. If you’d like them sent individually, please make separate orders.
On the subject of pre-orders, please note than release dates can change (sometimes not until the scheduled release date). Please keep an eye on our website
Returns
Returns Procedure
If you wish to cancel or return an order, you need to notify us by email (quoting your order number), and wait for us to get back to you before returning goods.
We will email you with instructions and a returns reference number. When returning items to us, you will need to take reasonable care to ensure they are not damaged in transit and that they are labelled clearly with the correct address & reference number (as provided by us) :
Relevant Record Café,
260 Mill Road
Cambridge,
CB1 3NF.
We reserve the right to not process returns sent to us without prior permission.
It’s your responsibility to retain possession and to take reasonable care of the goods in the period prior to return and until you send them back to us.
Your Right To Cancel An Order
Your right to cancel your order starts from the moment you place the order, and ends 14 days from the time you receive your order.
Non-Faulty Products
If you wish to return a product because it’s unwanted or it was ordered in error, please follow the returns procedure (see above).
We’ll happily accept a return as long as the product is still in its original shrink-wrapped packaging and is completely undamaged. You have 14 days from when you receive your order to notify us that you wish to return your order.
By opening a sealed product in any way (or using any digital download code accompanying your order), you waive your right to cancel or return your order.
Obviously we’d rather offer you store credit (in the form of a gift card), but if you’d prefer a refund, we promise to get this sorted within 14 days of receiving your return.
Please take care when ordering!
Faulty Products
If you believe you have purchased a faulty or damaged record, please follow the returns procedure (see above).
Once we receive your record, it will be tested by a member of staff in store.
If your record is deemed as faulty, you will be entitled to a refund, swap or store credit (to the same value as your initial purchase).
If this record is not deemed as faulty, we will not cover any additional postage and packaging costs incurred by either you or us, and we will not be able to offer you a refund, store credit or swap.
Basically, please be absolutely certain the record you have purchased is faulty before following the returns procedure. If possible, we suggest testing the record on different turntables and weighting the tone arm differently.
Steepletone and Crosley Record Players
After having several “faulty” records returned to us (that in actuality had nothing wrong with them), we cannot guarantee that any records we sell will play correctly Crosley or Steepletone branded record players.