classic rockers
| "Jah In The
Hills", another foray into dub between Pablo and Tubby, is a rare
unreleased classic. This is followed by a cover of Dennis Brown's "Can't
Keep A Good Man Down" by The Immortals.
"Love Won't Come Easy" by Leroy Sibbles is an unissued version, the original cut having been sung by Leroy and the rest of the Heptones. The band first recorded this track for Coxsone Dodd's Studio 1. Earl 16 was just a young protege starting out in the recording world when he voiced this root gem "Changing World". "Blackman's Heart" by Junior Delgado was one of the earliest fruits to come from the partnership between Junior and Pablo which went on to reach great heights with the reggae anthem of 1986 "Raggamuffin Year". Hugh Mundell was another great roots singer, now sadly passed away. "Jah Says The Time Has Now Come" is one of Hugh's last great works with Pablo. Originally issued on a Mango 12" in 1987, "You Never Know" and "Stop The Fighting" by Delroy Williams are here with their dubs included. "Suki Yaki" and "Eastern Promise" by Augustus Pablo went down a storm in Japan with their strong Eastern flavour, helping Pablo establish an international base. The strength of these tracks leaves no doubt as the validity of the title, certainly a set of "Classic Rockers". |
| Volume two,
and still it comes fresh from the first bar. Like the everlasting light
bulb and the unpuncturable tyre, Pablo's music doesn't wear out and
economics has done its best to keep all three things a secret. But unlike
those desirable items, Pablo's music has slipped out into the world, going
about its spiritual business, catching people by word of mouth where
necessary.
You won't find Pablo's name written in any chart - not even the reggae charts nowadays - and the advertising for his works is minimal to the point of non-existence as with all third world music. But he has got something that only third world musicians have now: the ability to get their emotions, their feelings, down on tape. I'm not saying that white acts don't have spirit, but the music business contrives to separate them from it. By the time you've heard them, they're processed. They might as well be peas. This collection of 70's material stands on its own ridiculously high merits. From first to last the feeling is right. Whether you're buying it because Rock To Sleep has evaded you for years or because you know that Pablo hits the spot every time he enters the studio, you won't be disappointed. Even though Jacob Miller, Hugh Mundell and King Tubby have since passed on here live in a setting that was never surpassed in their careers. How could it be? This is the music of Augustus Pablo, created for its moment, and somehow, eternally right for each moment since. IAN McCANN, JUNE 1989
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