| Augustus
Pablo was born Horace Swaby in Kingston Jamaica. By the time he was
in his teens he had begun to hang out with young Rastafarians in the
ghetto districts of Kingston, attracted by their philosophy of peace,
spiritual commitment and African identity as well as by the hard
rhythms of reggae music boiling out of these areas. With the help of
a friend Paul Whiteman, Pablo was soon teaching himself to play
piano. His precocious musical ability gained him access to recording
studios where, as a session musician playing piano, organ, clarinet,
and later, synthesizer, he appeared on countless records in the late
sixties and early seventies. He then came across the melodica, a
keyboard harmonica usually regarded as a child's toy: Pablo's
startling ability to use on many recording sessions.
Pablo's early solo
recordings were mainly intensely rhythmic instrumentals with exotic
atmosphere created from sinuous, modal "Far Eastern" (as
he called them) melodica melodies. With his first big hit,
"Java", he was established as an important musical force.
More records followed on which Pablo developed the Far Eastern
character of his melodies while exploring and extending the
potential of dub. Dub music, consisting of bass and drums dominated
remixes of hit records, had become increasingly popular in Jamaica
throughout the early seventies. Augustus Pablo released his first
album, "Ital Dub" in 1974 on the Star Apple label and
immediately revolutionized all nations of dub. His technical and
musical innovations made people aware that version could be exciting
in itself and sometimes even more intriguing than the vocal music
that spawned it. In Pablo's hands voices and instrumental melodies
slide in and out of a constantly shifting mix to explosive effect;
the music offers the improvisatory freedom of jazz, the dance
ability of reggae and the electronic innovation of rock and
avant-garde music. Pablo's subsequent 1976 recording, the stunning
"King Tubby Meets The Rockers Uptown" confirmed the
potential of dub and has long been recognized as a landmark
recording.
For years,
Augustus Pablo has been a mysterious presence on the international
music scene. His name appeared as sideman, arranger, composer and
producer on a myriad of reggae albums. His own LP's have been subtle
instrumental excursions which have explored the electronic potential
of recording studios to produce a sequence of seminal and
boundary-breaking dub recordings. Yet, Pablo has rarely performed
outside of Jamaica and his public appearances in his homeland have
tended to be infrequent and somewhat low key. Even as his records
have carried his name around the world, he has moved quietly between
the recording studios of Kingston and a 'natural' lifestyle in the
Jamaican Hills. Pablo always wishes it to be known that he himself
ascribes his creative powers to his spiritual beliefs. "Please
remember", he recently wrote, "to first mention Jah
Rastafari, Haile Selassi I, for if it wasn't for him, it would never
have been possible to get these works. Although I know many do not
believe but they will all have to give him praises sooner or later.
Selah, I father's works come first."
"Augustus
Pablo presents DJ's from 70s to 80s" has been specially
compiled for Big Cat Records with full co-operation of Augustus
Pablo of Augustus Pablo. It features a treasure trove of previously
unreleased dub mixes by Pablo of classic tracks by top reggae
artists Dillenger, Jah T, Jah Levi, Jah Bull and Pablo himself. All
selections have been digitally remastered from the original tapes.
This is the definitive compilation of Augustus Pablo's work as a
DJ/producer. |
