Augustus Pablo
Jah Light!
Articles
Dee Jays
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 Selassie 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.
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