augustus pablo - over rated?

[rootsmanxy]

Completely do not understand the noodling part in this discussion. Original Rockers, East of the River Nile are one of the best reggae instrumental records ever made. If you think it's noodling, can we put all the Jackie Mittoo albums in that same category as well? Don't think so these guys made great music, but often not to be put together on an album. (Reggae is version/7" music anyhow).

Next, he is one of the Roots artists to continue with quality releases in post 1985 digital time frame. Just listen to Yamie Bolo's "Jah Made Them All".

Some are commenting that his live performances were tiring, yeah right ... like the tour he did in the eighties with Junior Delgado, White Mice backed by Ranchie MacLean, BenBow, Earl China Smith,... He is only one of the few top line artist that really understood that he was not the centre of the world and that great vocalists and musicians added lots of value to his solo stuff.

Check out the dvd on the Mystic World of A. Pablo:
http://www.roots-archives.com/release/5248
and you will see how he played the melodica... together with Hugh Mundell. Pure magic.

[Lite-Let]

Pablo and Mundell in the hills B&W footage, here is it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDC8d3_65aI

[gunosantos]

I'm a huge fan of Augustus Pablo works, as a musician both in melodica and piano and equally as a producer.

The so called *mystic* around him is due to his introspective personality, and that's why some say his shows weren't good, wich I disagree. Maybe he really didn't feel so good in front of a big crowd (such as japan splash 86), but that did not keep him from performing at his best, as many other live pablo recordings show us.

His magnificent work as a melodica player in acts such as "East Of The River Nile" and "King David's Melody", and his dub productions with "King Tubby meets Rockers Uptown" & "Rockers meets King Tubby In A Fire House" are among the best piece of dub and instrumental reggae ever to be made.

That would already qualify him as top notch artist, but there was also his own instinct to produce and launch some great unknown or new artist, resulting in beautiful masterpieces such as "Africa Must Be Free by 1983" with Hugh Mundell, and Delroy's "I Stand Black" to name only two.

With all that, I'll always believe that Augustus Pablo is a totally **under rated** artist and who is yet to receive his due recognition as one of the great producers and instrumentalists of all times.

Blessings,

[Inyaki]

Pablo didn't consider as ''his'' music anything not produced by him. He was very angry with other artists / producers using his name when he was just a session musician ( or sometimes just not even in the studio).

He was Augustus Pablo from 71 onwards. Chin-Loy didn't used the name for his instrumentals afterwards.

"Noddling"?
I understand people not liking the sound of a particular instrument like the melodica (I don't like trumpets or congas either), but from 72 to the early 90s, there isn't any 'noddling' on his productions IMO.
'This is', 'East Of river Nile', 'King David Melody', Original Rockers'.....even 'Blowing with the wind' in 1990 and around 300 singles, 7''s and 12''s ...mostly astonishing quality, top production and keyboard playing.
His piano and organ playing is very unique, but this hardly get noticed by his fans. Minor scales that gives the music a meloncholy and mistique.....Also the clavinet and the strings synth styles at Harry J studio.
Great reggae keyboard player.
He wasn't a virtuoso in the technical sense (not as technical as the Butler brothers or Mittoo) , but he was original and distinctive, which is more difficult in a way). And......Nobody can play melodica like Pablo!
At his best, the best. ( some mediocre playing for other producers though, and afterwards in the 90s the standard went down IMO)
Pablo is much imitated, never duplicated. If something...underrated!

( he toured Europe 4 times -the best was in 87 with Chinna and Ranchie Mclean- ...not always with the best results...but that's a different story and not fit for a public forum)

[Dave K]

I second Inyaki's post about Pablo being underrated. "King Tubby Uptown" alone would be worthy lifetime accomplishment for most artists.

Pablo succeeded almost in spite of himself, as he was always "separate" from the musical mainstream. This was partly due to his personality, and partly because he came from an upper middle-class family. I remember one producer asking why Pablo would bother opening a store on Orange St in downtown Kingston when his family already had "nuff money". Many want to leave the ghetto, but Pablo understood that this is where the roots of the music came from. A very unique talent indeed. He may not be for all, but he isn't "hype".

[Singha Singha]

Pablo is the bee's knees for bringing Arabian, Mohammeden, Algerian and Gypsy scales into the musics, part of the reason why reggae is so international is East Europe, the Middle East and North Africa use many of the same notes and progressions.

There's a torrent for 55 albums out there, get it, and make a playlist of 2 1/2 hours of proper meditations!!

Rebel Rock, Dub Roots, Eastman, Authentic, River Nile, Dubbing with the Don - Great

Aquarius and Herman Chin Loy = boring

[I-Lion Tafari]

King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown was one of my first reggae albums. We loved it so much and played it all through the summer. As well as East Of The River Nile. Combined with the Black Ark influence, this album can open spiritual doors.
I always have warm and uplifting pictures in my head while listening to Pablo.

Does anybody know when they diagnosed myasthenia?

[stepping razor]

Pablo was the pioneer in roots dub instrumentals and dub music that set the standard for others.

peace

[boomshot]

I think everybody here has made valid observations of Pablo. After all, beauty is in the ears of the beholder. While one person is hearing fingernails on a chalk board, the other may be hearing some sort of angelic choir while the clouds part. Just depends on what works for the individual listener.

We obviously have the cultish Pablo minions that might think if Augustus pooped on a cracker it was the greatest thing to ever happen to the culinary arts. ... Pablo can do no wrong!! pablo can do no wrong!! ... repeat after me...
(btw, I'm not pinning that on anybody that has posted on this forum. I've known those guys for a long time before I jumped in here)
I think some of that is somehow based more on ego or idol worship or whatever rather that just purely observing the music for what it is and how it was executed.

I agree that while it's pretty clear that on certain days in the studio Pablo was responsible for some rather less than inspired noodling around on the melodica, (to some down-right "dude what are you doing!?") it's also very clear that on certain days (definitely the majority) he was capable of reaching musical heights of the highest order.

In addition to all the stellar albums that you guys pointed out already (with definitely no noodling to be found), one big-head spliff plus Rockers Meets King Tubby Inna Firehouse equals higher realms! Go deh Pablo!

At the end of the day, Pablo's contributions, drive, passion, productions, and musicianship cannot be denied. Long live Augustus Pablo!

[flashman]

ok, strangely enough, this thread now has me wanting to revisit the best of Pablo. Obviously, it isn't the stuff on Down Santic Way and Aquarius, which I've been tending to skip when I listen to those comps

So what are the best?

I'd assume some of them would be, in no particular order:

King Tubby meet the Rockers Uptown
Rockers meet King Tubby ina Firehouse
East of the River Nile
Original Rockers


??? I'm probably forgetting some.
And anyone heard that newish box set?