Augustus Pablo, born Horace Swaby on June 21, 1954, in St. Andrew, Jamaica, was a legendary figure in the world of reggae music, known for his masterful play on the melodica, a small keyboard wind instrument. He emerged in the early 1970s and soon carved a niche for himself with his instrumental dub tracks that featured his distinctive melodica leads. Pablo's style was rooted in the traditional rhythms of reggae but was distinctive for its ethereal, slightly mystical quality, which became a staple of dub -- a genre that focuses on remixing existing recordings and emphasizing drum and bass elements.

Throughout his career, Augustus Pablo was both a prolific solo artist and a sought-after collaborator with various reggae producers and musicians, especially the revered dub engineer King Tubby. Albums like "Original Rockers" and "King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown" are considered classics in the reggae and dub genres. His music remained consistently innovative, as he infused spiritual and cultural themes into his work. Unfortunately, the reggae world lost this innovative musician at a relatively young age; Pablo passed away on May 18, 1999. His influence, however, continues to resonate in the world of reggae and beyond, as evidenced by posthumous releases such as "The Late Great Augustus Pablo - the Legacy," which celebrate the indelible mark he left on music.

Genres

Dub

Reggae

Roots Reggae

Related Artists

King Tubby

Lee "Scratch" Perry

Horace Andy

Sly & Robbie

Scientist

The Wailers

Gregory Isaacs

Aswad

Big Youth

Prince Far I

Yabby You

Prince Jammy

Latest Release

Roots, Rockers, & Dub

Augustus Pablo

Album - 22 Tracks - Released August 11, 2023