Alligator Records Artists Codexery

Augustus Pablo

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Horace Michael Swaby (21 June 1953 – 18 May 1999), known as Augustus Pablo, was a Jamaican roots reggae and dub composer, performer, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist. Active from the 1970s until his death, he was famous for playing the melodica, an instrument he first encountered when a girl lent him one at Kingston College School. Over his career, he recorded classic tracks like "Java" and "King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown," worked with producers such as Lee Perry and King Tubby, and ran his own labels Hot Stuff, Message, and Rockers. His music appeared on the soundtrack of the documentary DOA, and he toured worldwide, recording a live album in Tokyo in 1987.

Biography

Born in St. Andrew, Jamaica, Horace Swaby learned to play the organ at Kingston College School, where a girl lent him a melodica. He met Herman Chin Loy, who after working at his cousin Leslie Kong's Beverley's record shop, set up his own Aquarius store in Half Way Tree. Between 1971 and 1973, Swaby recorded tracks including "Higgi Higgi," "East of the River Nile," "Song of the East," and "The Red Sea" for Chin Loy's Aquarius Records. Chin Loy had previously used the name Augustus Pablo generically for keyboard instrumentals by Lloyd Charmers and Glen Adams, and Swaby took the name for his recordings.

He joined Now Generation (Mikey Chung's band) and played keyboard, then quit to record "Java" (1972) with his friend Clive Chin. Pablo also worked with Clive Chin's uncle Leonard Chin and Lee Perry. He formed the labels Hot Stuff, Message, and Rockers (named after his brother's soundsystem). His 1974 album This Is Augustus Pablo was recorded with Clive and Pat Chin, followed by a collaboration with King Tubby on 1975's Ital Dub.

In the 1970s, Pablo produced songs including "Black Star Liner" (with Fred Locks) and worked with Dillinger, I-Roy, Jacob Miller, the Immortals, Paul Blackman, Earl Sixteen, Roman Stewart, Lacksley Castell, the Heptones, Bob Marley, Delroy Wilson, Junior Delgado, Horace Andy, and Freddy McKay. With Jacob Miller, he recorded "Baby I Love You So" in 1974; its dub version, "King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown" mixed by King Tubby, was named the 266th greatest song of all time by Rolling Stone.

Later LPs include King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown (1976), Hugh Mundell's Africa Must Be Free by 1983, East of the River Nile (1978), Original Rockers (1979), and Rockers Meets King Tubbys in a Firehouse. In 1980, he appeared on the soundtrack of the documentary DOA. He released Rising Sun in 1986, toured worldwide, and recorded a live album in Tokyo in 1987. In 1997, he played melodica on Primal Scream's single "Star." Augustus Pablo died from a collapsed lung on 18 May 1999, having suffered from the nerve disorder myasthenia gravis.

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Test yourself

Three questions drawn from this entry’s sources. Pick an answer to check it.

1. In what year was Augustus Pablo born?

Correct.

Not quite. The answer is 1953.

From the source: “Horace Michael Swaby (21 June 1953 – 18 May 1999), also known as Augustus Pablo, was a Jamaican roots reggae and dub composer, performer, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist. He was active from the 1970s until his death. He was known”

2. In which place was Augustus Pablo born?

Correct.

Not quite. The answer is St. Andrew, Jamaica.

3. In what year did Augustus Pablo die?

Correct.

Not quite. The answer is 1999.

From the source: “Augustus Pablo died as a result of a collapsed lung on 18 May 1999.”

Answers checked against the source article

Sources

Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.

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