Augustus Pablo

King David’s Melody

GREENSLEEVES. CD/DL/LP Expanded reissue of 1983 instrumental compilation, with nine thematic dubs. The visionary record producer Augustus Pablo crafted a unique body of roots reggae. After working briefly as a keyboards session-man, he found fame in the early 1970s through command of the melodica, a blown plastic keyboard used to train budding musicians, and went on to issue a series of ethereal productions on labels such as Rockers and Message. King David’s Melody collected 11 of Pablo’s most individual instrumental singles, recorded between 1975-82, including melodica reworkings of Horace Andy’s Problems (as Rockers Mood), the perennial Mr Bassie and Junior Delgado’s haunting Away With Your Fussing And Fighting (as the title track), as well as some less ominous numbers, including a string-synth and drum machine cut of the oftversioned Old Kent Road. This expanded reissue has corresponding dub versions for nine of the songs, plus good contextual linernotes from Noel Hawkes.