Name: King David's Melody
Brand: VP
SKU: 135197311
Price: 12.11 USD
Availability: InStock

King David's Melody

Rating

Album: King David's Melody
#	Song Title		Time
1)	King David's Melody	More Info...
2)	Zion High	More Info...
3)	Mr Bassie	More Info...
4)	West Abyssinia	More Info...
5)	Israel In Harmony	More Info...
6)	Rockers Mood	More Info...
7)	Sufferers Trod	More Info...
8)	Revelation Time	More Info...
9)	Selfish Youths	More Info...
10)	Corner Stone Dub	More Info...
11)	Kent Road	More Info...
12)	Solomon Dub	More Info...
13)	Zion Dub	More Info...
14)	Jah Strength Ital Step	More Info...
15)	West Abyssinia Version	More Info...
16)	Israel Dub	More Info...
17)	Jah School Dub	More Info...
18)	Dub 2 (Sufferers Choice)	More Info...
19)	Babylon Fall Dub	More Info...
20)	Freedom Step	More Info...
2)	Zion High	More Info...
3)	Mr. Bassie	More Info...
4)	West Abyssinia	More Info...
5)	Israel in Harmony	More Info...
6)	Rockers Mood	More Info...
7)	Sufferers Trod	More Info...
8)	Revelation Time	More Info...
9)	Selfish Youths	More Info...
10)	Corner Stone Dub	More Info...
11)	Kent Road	More Info...
12)	Solomon Dub	More Info...
13)	Zion Dub	More Info...
14)	Jah Strength Ital Step	More Info...
15)	West Abyssinia Version	More Info...
16)	Israel Dub	More Info...
17)	Jah School Dub	More Info...
18)	Dub 2 (Sufferers Choice)	More Info...
19)	Babylon Fall Dub	More Info...
20)	Freedom Step	More Info...

Album: King David's Melody
#	Song Title		Time
1)	King David's Melody	More Info...
2)	Zion High	More Info...
3)	Mr Bassie	More Info...
4)	West Abyssinia	More Info...
5)	Israel In Harmony	More Info...
6)	Rockers Mood	More Info...
7)	Sufferers Trod	More Info...
8)	Revelation Time	More Info...
9)	Selfish Youths	More Info...
10)	Corner Stone Dub	More Info...
11)	Kent Road	More Info...
12)	Solomon Dub	More Info...
13)	Zion Dub	More Info...
14)	Jah Strength Ital Step	More Info...
15)	West Abyssinia Version	More Info...
16)	Israel Dub	More Info...
17)	Jah School Dub	More Info...
18)	Dub 2 (Sufferers Choice)	More Info...
19)	Babylon Fall Dub	More Info...
20)	Freedom Step	More Info...
2)	Zion High	More Info...
3)	Mr. Bassie	More Info...
4)	West Abyssinia	More Info...
5)	Israel in Harmony	More Info...
6)	Rockers Mood	More Info...
7)	Sufferers Trod	More Info...
8)	Revelation Time	More Info...
9)	Selfish Youths	More Info...
10)	Corner Stone Dub	More Info...
11)	Kent Road	More Info...
12)	Solomon Dub	More Info...
13)	Zion Dub	More Info...
14)	Jah Strength Ital Step	More Info...
15)	West Abyssinia Version	More Info...
16)	Israel Dub	More Info...
17)	Jah School Dub	More Info...
18)	Dub 2 (Sufferers Choice)	More Info...
19)	Babylon Fall Dub	More Info...
20)	Freedom Step	More Info...

Performer Notes

Personnel: Augustus Pablo (melodica, piano, organ, string synthesizer, xylophone); Earl "Chinna" Smith (guitar); Albert Malawi, Leroy "Horsemouth" Wallace, Mr. Rhythm Box, Basil "Benbow" Creary (drums); Jah Teo (percussion).
Liner Note Author: Noel Hawks.
Recording information: Harry J Recording Studio, 10 Roosevelt Avenue, Kingston; King Tubby's Recording Studio, Kingston 11, Jamaica.
Arranger: Augustus Pablo.
Originally released in 1983 on his own Rockers imprint, Augustus Pablo's King David's Melody collects singles from the years 1975-1982. The liner notes do a good job of pointing out that most of the tracks are considered instrumentals instead of dubs, which only means Pablo's more responsible for the melodies and structures of the songs than usual. The serene, relaxed, and otherworldly feelings of Pablo's dub material is well represented, and to a lesser extent, the trippy twists and turns, but they are more modest and mostly on the bonus tracks. The inspiration for the overall positive and supremely spiritual feel to the collection is right in the title. Rastafarian Pablo is referencing spiritual leader Haile Selassie's claim to be descended from King David, a king of ancient Israel who could sooth the soul with his flute and harp. Pablo does the same here with his melodica and occasional keyboards. The easy-rolling title track, the coolly cheerful "Mr. Bassie," and the airy "Cornerstone Dub" all support the original compilation's King David-by-way-of-Selassie inspiration, but Shanachie's bonus tracks -- as interesting as they are -- only relate to Pablo's original intentions for the collection in that they were singles. "Hot Milk" is a thin number that finds Pablo messing with a tinny synth and a primitive drum machine, while "Freedom Step," "Israel Dub," and the "Mr. Bassie" rework titled "Jah Strength Ital Step" feel a bit thicker and darker than the rest of the album. None of this ruins the collection by any means, but listeners should do themselves a favor and try the 1983 sequence of the album for a tighter, more focused listen. CD players make it easy, and with the majority of these instrumentals being hard or near impossible to obtain otherwise, Shanachie's reissue of King David's Melody is welcome, tinkering and all. ~ David Jeffries

Professional Reviews

Mojo (Publisher) (p.119) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[He evokes] transcendent instrumental moods."