Search - Various Artists :: Cultural Showcase

SHOWING OFF "SHOWCASE"

home-body | northern california,usa | 12/21/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

""AUGUSTUS PABLO PRESENTS CULTURAL SHOWCASE" is a display of PABLO'S sharp sense of production for the various artists that he has recorded. Pablo produced numerous records for such up-and-coming artists as the late JACOB MILLER, HUGH MUNDELL, and RAS LEVI (all included here). He usually recorded them at the beginning stages of their careers. This disc presents a smattering of the vast array of talented artists that recorded for him. On this CD the master treats the listener to 10 key selections. The album includes 3 dubs with various vocalists filling out the remainder of the roots tracks. This makes for a diverse but very cohesive cultural theme album. The album starts off with a kick by means of JACOB MILLER'S famous "FALSE RASTA." This song talks about the prejudice the singer receives by turning from a "clean face man" to a "dreadlocks man." This is simply one of the best PABLO produced singles. If you like this tune, you need to check out the PABLO produced JACOB MILLER album, "Who Say Jah No Dread," which includes this song and others followed by their dubs.The "riddims" are tight and feature the usual roots reggae line up of bass, drums, guitar and keyboards. The subtle but deep performances by the musicians keep the music flowing at a calm, relaxed pace. Each song is usually performed in a minor key giving PABLO'S productions a far-east sound. This "Eastern" sound is further enhanced when PABLO flattens certain notes when playing his trademark toy melodica on certain songs. The only weak track here is "NO JUSTICE PLACE" which is hampered by unknown artist, SPLIFFY DAN's voice. His lazy delivery and semi-nasal tone vocals just don't cut it. This meanders on for about 3 minutes. Just when you feel like the song is getting on your nerves, it ends. This tune is immediately followed by the beautiful instrumental "REVELATION TIME." PABLO'S trademark minor-key melodica playing helps soothes the tension brought on by the previous song.On the whole, the album flows quite smoothly, with 2 songs by the late Hugh Mundell and the modern sounding "DUB CITY brilliantly helping round out this all-too-short but great collection. Whether it's an instrumental or dub album performed by, or another artist's album produced by AUGUSTUS PABLO the fact is all are good and this album helps to prove this point.Respect! -Mark "Homebody" Groesbeck"