BY CECELIA CAMPBELL-LIVINGSTON—-

DUB legend Augustus Pablo’s seminal albums East of the River Nile and King Tubbys Meet Rockers Uptown occupy the top two positions on British magazine Mojo’s 50 Greatest Reggae Albums Of All Time.

Released in 1977, East of The River Nile is regarded as a collector’s item. It feature tracks such as Unfinished Melody, Chant To King Selassie I and Addis Ababa. King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown released in 1976 contains the title track, which is a dub collaboration between Pablo and influential engineer Osbourne ‘King Tubby’ Ruddock. Pablo (real name Horace Swaby) died in 1999.

AUGUSTUS PABLO… holds the top two positions on British magazine Mojo’s 50 Greatest Reggae Albums Of All Time.

 

The list coincides with Jamaica’s celebration of its 50th year of Independence.

Surprisingly, no album by Bob Marley, the man recognised as king of reggae made the cut even though Britain is where he had most of his chart success.

In 1999, Time magazine named Marley’s Exodus album of the 20th century. In 2001, the TV network VH1 named it the 26th greatest album of all time, while Legend, the compilation of some of his best known songs, made number 46 on Rolling Stone magazine’s top 500 albums.

Ironically, albums by Beenie Man and TOK made the list.

Barrington Levy is at number three with Shaolin Temple which was originally released only in Jamaica in 1979. It was later reissued in the United States and has tracks such as Bounty Hunter, Shine Eye Gal and Moonlight Lover.

Beenie Man also made the top 10 at number four with his Grammy Awardwinning Art and Life released in 2000.

In the number five spot is Big Youth’s Screaming Target which was released in 1972. Bim Sherman’s 1996 set Miracle is at six while Black Uhuru sits at number seven with the Sly and Robbie-produced Showcase, recorded in 1979.

Bob Andy follows with the Studio One masterpiece, Songbook. Buju Banton came in at number nine with ‘Til Shiloh released in 1995, with Burning Spear’s 1975 album, Marcus Garvey, completing the top 10.

BELOW ARE MOJO’S TOP 50 REGGAE ALBUMS

1. East of the River Nile – Augustus Pablo

2. King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown

– Augustus Pablo

3. Shaolin Temple – Barrington Levy

4. Art & Life – Beenie Man

5. Screaming Target – Big Youth

6. Miracle – Bim Sherman

7. Showcase – Black Uhuru

8. Songbook – Bob Andy

9. ‘Til Shiloh – Buju Banton

10. Marcus Garvey – Burning Spear

11. Burning Spear – Burning Spear

12. Two Sevens Clash – Culture

13. Wolves & Leopards – Dennis Brown

14. CB200 – Dillinger

15. Best Dressed Chicken in Town – Dr Alimantado

16. Tunes From the Missing Channel – Dub Syndicate

17. It’s Growing – Garnet Silk

18. Extra Classic – Gregory Issacs

19. Night Nurse – Gregory Issacs

20. Skylarking: Best Of Horace Andy – Horace Andy

21. Macka Fat – Jackie Mittoo

22. African Dub Chapter 3 – Joe Gibbs

23. Truth and Rights – Johnny Osbourne

24. Mr Rock Steady – Ken Booth

25. Passion – Lady Saw

26. Messenger – Luciano

27. Naturally – Marcia Griffiths

28. War Ina Babylon – Max Romeo & The Upsetters

29. Midnight Confessions: Classic Rocksteady &

Reggae – Phyllis Dillon

30. Prince Buster – Fabulous Greatest Hits

[Diamond Range] – Prince Buster

31. Man from Wareika – Rico Rodriguez

32. King of Sax – Roland Alphonso

33. Scientist Meets The Space Invaders – Scientist

34. Black Woman & Child – Sizzla

35. My Crew My Dawgs – TOK

36. Mpla – Tappa Zukie

37. Forward on to Zion – The Abyssinians

38. Heart of the Congos – Congos

39. Trenchtown Mix Up – The Gladiators

40. On Top – The Heptones

41. Never Grow Old – Maytals

42. Right Time – Mighty Diamonds

43. On the Beach with the Paragons – The Paragons

44. Ska Boo-Da-Ba: Top Sounds From Top Deck,

Vol. 3 – The Skatalites & Don Drummond

45. Return of Django – Upsetters

46. Funky Kingston – Toots & Maytals

47. Blackboard Jungle Dub – Upsetters

48. Version Galore – U Roy

49. King Tubby’s Prophesy of Dub – Yabby You

50. Mister Yellowman – Yellowman

 

 

Shares: