Augustus Pablo
Valley of Jehosephat
Ras Records (www.rasrecords.com)

Through his nearly thirty year recording career, Pablo has cornered the market on instrumental reggae featuring the melodica. That said, Pablo is also a strong composer and performer, and it's evident on this latest CD.

While most of the songs on Valley are not technically dubs, the electronic beats throughout the album give it that quality, with Pablo's eerie melodica adding a pensive tone. Binghi drums and shekere on some of the tunes keep things earthy, and help provide texture to the set, one of the better reggae releases to hit this year. - Craig Tower

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