A “wind piano,” as the melodica has been called, is a harmonica with a keyboard. The melodica that Horace Swaby, later known as Augustus Pablo, first encountered was a toy given him by a little girl. It is a delightful, curious little instrument –the kind that school children might play– but it is also an instrument that revolutionized reggae music.

Augustus Pablo, the Jamaican producer and melodica master, first introduced the melodica in the early seventies, a schizophrenic time in Jamaican music. In 1971, the rangy, self-taught musician, who had only recorded a few keyboard tracks with The Wailers, was heard playing on the streets of Kingston and invited into a recording studio, where he eventually recorded “East of the River Nile,” a single that introduced his “far east sound” to dub and reggae.

Pablo’s complete thirteen track East of the River Nile wasn’t released until 1977, by which time he had established himself as one of the most influential men in reggae by working in collaboration, both as a musician and a producer, with King Tubby, the undisputed “king” of dub. Pablo later founded his own record labels, including the “Rockers” label, which produced greats like Jacob Miller, Junior Delgado, and Hugh Mundell.

Although Pablo was something of a recluse whose hermitage was the studio, his output was prodigious. By the time of his death in 1999, Augustus Pablo had forty-four albums to his credit (excluding anthologies and other albums which he produced).

To mark the 25th anniversary of the release of Pablo’s revolutionary single “East of the River Nile,” the full 1977 East of the River Nile album has been re-released by Shanachie Entertainment Corp. This re-release features eighteen tracks, which include the original single and five “bonus” tracks.

The sounds on East of the River Nile are heavily influenced by the session players. The tandems of the Barrett brothers and Sly and Robbie offer the rhythmic tightness and space necessary for Augustus Pablo to perform his melodic free-ranging. There is one aspect of East of the River Nile that keeps it this side of reggae: the guitar.

Earl “Chinna” Smith, who has laid his staccato guitar work behind Bob Marley and Burning Spear, among others, is as much a presence as those famous rhythm sections. Sadly, that is the fate of many reggae guitarists: they are never appreciated for their originality, which has less to do with “style” (at least in reggae), than with timing and tone.

East of the River Nile starts out with “Chant to King Selassie I.” The rhythm’s tight, but Pablo, who plays the melodica, clavinet, and piano on this track, is the song. “Nature Dub” is alternately haunting and bizarre. Pablo plays a simple melody on the melodica, but in the background, behind the slowly shifting guitar effects, are bells, ratchets, and other percussion parts that scream and whinny, one dizzyingly atmospheric synthesizer, a “skipping” sound, and something that sounds like a landing spaceship.

Due to the insular nature of reggae, some songs will almost be recognizable-almost. Pablo succeeds at recreating even the most familiar song. “Unfinished Melody,” “Sounds from Levi,” and “East Africa” provide great examples of Pablo’s interpretive capabilities.

The original version of “East of the River Nile,” when set in comparison to the ’77 version, shows just how far Pablo progressed in the few years between recordings. The original is less melodically complex and sounds more like a dance track. The ’77 version is Pablo’s re-mastering of the original tapes and doesn’t depend exclusively on the drums.

Perhaps the least rewarding part of the album is the addition of the last four tracks. They are indistinguishable from most dub, save for Pablo’s melodica, which leads, fades, echoes, pumps, and slurs its way through the tracks. There is nothing particularly unique about these dub-sides, all of which appear in their ’77 versions.

East of the River Nile‘s essence lies in its first fourteen tracks. They represent Augustus Pablo at the height of his powers and with the support of some of the most talented musicians reggae has ever produced. Pablo’s quiet restraint, his mastery of the soundboard, his excellent musicianship, and his unrelenting creativity grant the album its revered place in reggae’s history.

In a world of deejays and emcees, toasters and imitators, it’s hard to find a genuine voice, a voice fully capable of original expression. Using a child’s plaything, Augustus Pablo found that voice.

East of the River Nile is available from Shanachie Entertainment Corp. Visit their website at www.shanachie.com