Pablo Moses returns with 'The Rebirth'

Howard Campbell, Gleaner Writer

After a 15-year break between studio albums, singer Pablo Moses had little problem coming up with a name for his comeback set. He says The Rebirth is an apt title, given the personal and professional challenges he has faced in the past 10 years.

"It's been a while since Pablo Moses has put out anything, so this is really like a new beginning," said the 62-year-old roots artiste.

The Rebirth was released in the Caribbean and United States by Tad Records, and in Europe by French company, Grounded Music. It is Moses' first album of new songs since Mission was released by Washington, DC's, Ras Records in 1997.

Rigorous touring as well as the release of 'best of' and live albums have helped keep Moses' name in the market. He said The Rebirth bears a glaring similarity to his previous albums.

"It's totally original, because dat's what Pablo Moses has always been about ... innovation," he explained. "Wi still have the roots-reggae, but wi mix it wid sounds relative to the culture of the fans."

While he called on established Jamaican musicians such as keyboardists Robbie Lyn and Franklyn Waul, and guitarist Dwight Pinkney for The Rebirth, Moses also used Brazilian players on some of the songs.

Brazil is one of the countries Moses has performed in regularly in recent times. He says he has also broken ground in other South American countries such as Argentina and Peru, where he was scheduled to perform this weekend.

Early career

Moses, whose given name is Pableto Henry, is best known for acclaimed albums like Revolutionary Dreams and A Song. But, like Burning Spear and the late Joseph Hill of Culture, he built a reputation for relentless touring, especially in Europe.

Europeans were the first foreigners to embrace Moses' music. The Manchester-born singer broke through in 1975 with Revolutionary Dreams, an album produced by Geoffrey Chung of the Now Generation Band.

That album contained I Man a Grasshopper and Give I Fe I Name, hard-hitting message songs that fit in with the roots mania that swept Jamaica during the 1970s. Five years later, Chung also produced A Song, Moses' second album, which produced the haunting title track and Dubbing Is a Must.

Moses released several well-received albums throughout the 1980s and 1990s, but said his career stalled when Musicdisc, the French company that distributed his music, folded.

On the personal front, he suffered a serious head injury that required major surgery. Last year, his 88-year-old mother died from injuries she sustained after a fall.

Despite the setbacks, Moses retains a loyal following, from the US west coast to New Caledonia in the Pacific. His last performance in Jamaica came at Reggae Sunsplash 1996.

"There's no respect for roots-reggae artistes in Jamaica, so we have to go where the people respect us," he said.