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1
Outer Hebrides
01:00 - 02:00

Artist and audio maker, Alicia Matthews, takes over the NTS airwaves once a month for a rhythm ’n’ gloom showdown. Past projects include SUE ZUKI (Domestic Exile/ NTS), LAPS (MIC Records/ DFA Records) and Organs of Love (Optimo Music).

2
Los Angeles
01:00 - 02:00

ASHTREJINKINS flies the flag for NTS Los Angeles. Tune in for a round-about journey of lo-fi, gritty and experimental beats and productions.

Tenor Saw

On 29 March 2024, Tenor Saw was a guest on In Focus. Tenor Saw has been played over 60 times on NTS, first on 5 October 2013. Tenor Saw's music has been featured on 49 episodes.

Clive "Tenor Saw" Bright was raised in the Payne Avenue district of West Kingston. His first single, "Roll Call" was recorded in 1984 for George Phang's Powerhouse label, on the "Queen Majesty" rhythm. He moved on, with his friend Nitty Gritty, to work with Sugar Minott's Youth Promotion sound system and label, having hits in Jamaica with "Lots of Sign", "Pumpkin Belly", "Run Come Call Me", and "Fever". His most successful single, however, was "Ring the Alarm", voiced over the "Stalag" rhythm for Winston Riley's Techniques label. The singles' success saw Tenor Saw work with Prince Jammy, recording "Pumpkin Belly" on Jammy's (then) new "Sleng Teng" rhythm. Further hits followed in 1986 with "Golden Hen" (on the Uptempo label), and Minott issued Tenor Saw's debut album, Fever, that year. In common with most dancehall albums of the period, most of the rhythms were digital copies of older tunes from the 1960s and 1970s, usually produced originally by Coxsone Dodd or Duke Reid. Thus, "Shirley Jones" versions Keith "Slim" Smith's "Rougher Yet", and "Eeni Meeni Mini Mo" versions "Real Rock" from Studio One, while "Roll Call" versions The Techniques' "Queen Majesty" from Duke Reid, while "Lots of Sign" versions "Tonight" by Keith & Tex, produced by Derrick Harriott.

By the time the album was released, Tenor Saw had relocated to Miami, joining the Skengdon crew, where he recorded "Dancehall Feeling" and "Bad Boys". He recorded "No Work On a Sunday" for Donovan Germain, before moving to New York, where he recorded with Freddie McGregor ("Victory Train"). His last recording, "Chill Out Chill Out", was a duet with General Doggie.

In August 1988 he was killed by a speeding car in Houston, Texas. He died at 22 years of age. Tenor Saw is regarded as one of the most influential singers of the early digital reggae era of the mid-1980s.[1]

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Tenor Saw

On 29 March 2024, Tenor Saw was a guest on In Focus. Tenor Saw has been played over 60 times on NTS, first on 5 October 2013. Tenor Saw's music has been featured on 49 episodes.

Clive "Tenor Saw" Bright was raised in the Payne Avenue district of West Kingston. His first single, "Roll Call" was recorded in 1984 for George Phang's Powerhouse label, on the "Queen Majesty" rhythm. He moved on, with his friend Nitty Gritty, to work with Sugar Minott's Youth Promotion sound system and label, having hits in Jamaica with "Lots of Sign", "Pumpkin Belly", "Run Come Call Me", and "Fever". His most successful single, however, was "Ring the Alarm", voiced over the "Stalag" rhythm for Winston Riley's Techniques label. The singles' success saw Tenor Saw work with Prince Jammy, recording "Pumpkin Belly" on Jammy's (then) new "Sleng Teng" rhythm. Further hits followed in 1986 with "Golden Hen" (on the Uptempo label), and Minott issued Tenor Saw's debut album, Fever, that year. In common with most dancehall albums of the period, most of the rhythms were digital copies of older tunes from the 1960s and 1970s, usually produced originally by Coxsone Dodd or Duke Reid. Thus, "Shirley Jones" versions Keith "Slim" Smith's "Rougher Yet", and "Eeni Meeni Mini Mo" versions "Real Rock" from Studio One, while "Roll Call" versions The Techniques' "Queen Majesty" from Duke Reid, while "Lots of Sign" versions "Tonight" by Keith & Tex, produced by Derrick Harriott.

By the time the album was released, Tenor Saw had relocated to Miami, joining the Skengdon crew, where he recorded "Dancehall Feeling" and "Bad Boys". He recorded "No Work On a Sunday" for Donovan Germain, before moving to New York, where he recorded with Freddie McGregor ("Victory Train"). His last recording, "Chill Out Chill Out", was a duet with General Doggie.

In August 1988 he was killed by a speeding car in Houston, Texas. He died at 22 years of age. Tenor Saw is regarded as one of the most influential singers of the early digital reggae era of the mid-1980s.[1]

Original source Last.fm

Artist in focus

Most played tracks

Pumpkin Belly
Tenor Saw
Jammy's Records1985
Come Me Just A Come
Tenor Saw
Blue Mountain Records1987
Ring The Alarm
Tenor Saw
Techniques1985
Lots Of Sign
Tenor Saw
Youth Promotion1985
Victory Train
Tenor Saw
Black Victory1985
Golden Hen
Tenor Saw
Uptempo Records1986
Roll Is Called
Tenor Saw
Power House1984
Ring The Alarm
Tenor Saw
Techniques1985
Chill Out, Chill Out
General Doggie, Tenor Saw
Night Life Posse1986
No Work On Sunday
Tenor Saw
Blue Mountain Entertainment Corp.1985

Tracks featured on