Tenor Saw, born Clive Bright passed away 35 years ago on August 1988, after being found in the street of Houston, Texas, USA. His death was not reported in the Jamaican Gleaner until two months later on October 26, and was said to be from gunshots in New York City.
The official report was that he died of pneumonia, as a result of being left on the side of the road to the elements.
Known for hits like Ring the alarm! which was released in 1985 on the “Stalag” riddim, Saw, became prominent figure in the 1980s after facing numerous rejections from Kingston based producers.
His initial breakthrough came when George Phang extended an opportunity to him to record his debut single “Roll Call,” released in 1984 under Phang’s Powerhouse label, featuring the “Queen Majesty” rhythm.
Subsequently, he collaborated with his friend Nitty Gritty, then went on to work with Sugar Minott’s Youth Man Promotion sound system and Black Roots Records label. He was said to have befriended Minott by throwing stones on his roof until he came out to have audience with him.
Reflecting on how he met Bright, Sugar Minott said in an interview, “One morning me come out and see a likkle youth sitting on a stone and him seh wah gwan fada, a long time me a try inuh and nobody nuh really give me a chance and thing and me seh alright me youth, you can wan stay around me.”
“When me tell the youth to sing he had a voice like I didn’t hear before, he wasn’t the greatest of singers, but he had a different sound. He start to move with me and we do some dub plates, live to the plates, can’t make no mistake, just cut it right there and Jammys just made a riddim called Sleng Teng, Jammys never had a sound yet so I used to pay al of Jammys music,” he continued.
“We did about three songs on the same riddim “Oh its a jam right in the streets” Minott recalled. “And the youth Tenor Saw seh fada me have sumf for that, give me a try nuh,” and that’s how he said Tenor Saw recorded ‘Water Walk Go A Pumpkin Belly.'” Minott said.
“That was supposed to be a dub plate, but somehow it got on a real record,” he added.
“Tenor Saw was a very spirituall youth, he went through a lot of struggle, so he was the kind youth that needed guidance and protection for his musical career and somewhere along the line there was no one to guide him,” Minott said.
Together, they produced notable hits in Jamaica, including “Lots of Sign,” “Pumpkin Belly,” “Run Come Call Me,” and “Fever.”
However, it was “Ring the Alarm,” recorded over the “Stalag” riddim for Winston Riley’s Techniques label, that catapulted Tenor Saw to new heights. The success of this single led to collaborations with King Jammy, where he recorded “Pumpkin Belly” on Jammy’s innovative “Sleng Teng” rhythm. More hits followed in 1986, including “Golden Hen” on the Uptempo label, and Minott released Tenor Saw’s debut album, “Fever.”
During that period, dancehall albums often featured digital adaptations of older tunes from the 1960s and 1970s, many of which were originally produced by Coxsone Dodd or Duke Reid. For instance, “Shirley Jones” was based on the “Rougher Yet” riddim, “Eeni Meeni Mini Mo” used the “Real Rock” riddim from Studio One, “Roll Call” was a version of The Techniques’ “Queen Majesty,” and “Lots of Sign” incorporated the bassline from “Tonight” by Keith & Tex, originally produced by Derrick Harriott.
After the album’s release, Tenor Saw relocated to Miami, where he joined the Skengdon crew and recorded tracks like “Dancehall Feeling” and “Bad Boys.” He also contributed “No Work On a Sunday” for Donovan Germain before moving to New York City, where he collaborated with Freddie McGregor on “Victory Train.” His final recording, “Chill Out Chill Out,” was a duet with General Doggie.
Just before he died in 1988, Tenor Saw was signed to RAS Records but he disappeared after The Roots Radics who created the riddims at Lion and Fox Studios in Washington, DC. The riddims were eventually given to Yellowman at Lion and Fox for the album Yellowman Rides Again, which was released the same year.
Super Cat’s “Nuff man a Dead,” was a tribute to Tenor Saw and other superstars of that era. Tenor Saw’s Ring The Alarm which has surpassed 12 million streams on Spotify was referenced by English Hip Hop duo The Nextmen in their 2000 composition “Amongst the Madness.” Additionally, Mark Ronson’s 2021 docuseries “Watch the Sound with Mark Ronson” features an excerpt from “Ring the Alarm” in its opening credits, exploring the use of various technologies in contemporary pop music. Sublime’s cover of the Bob Marley and Wailers song “Jailhouse” heavily drew inspiration from Tenor Saw’s “Roll Call.”
With the cold case never re-opened on the circumstances surrounding Clive Bright’s death, his mother Delores Prince told the Jamaica Observer in a 2013 interview “They killed my son, but they can’t kill his music.”
