A new documentary is highlighting how Jamaican music became a fundamental and unexpected part of the Canadian culture.
Play out loud! How Toronto got the soul Document the tremendous impact that Jamaica immigrants had on the Canadian music scene in the 60s and 70s, and the barriers that many of the musicians faced.
The documentary follows the story of the Jamaican Canadian singer Jay Douglas, who has acted for six decades. Douglas is now recognized worldwide despite the fact that initially it happened to a large extent unnoticed in Toronto’s music scene.
The film exposes some of those struggles, but Douglas is more excited to share history with young people.
“Thank God, we began to document in Canada and Toronto, because in the first years we did not do enough,” Douglas told CBC Toronto.
“Working together, we are sharing all the great artists who came from Jamaica and helped Toronto get a soul and I am very grateful for this.”
Everton “Pablo” Paul worked with Douglas as drummer and founded the band The Cougars.
He says that many of the artists who came to Toronto from Jamaica in the 60s and 70s paved the way for today’s Canadian music stars.
“The history of Jamaican artists in Toronto was not appreciated. Let’s say so,” he said.
“It cost us a lot to get recording offers, but we persevere.”
Play out loud! How Toronto got the soul He is now broadcasting in TVO and is also playing on March 1 at Hot Docs Cinema.
To obtain more stories about the experiences of the black Canadians, from anti-negral racism to success stories within the black community, see being black in Canada, a CBC project of which black Canadians can be proud. You can read more stories here.
