Play It Loud! How Toronto Got Soul

Overview

In early 1960s Toronto, a white, Anglo-centric city, an underground music scene emerged from the Jamaican diaspora, led by newcomers like Jackie Mittoo, Wayne McGhie, and a young Jay Douglas. Battling racism and indifference, they left a lasting but underrecognized mark on Canadian music and culture. Nearly 60 years later, Jay Douglas still champions Jamaican music and is finally receiving long-overdue recognition. Play It Loud is a feature documentary that tells the little-known story of how Jamaican music became a vital, unlikely part of Canadian culture. It traces a cultural migration that made Canada a global hub for Jamaican music - celebrated abroad but overlooked at home. Told through the life and music of beloved singer Jay Douglas, born Clive Pinnock in rural Jamaica, the film follows his journey from teen performer to enduring icon.

Keywords

Cast

Jay Douglas

Jay Douglas

Jackie Richardson

Jackie Richardson

Lowell 'Sly' Dunbar

Lowell 'Sly' Dunbar

Rollie "Cadence Weapon" Pemberton

Rollie "Cadence Weapon" Pemberton

Lillian Allen

Lillian Allen

Klive Walker

Klive Walker

Nicholas Jennings

Nicholas Jennings

Carlene Davis

Carlene Davis

Grub Cooper

Grub Cooper

Supreme La Rock

Supreme La Rock