Beloved Toronto music legend Jay Douglas is finally getting his flowers in the form of a new TVO music documentary Play It Loud – How Toronto Got Soul!
The documentary chronicles the highs and lows in the life of Jay Douglas (born Clive Pinnock), from his upbringing in Jamaica and migration to Toronto as a teenager where he entered the burgeoning soul music scene and became the lead singer of the group The Cougars, whose music was a fusion of reggae, Caribbean, soul, ska and funk. In the early 1960s, Toronto was a conservative city riffed with respectability politics, however, bubbling to the surface was an emerging underground music created by a growing Caribbean diaspora, with Douglas being at the center. Making music alongside Douglas during that time included artists such as Jackie Mittoo, Leroy Sibbles and Wayne McGhie, all laying a foundation for reggae music in Toronto and eventually across the nation.
The documentary is directed by Graeme Mathieson, produced by Andrew Munger (Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band), and executive produced by acclaimed director Clement Virgo (Brother, The Wire). The film was funded by TVO, Canada Media Fund, Telefilm, Ontario Creates, Rogers Documentary Fund, Knowledge Network BC and the Hot Docs–Slaight Family Fund.
Featured in the documentary include some of Douglas’ friends and collaborators including Jackie Richardson, dub poet and professor Lillian Allen, music writer Klive Walker (who also served as a consultant on the film), former Much Music VJ & broadcaster Michael Williams and legendary reggae producer Sly Dunbar, who dubbed Douglas as the “Lou Rawls of Jamaican music.”
Jay is a longtime friend of JAZZ.FM91 and has supported us over the years at our various events, including most recently our 24 Hours Live! Event in July. We recently interviewed him about his life and career on Gumbo Kitchen with Ronnie Littlejohn back in August. We’re proud to see his story come to life through this film.
There will be a special advance screening of the film on October 23 at The Royal Theatre in Toronto. Play It Loud! – How Toronto Got Soul will be released publicly in February 2025.