Play It Loud! How Toronto Got Soul

NR20241h 24mMusicDocumentary

Play It Loud! How Toronto Got Soul (2024) is a music, documentary film directed by Graeme Mathieson.

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.

Released: 2024-12-04

Duration: 1h 24m

Genre: Music, Documentary

Country: CA

Director: Graeme Mathieson

Writer: Graeme Mathieson, Brina Romanek

Cast: Jay Douglas, Jackie Richardson, Lowell 'Sly' Dunbar, Rollie "Cadence Weapon" Pemberton, Lillian Allen, Klive Walker

Production: Ultramagnetic Productions, TVO, Knowledge Network