Photo Credit: Stephen Williams  

A special screening for the much anticipated documentary, Play It Loud!– How Toronto Got Soul was held at The Royal Theatre on Wednesday, October 23rd. A lineup formed around the block to see the latest installment directed by Graeme Mathieson and produced by Andrew Munger. The documentary covers the life of one of Canada’s pioneering musicians, Jay Douglas. Play It Loud! tells the moving story of musicians at the epicentre of the underground Caribbean music movement, through the lens of one of its oldest players. Also featured are exclusive interviews with Sly Dunbar, Adrian Miller, Jackie Richardson, Everton “Pablo” Paul, Michael Williams, Cadence Weapon, Lillian Allen, and more.  

Born in Jamaica, Douglas first appeared on stage in Montego Bay, participating in singing competitions and even auditioning for famed Studio One label. He made the move north to Canada as a teenager during the great Caribbean immigration of the 1960’s and 1970’s alongside big names like Jackie Mittoo, Wayne McGhie, and Leroy Sibbles. Once in Canada, he quickly became known as “the kid with the voice”, earning a spot as the frontman for popular band the Cougars. Like many other Black musicians at the time, Douglas often faced musical and cultural roadblocks in the white and Anglican run city. Through his diverse talent and charismatic stage presence, Douglas has successfully maintained his career for nearly 60 years and has since mastered the genres of reggae, soul, funk, jazz, and blues.   

The screening attracted a slew of big names in the Black Canadian music scene, with several musicians who have worked with Douglas in attendance. One of those being Canada’s Queen of Reggae, Nana McLean, who was also the subject of Mathieson’s five-part docuseries released this past summer. Sounds and Pressure: Reggae in a Foreignland tells the stories of Jamaican-born talents Roy Patton and Yvonne Harris, Nana McLean, Johnny Osbourne, Jerry Brown, and Leroy Sibbles. Co-directed by Chris Flanagan, the project is now available to stream on NFB across Canada.  

For those that missed the advanced screening of Play It Loud!—How Toronto Got Soul it will be opening the 2024-2025 Doc Soup season on December 4th. A part of 2025 Hot Docs Festival, the screening will feature in attendance director Graeme Mathieson, Andrew Munger, and Jay Douglas with a live Q & A to follow moderated by Heather Haynes. A second screening will be offered on the 7th, with Mathieson and Haynes in attendance. Tickets go on sale November 7th available for purchase on their site at https://hotdocs.ca/.