One of Toronto’s prominent soul and reggae artists is featured in a new documentary about how he and other Caribbean and Jamaican immigrants have impacted the Canadian music industry.
Jay Douglas is a singer, musician, longstanding band member of The Cougars and his own band Jay Douglas All-Star band. His new autobiographical documentary, which took over three years to complete, features Toronto poet laureate Lillian Allen, JUNO award-winning producer Eddie Bullen, and MuchMusic VJ Michael Williams.
Produced by Andrew Munger and directed by Graeme Mathieson, the documentary begins with highlighting a historically renowned program called West Indian Domestic Scheme where over 3,000 Caribbean women immigrated to Canada from 1955 to 1967 – one of those women was Douglas’s mother.
“That part shows my mother, my uncles, and all my relatives who came in those early years. It shows the domestic ladies of the 50s that paved the path for so many of us from the Caribbean,” Douglas told Now Toronto.
A decade later, Douglas’s mother was waiting with a guitar in her hands as her son touched down in Toronto.
After arriving, Douglas attended Central Technical School at Bathurst St. and Harbord St. When his mother was satisfied with his education, Douglas joined The Cougars – one of Toronto’s first Reggae bands that he still tours with to this day.
“It helped me create history – the foundation of my singing career. If you don’t have money, make history,” Douglas said.
Douglas is the first Canadian artist to sing a reggae version of “Hallelujah,” first Toronto Caribbean Carnival (aka Caribana) band member, three-time JUNO nominee, and one of the first Canadian singers to play with Elvis’s background singers, The Sweet Inspirations. He has performed at historical venues like the West Indian Federation Club, Jazz Bistro, Old Mill, Lula Lounge, and El Mocambo.
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In 1986, Douglas produced his first record with Eddie Bullen, JUNO-winning producer of “Let Your Backbone Slide” by Maestro Fresh Wes, after he spotted Douglas performing in a hotel.
Bullen – who’s produced close to 250 albums, frequently lectures and attends music conferences in Canada, and is a leader of the women’s empowerment music program Sessions in conjunction with his wife Belinda – , believes the free documentary will help second and third generation immigrants access their ancestors’ contributions to the Canadian music scene.
“For example, Eric Mercury is one of the first people to get signed in the U.S. at Stax Records, which gave way to so many other Canadians after, like Donny Hathaway, Roberta Flack. Many young Canadians don’t know this,” Bullen said.
“A lot of immigrants don’t understand the shoulders we stand on or the people who break ground, so that we can use them as a vehicle to stand on,” Bullen continued.
As part of Douglas’s cheerful approach to life, he admits to experiencing racism and discrimination early on, but it never drained his love for singing because he felt his grandparents prepared him and his siblings at the dinner table in Jamaica.
“My grandparents prepared us for the future. There was a spiritual blessing that was bestowed upon us, worshipping the creator that created the universe, the moon, and the water. They taught us what to expect and how to go about it. The answer is within yourself. The physical is temporary,” Douglas said.
The documentary also features one of the most significant moments in Douglas’ life: being Bob Marley’s runner-up, after being selected by a producer who came to audition for band members in Jamaica.
Douglas was part of the pioneering reggae artists in Canada who weren’t accepted early on because they didn’t fit into the popular music scene in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
“Most of us who came from Jamaica played Get Ready Rock Steady and Reggae…. We had to adjust and learn to play R&B, Soul, and Blues. When we did that, then we made a passage for Get Ready Rock Steady and Reggae. That’s how we helped sell [both],” Douglas said.
Bullen also adds that many of the Jamaican and Caribbean artists from Douglas’ time had to fight for a category in the JUNOs.
“Back in the day, we would never be part of the JUNOs. We were trying to do four different categories,” Bullen said.
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“Play it Loud!” features hard-to-obtain archival footage and never-seen-before photos of Jamaica and Toronto from the 1950s, where the entire crew travelled to Jamaica for filming.
“This feels good because it shows determination, discipline, desire, and decision will take you a long way…Sight is temporary, you need vision to see what the future has for you,” Douglas said.
One of the major motivating factors for the documentary is to impart knowledge and wisdom to the younger generation, according to the messenger of peace and love, which is what Douglas gratifies in referring to himself as.
“Doesn’t matter which country or where you come from. It’s all about truth. It’s for the young generation. The kids are the gem of the future and we need to teach them well. Money can’t buy love and truth.”
Douglas hopes the documentary is a resource to teach youth to be humble, encourage travelling as a way to educate yourself, and understand knowledge is power when it’s used effectively.
“All of us are blessed with a gift, we have to be wise and look within ourselves for the answer rather than looking externally.”
Douglas and the documentary crew are travelling around Canada to show the film, with his next stops at the Jamaican Canadian Association on Feb. 21, Hot Docs screening on Mar. 1, and TIFF screening on Mar. 19.
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