Play It Loud! How Toronto Got Soul

Not all heroes wear caps. But Jay Douglas does. Born in Montego Bay, Jay came to Canada in the 1960s as a teenager and brought the DNA of reggae with him. As lead singer for The Cougars, he spearheaded Caribbean soul, ska and funk on the Toronto Yonge Street scene, touring hard and fast, but getting precious little airplay. Despite a voice to die for, dapper looks and charisma to spare, Canada wasn’t quite ready for Jay. He never stopped strutting his stuff, on cruise ships, in clubs, at banquets, but it wasn’t until 2006 and hip-hop’s discovery of Wayne McGhie’s Dirty Funk that The Cougars found belated fame and respect.

Still going strong, Jay Douglas proves the perfect guide to this seriously grooving reclamation of Canadian soul and funk history. Featuring interviews with reggae producer Sly Dunbar, vocalist Jackie Richardson, Cadence Weapon (Rollie Pemberton), former MuchMusic host Michael Williams and many others, and the music of Bob Marley, Bo Diddley, James Brown, The Cougars, and Wayne McGhie, Play It Loud! is an energizing music doc and an engaging slice of social history.

Special guests (Friday only): Jay Douglas and producer Andrew Munger

An entertaining celebration of one of the key architects of the Toronto sound, Play It Loud delivers a fitting tribute to a man who brought joy and a sense of community one song at a time.

8/10 Courtney Small, Exclaim!