Play It Loud
How Toronto Got Soul

Early 1960s Toronto was a predominantly white, Anglo-centric city. Beneath its conservative exterior, a Jamaican diaspora—including Jackie Mittoo, Wayne McGhie and teenage Jay Douglas—built a vibrant music scene, battling racism and indifference to leave an indelible but underappreciated mark on Canadian music and culture. Six decades later, Douglas continues to carry the torch for Jamaican music, finally receiving the recognition and respect he has long deserved.

Play It Loud! is a feature documentary that tells the little-known story of how Jamaican music became an unlikely but integral part of Canadian culture. Through the life, music, struggles and triumphs of beloved Jamaican-Canadian singer Jay Douglas, the film explores the migration that helped make Canada a world-renowned hub for Jamaican music, despite its limited recognition at home. Born Clive Pinnock in rural Jamaica to a single mother, Douglas began performing professionally at 17 and, nearly 60 years later, is more popular than ever.