Shows
Friday, October 11th, 2024 | 8:00 PM @ Jazz Bistro
Toronto, get ready for a historic night of music!
Two of Toronto’s most iconic performers—Jay Douglas and Bobby Dean Blackburn—will share the stage for a once-in-a-lifetime performance, celebrating their incredible careers spanning eight decades.
Jay Douglas: A 3-time Juno nominee, bandleader, and music producer, Jay has performed at festivals worldwide and collaborated with reggae legends like Beres Hammond, Freddie McGregor, and Ziggy Marley. He’s also played a key role in establishing Toronto’s Reggae Lane.
Bobby Dean Blackburn: A revolutionary blues and gospel singer, known as the first Black entertainer on Yonge St. His career has shaped the city’s music scene, and he continues to shine alongside his Juno-nominated sons’ band, Blackburn.
This special event kicks off at 8:00 PM Friday October 11th, and it’s your chance to witness two living legends perform together for one unforgettable night.
MONTY Alexander 80th Birthday Celebration CONCERT - OCT 19th
SATURDAY October 19, 2024 | 8:00 PM @ KOERNER HALL
Monty Alexander 80th Birthday CELEBRATION CONCERT
and THe Jay Douglas All-Stars
The legendary pianist and composer performs music from his latest release D-Day to celebrate his 80th birthday.
Local reggae legend Jay Douglas opens the shoW
In 2022, Monty Alexander was awarded the national honor of the Order of Jamaica for “Sterling Contributions to the Promotions of Jamaican Music and the Jazz Genre Interpretations Globally.” Recognized as one of the greatest living jazz pianists, Monty Alexander is an American classic, touring the world relentlessly and delighting a global audience. He is a perennial favorite at the Montreux Jazz Festival where he has appeared 23 times since 1976. His spirited conception is informed by endless melody-making, effervescent grooves, sophisticated voicings, a romantic spirit, and a consistent predisposition to build up the heat and kick up a storm.
Juno Award nominee Jay Douglas has performed at various festivals worldwide, including Rastafest Festival in Toronto and the 4 Seasons Reggae Cruise in Atlanta, Georgia. He has worked with international reggae stars such as Beres Hammond, Freddie McGregor, Marcia Griffiths, Luciano, Ken Boothe, Leroy Sibbles, Fab5 Band, General Tree, Jesse “Dub Matix” King, Ziggy Marley, Lyn Tait, and the great Ernest Ranglin.
New Release
Lovers Paradise (The Best Of)
Jah Children
Stone In Love With You
New Release
If you have a hankering for Jump Blues, Chicago Big Band Blues, Soulful Ballads, New Orleans Rhythm and Blues then Jay Douglas’ new album “Confession” has your perfect choice of selections with music that will touch your soul.
REVIEWS
I loved this album. Jay Douglas is a gem. He is a superb singer and entertainer and he’s filled this album with a lot of great music with almost forty artists playing and singing with him. I’m sorry I did not name each and every one of them for space reasons, but suffice it to say they all do a fantastic job as they and Jay give us ten wonderful covers and four songs of his own crafting. I really enjoyed this one because Douglas is a great singer (as are his supporting vocalists) and his bands are excellent. I recommend this one to anyone who wants to hear someone pay tribute to his musical roots in in a delightful and truly entertaining way!
Steve Jones – BLUES BLAST MAGAZINE
Today Jay is beginning to be recognized more often as audiences have come to acknowledge his legacy, having moved like a cat through music styles, fluid and graceful honouring his mentors. With the release of “Confession”, Jay Douglas is bound to be recognized properly as a music pioneer and champion. If you love funky soul blues, you need to get to Confession!
Derek Andrews – Maple Blues Magazine
NEWS
“CONFESSION” selected CFBX Top Ten Blues Albums for Winter 2022
“CONFESSION” – #16 Most Played album Top 40 – July 2022 (Playlists /of The Independent Blues Broadcasters Association)
“CONFESSION”- #5 The Roots Music Report’s Top 50 Chicago Blues Album Chart for the Week of Sep 10, 2022
“CONFESSION” – #8 The Roots Music Report’s Top 50 Canadian Album Chart for the Week of Sep 10, 2022
INTERVIEWS
About Jay
Jay Douglas is a 3 times Juno Awards nominee, a music producer and band leader of the Jay Douglas All-Star Band. He has performed at various festivals worldwide, including the likes of Rastafest Festival in Toronto and the 4 Seasons Reggae Cruise in Atlanta, Georgia.
He has worked with international reggae stars such as Beres Hammond, Freddie McGregor, Marcia Griffiths, Luciano, Ken Boothe, Leroy Sibbles, Fab5 Band, General Tree, Jesse “Dub Matix” King, Ziggy Marley, Lyn Tait and the great Ernest Ranglin. Jay has been involved in a lot of community work including working with Councillor Josh Colle to establish Reggae Lane in Toronto.
His professional career was ignited as the frontman of “The Cougars”, a popular group in the Caribbean nightclub scene in both Toronto and Montreal that performed regularly throughout the 60’s and 70’s playing a mix Ska, Rock Steady, Reggae, Rhythm and Blues, Soul and Funk.
As a solo artist Jay has performed around the world
VIDEOS
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