Clash of the Titans; A Night of Reggae Royalty

BY: SIMONE JENNIFER SMITH 

It is not a coincidence that Saturday, March 2^nd, 2019, was declared Titans of Reggae Day; it was also the day that hundreds of reggae fans from across the GTA filled the Opera House in downtown Toronto, to celebrate the journey of one of the most popular genres of music in the world; Reggae. Rooted in the Eglinton West neighbourhood, the Toronto reggae scene blossomed in the 1970s after a wave of Jamaican immigrants made their home here in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Saturday night was a commemoration of great artists, representing the past, present, and future of reggae.

Titans of Reggae was an incredibly orchestrated event put on by Andrew Craig, Founder and Artistic Director of Culchahworks. Andrew Craig is a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, producer, director, composer, and broadcaster who has had the great fortune to work in multiple musical genres and has collaborated with artists in a cornucopia of disciplines. His collaborations include working with artists Molly Johnson and Wynton Marsalis, and his considerable reputation as a Musical Director ties him to productions including Harbourfront’s tribute to Quincy Jones, two performances for Nelson Mandela at the Rogers Centre, and music compositions for OMNI Television.

Andrew established Culchahworks in 2013, which is a Toronto-based, not-for-profit organization mandated to celebrate stories drawn from the African- Canadian, Caribbean-Canadian and African-American experience. The Culchahworks team has successfully managed to engage the community through live concert presentations, musical theatre, dance, film, and television documentaries, all the while preserving and honoring African culture and heritage. Members of the Culchahworks team include: Chair, Francesca Accinelli, a woman with in-depth knowledge and passion about Canadian television and film, the beautiful Sandra Whiting, a renowned speaker who has found a way to convey important messages using the art of storytelling, and finally, Joy Bullen who has given back to her community by helping organizations achieve their goals through a combination of fundraising, project management, strategic planning, and relationship building.

With such a power-packed team, it was no wonder that Saturday night turned out to be such a momentous occasion. The concert captured audiences of all ages, race, and culture with dynamic and entertaining artists. One extremely helpful element of the night was the mini video introductions that allowed the artists to share their experiences in the industry and provided perspective for the lovers of the reggae music scene. The rest of this article will highlight some of the artists and their innumerable accomplishments.

Wilburn Theodore Cole AKA STRANGER COLE
Jamaican Ska and Reggae legend Stranger Cole migrated to Toronto in the early 1970s and went on to establish the first Caribbean business in Kensington Market.

JAY DOUGLAS
His over 45 years of entertainment was evident on Saturday as he combined American Blues, West Indian Rhythms, Jazz, some fancy footwork, and an incredible on-stage charisma that is usually reserved for a man half his age. Jay has performed around the world, and at annual Toronto events including the Beaches Jazz Festival, Jerk Fest, Canadian National Exhibition, Yonge and Dundas Square, and the Taste of Lawrence.

WILLI WILLIAMS
Born 1953, in Saint Ann Parish, Jamaica, Willi Williams is a Jamaican Reggae and Dub musician and producer. He received the nickname the Armagideon Man, after his hit, “Armagideon Time,” which was first recorded in 1977 at the infamous Studio One in Kingston.

JASON WILSON
When we talk about reggae crossing cultural, and racial lines, we have to talk about Jason Wilson who is a: two-time Juno-Award nominee, Canadian Reggae Music Award Winner, four-time Reggae Music Achievement Award nominee, and a Best-Selling Canadian Historian who hails from Downsview, Ontario. You would never suspect that Jason, who was born to Scottish immigrants, would find a way to synergize Folk music and Reggae music in such a uniquely artistic way.

One thing we cannot do is forget the fierceness of the Queens who were present that night. Let us take a look at some of the wonderful women of Canadian Reggae.

NANA MCLEAN
Born in 1960, and hailing from Jamaica, West Indies, McLean was a childhood sensation and won various local carnival contests. Like many greats before her, Mclean made her debut recording sessions at Studio One in 1977. Her very appearance on stage last Saturday sent the crowd into an uproar, which was felt in the upper rafters.

LIBERTY SILVER
At the age of 12, Liberty Silver made history when she opened for Reggae legend Bob Marley. Since then, she has won a multitude of awards and is renowned for her six-plus octave range.

TANYA MULLINGS
It is no surprise that this Dancehall Reggae Diva followed in her father’s footsteps. Tanya began her career in 1989, and since then has been the recipient of 11 Canadian Reggae Award, and five Caribbean Crucible Awards.

LEROY SIBBLES
The night would have not been complete without the vocal stylings of the great Leroy Sibbles. Sibbles initially gained fame as the leader of The Heptones. He went on to a successful solo career and remains an international Reggae favorite.

Some of the other highlighted and featured artists that night included: Ossie D, Jimmy Reid, Otis Gayle, Bernie Pitters, Everton “Pablo” Paul, The Mystics, Roy & Yvonne Panton, Carol Brown, and Glen Washington. It is an outstanding accomplishment to see that this small reggae scene that sprouted in the 1960s and 1970s, gave genesis to artists and sounds that continue to influence the reggae audience to this very day. Great job Culchahworks for bringing such a powerful event to the city of Toronto.