Toronto sound

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The Toronto sound was a characteristic

Musicians typically played in two areas of

History

Originators

A list of predominant groups of the era included Little Caesar and the Consuls,

Non-union musicians

The popular Toronto-based,

The Marc Tymes, cited by Jay Shepherd as Toronto's #1 non-union R&B band of the day in the Scarborough Mirror, (June 19, 1968, Page 17A), and many others such as the Blue Notes and The Corlaines, entertained Toronto audiences in various venues across the city and Southern Ontario.

Many of these bands played purely for the love of the music and for very little money. The Corlaines, for example, was formed mainly from Alderwood Collegiate Institute music students. They appeared at a variety of venues across southern Ontario (specifically Toronto and Mississauga). They started as a pure rock and roll band and evolved, adding

Since the musicians were very young, often high school students, and lacked finances, the basics were simplified somewhat. Instrumentation was largely singer, lead guitar, sax, drums, bass and piano. Very few could afford a B3 organ -the Blue Notes were the first in the west end to be able to have this sound - most used the piano provided amplified with a contact microphone. Sets were influenced by bands such as Robbie Lane and Little Caeser and the Consuls and were heavy on Ray Charles, James Brown, Jimmy Reed, Sam Cooke and other major US R&B performers.

Also popular were "Battle of the Bands" events where non-union musicians gathered to compete for top honors at venues such as The Pavilion in Oshawa, Ontario. Their shows included both black lights and strobes for special effect. Usually all backup band members dressed in identical suits, often fashionably double breasted, while the singer/front man wore an alternative to offset him/her from the rest of the group. Their musical talents were primarily showcased in the form of cover versions of the popular R&B songs of the day. Instruments included drums, lead, bass, and rhythm guitars, organ, often a Hammond B3, a two to five piece horn section all showcasing a front man/soul singer. These non-union performers were as important, if not more important, than union bands in exposing Toronto youth under the age of majority to what developed into the Toronto sound.

Clubs in which the Toronto sound was developed

Yorkville

• The Riverboat
• The Purple Onion
• The Devil's Den
• El Patio
• The Penny Farthing
• The Mynah Bird
• Chez Monique
• The Embassy Tavern
• Boris's
• The Owl's Nest
• The Flick

On Yonge Street (from Bloor to King Street)