From dingy dive bars to iconic high-end clubs, Toronto’s streets buzzed with the sounds of thumping double basses, crooning vocals, and blaring saxophones throughout the 1980s. Jazz, blues, soul, and ska became the soundtrack for many Torontonians looking for an atmospheric night out, gradually shaping the cultural identity of a city finding its rhythm. While this musical landscape is a bygone era, glimpses of those memorable nights live on through photographs such as those found in the Collingwood Collection, currently being processed at the Toronto Metropolitan University Archives and Special Collections.
Spanning the 1940s to the 1990s, the Collingwood Collection consists of thousands of photographic negatives, prints, and textual records, many documenting Toronto’s evolving cultural landscape. Among them are images from local jazz venues such as The Brunswick House and Bourbon St., as well as captivating portraits of performers like The Mighty Pope, Sarah Vaughan, and Jay McShann. These images not only preserve moments in time, but they also offer insight into the broader cultural currents that shaped the city.
At the heart of Toronto’s Annex neighbourhood stood The Brunswick House. Founded in 1876, it was originally established as a hotel before becoming a tavern known as “Ye Olde Brunswick House” in 1920. By 1961, the building was purchased by Morris and Albert Nightingale who turned it into an English-style pub known affectionately as “The Brunny.” While presently remembered for the 1974 Brunswick Four incident—in which four lesbian women were arrested during an amateur performance night—the venue also stood as a hub for college-aged patrons, known for its loud music, cheap beer, and chaotic energy. Despite this, Albert Hall, nestled quietly on the second floor of The Brunny, fostered a more intimate experience, attracting local and international performers such as Gordon Lightfoot, Etta James, Oscar Peterson, Blossom Dearie, and Jeff Buckley. From the Collingwood Collection comes this striking picture of American jazz pianist, vocalist, and composer Jay McShann, standing mid-performance while playing the saxophone, thus solidifying Albert Hall as an important stop along the North American jazz circuit during its heyday.
Offering a much different atmosphere than The Brunswick House, a club known as Bourbon Street, run by George’s Spaghetti House owner, Doug Cole, stood on Queen Street West in the early 1970s. Providing an upscale ambiance and refined experience, 180 Queen St. W, sharing a location with Basin Street and George’s Italian Café, was best known for hosting a variety of American mainstream and modern jazz talents including Jim Hall and Paul Desmond, who both recorded live albums in the venue. Collingwood captured two captivating Bourbon Street performances in the 1980s, the early 1980s; Swing duo Warren Vaché and Scott Hamilton are photographed in 1982 playing mere inches from diners, while bebop trumpeter Clark Terry is captured in 1984 in front of a valentine’s day “Love Nite” event poster.
Of all the artists photographed in the Collingwood Collection, one figure stands out for his electrifying stage presence: The Mighty Pope. Born Earle Heedram in Lucea, Jamaica in 1948, he immigrated to Canada in 1965 and quickly became a “mighty” voice in Canadian soul and R&B. Photographed in an unknown venue in July 1982, fist clenched, expression intense, and dressed in a satin shirt, The Mighty Pope embodied charisma and vulnerability on stage, qualities that made him a late-twentieth century heartthrob and magnetic live performer. Over his career, he played at iconic venues like Le Coq d’Or and the Hawk’s Nest, offering a soulful touch to Toronto’s nightlife.
Decades may have passed since these clubs echoed with music and applause, but the Collingwood Collection preserves the spirit of Toronto’s live music scene through its impactful, kinetic images. These photographs remind us that fleeting performances leave behind lasting traces, allowing future generations to glimpse the faces, venues, and sounds that helped shape Toronto’s identity.
Scroll through the gallery to see more from the Collingwood Collection.
References
“George’s Jazz Room.” The Canadian Encyclopedia, February 7, 2006. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/georges-jazz-room-emc.
Greenberg, Courtney. “From 1874 until Today, the Brunswick House Has Seen Many Faces.” Toronto Guardian, July 12, 2017. https://torontoguardian.com/2017/06/brunswick-house-rexall.
Marie, Denise. “George’s Spaghetti House – Canada’s Premier Live Jazz Club.” TorontoJourney416, September 2, 2024. https://www.torontojourney416.com/georges-spaghetti-house/.
“The Mighty Pope.” Canada Black Music Archives, October 7, 2024. https://thecbma.com/artists/the-mighty-pope/.