When Jackie Mittoo and Leroy Sibbles migrated from Jamaica to Toronto in the early 1970s, the musicians brought reggae with them, sparking the flames of one of Canada’s most vibrant music scenes. Professional reggae musician and scholar Jason Wilson tells the story of how reggae brought black and white youth together, opening up a cultural dialogue between Jamaican migrants and Canadians along the city’s ethnic frontlines. This underground subculture rebelled against the status quo, broke through the bonds of race, eased the acculturation process, and made bands such as Messenjah and the Sattalites household names for a brief but important time.

Jason Wilson

is an award-winning Canadian author and musician. He is a two-time Juno Award nominee and is currently completing his Ph.D. at the University of Guelph. Author of four books, including

Lord Stanley: The Man Behind the Cup

(2006), Wilson has been published on various topics, including Canada and the First World War, hockey, and music.

Jason Wilson's profile page

• Winner, Joseph Brant Award, Ontario Historical Society

...maybe the most comprehensive focus on reggae and Jamaican culture in Canada's most populous city.

Jamaica Observer

King Alpha's Song in a Strange Land is a vital contribution to scholarship on reggae and Canadian music and culture... Wilson disrupts many notions asasociated with reggae, leaving readers with a deeper appreciation for the music in Canada and all over the world.

CAML Review