2014 Toronto Jab Jab Jouvert Highlights
Toronto Jab Jab J’Ouvert 2014 Highlights
Julianspromos was on the ground in Toronto for Jab Jab J’Ouvert 2014, capturing the mud, paint, powder, water and high-energy Soca that kicked off Toronto Caribbean Carnival weekend.
The event took place on Friday, August 1, 2014 at the Wilson Outdoor Arena in Toronto, bringing the spirit of Caribbean J’Ouvert into an outdoor nighttime celebration filled with music, live performances and thousands of revelers.
Original Julianspromos coverage was produced by Julian Hackett, with Chandelle “Chandy” De Riggs hosting on mic and bringing viewers directly into the J’Ouvert experience.
Jab Jab Comes to Toronto Carnival
Jab Jab J’Ouvert formed part of the expanded programming surrounding Toronto Caribbean Carnival in 2014, adding a dedicated J’Ouvert-style experience to Carnival Friday.
The celebration drew heavily from the traditions associated with J’Ouvert throughout the Caribbean, replacing elaborate Carnival costumes with an atmosphere built around paint, powder, mud, oil, water and freedom of expression.
At Wilson Outdoor Arena, revelers immersed themselves in the experience while Soca played throughout the night and into the early morning.
Live Soca Performances
The 2014 event brought a strong lineup of Caribbean performers to Toronto.
Original Julianspromos coverage featured appearances and performances from K Rich, JW & Blaze, Blaxx, Bunji Garlin, Fay-Ann Lyons, Lavaman, Tallpree, Skinny Fabulous and Iwer George.
The lineup brought together artists from several Caribbean islands, with Grenadian Jab and Power Soca playing an especially natural role in the J’Ouvert atmosphere.
Chandy on the Road
With Chandy representing Julianspromos on mic and Julian capturing the event behind the camera, the coverage continued the company’s growing approach to Caribbean entertainment media during this period.
Rather than simply filming performances from a stage, Julianspromos placed its correspondent directly into the celebration, capturing the crowd, personalities, music and spontaneous moments surrounding the event.
The Toronto J’Ouvert coverage became another part of Chandy’s expanding media work with Julianspromos, which during this period included Carnival coverage, interviews, photography and Caribbean entertainment reporting.
Toronto Caribbean Carnival Weekend 2014
Jab Jab J’Ouvert took place on the eve of the Toronto Caribbean Carnival Grand Parade, which followed on Saturday, August 2.
The wider 2014 festival marked the 47th year of Toronto’s Caribbean Carnival tradition and featured several weeks of mas, Soca, Calypso, steelpan, cultural events and live entertainment across the city.
Jab Jab J’Ouvert helped set the tone for the main Carnival weekend, giving Soca fans a high-energy celebration before the masquerade bands took over Exhibition Place and Lake Shore Boulevard the following day.
Original Julianspromos Coverage
Toronto Jab Jab J’Ouvert 2014 forms part of an important period in Julianspromos’ multimedia history.
With Julian behind the camera and Chandy hosting, the footage demonstrates how Julianspromos was expanding beyond music promotion into original on-the-ground Carnival and entertainment coverage across multiple markets.
Those experiences would help lay the foundation for the larger international multimedia expansion that followed in 2015.
From the Julianspromos Archives
Toronto Jab Jab J’Ouvert 2014 Highlights is preserved as part of the Julianspromos Archives, documenting years of original Soca, Carnival and Caribbean entertainment coverage.
Explore more original Carnival footage, live performances, artist interviews and cultural moments from throughout the history of Julianspromos.
