The Rex in the 80's

The Rex in the 80's

The Rex is the longest standing jazz club in Toronto, white owned and operated by the Ross family who opened the door in 1951 as a hotel and jazz club. Although it was never blatantly segregated, Toronto citizens felt that “By and large these spaces were intimidating as one might imagine for a young African audience. It may not have been so much that the African audience member would have experience blatant and overt racism, it was the strong sense of the unspoken “this is not your space” even if the intention was otherwise.” (Frank Francis, “Getting To The Trane," 26) The white owners would have to choose who to hire for the night's performance, and  did not often choose Black musicians, unless they possessed statues.

Bob Ross

Bob Ross. The Rex. The Rex History, c. 1980.

The Rex History

c. 1980

The Rex

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