Black History Month and the Musical Legacy of Victoria Hall

Thursday, February 1, 2024, marks the start of Black History Month. This year, we mark this month by remembering some cool, musical history that has its roots right here in our City. Do you know which jazz star began to truly take off with their performances in Westmount?

Our very own Victoria Hall was host to some trailblazing, black, Canadian musicians in its heyday as a popular concert and dancing venue. According to information gathered by the Westmount Historical Association, “the first black Canadian band leader, Myron (Myrnie) Sutton, led his popular Canadian Ambassadors in three Saturday afternoon concerts [at Victoria Hall] on April 19, May 3 and 17, 1941”.*

At its peak in the 1940s, crowds would line up for hours outside Victoria Hall on Saturdays to dance the night away in the jam packed 800-person capacity Hall. From 1942, a young Oscar Peterson began performing there. He drew such a crowd that he became the only member of the Johnny Holmes’ orchestra, besides Johnny himself, to be paid a living wage for playing with the band. Peterson was a regular soloist performer at Victoria Hall for six years.** The Willis piano on which he played could still be found in Victoria Hall until recently. It was only in 2018, when the piano could no longer be tuned, that it was finally replaced.

Throughout Black History Month, let us embrace and uplift the diverse perspectives and talents of the black community. May this month be a source of inspiration to keep pushing toward a future without discrimination, racism or hate.

Learn more and discover some good reads with the Westmount Public Library’s reading list for Black History Month.

Sources:
*Westmount Historical Association Newsletter, September 2005 (p.6)
**A View of Their Own, by Aline Gubbay (p.127-128)