The 2009 edition of the Montreal Jazz Festival paid tribute to the precursor of Reggae, Rocksteady by inviting many legendary artists to perform and featuring a documentary entitled "Rocksteady" which faithfully explained the roots of the genre and what it evolved into, from many different angles.

On the 7th of July, many greats such as: Ken Boothe, Marcia Griffiths, Stranger Cole, Judy Mowatt, Hopeton Lewis, Scully, Bongo Herman, the Tamlins and others graced the festival with a fantastic performance in front of thousands of people.

The performance, which was held on the main outdoor stage of the festival, featured classics such as "Stop That Train", "Shanty Town", "People Rocksteady" and many more.

One fact that made this concert memorable was that the varied instrumentation. From brass to percussion to back-up vocals, the essential elements of the genre were put forward and it was no surprise that the audience was mesmerized by what was happening on stage.

In conclusion, people who were there were fortunate to see some of the pioneers and veterans of the Jamaican music of the scene perform at a very high level.