A native of Hamilton, Ontario, Jay Speziale fell in love with music at the age of six. After years of accordion instruction, Jay “couldn’t take it anymore” and talked his father into letting him take drum lessons. After a stint in local marching bands, and yet another instrumental switch (this time to bass), Jay started a band and learned all the music of — shades of things to come! — Chicago, Lighthouse, Blood, Sweat & Tears and Sly and the Family Stone.

Jay moved to Toronto in 1977, and began his full-time playing career in earnest. He co-founded the acclaimed R&B band Backstreet in 1985, and played with sixties greats Billy J. Kramer, Lou Christie, Del Shannon, the Mamas and the Papas, Peter Noone, Ben E. King, the Marvelettes, Leslie Gore, The Drifters, The Platters and Tommy Roe.

After Backstreet disbanded in 1997, Jay toured with multi-platinum rock vocalist Sass Jordan for several years. A busy freelancer live and in studios nationwide, Jay takes great satisfaction from his membership in Brass Transit: “I find it amazing that my life has come full circle. Here I am playing the very music that made me want to play in the first place!”