As part of QUBAMCP (Arts Management & Cultural Policy at Queen's) Cultural Decisonmakers’ series, we present Dr.Mykaell Riley, Co-Curator of the first Black British music exhibition entitled Beyond the Bassline: 500 years of Black British Music in 2024 at the British Library/ National Sound Archive to discussed The Making of the First Black British Music Exhibition.

Talk Topic:

In 2024, the first exhibition to document the 500-year musical journey of African and Caribbean people in Britain opened at the British Library and local libraries across the UK.

The British Library is home to one of the largest collections of sound recordings in the world. Beyond the Bassline utilised this archive, to explores the people, spaces and genres that have transformed the landscape of British music. It included such gems such as handwritten accounts from 1512 listing the materials for the wedding outfit of John Blanke, the earliest recorded musician of African descent in Britain – a gift from King Henry VIII to Stormzy’s signed set list for his iconic Glastonbury performance in 2019. Mykaell discusses the journey from the AHRC-funded Bass Culture projectto this historical undertaking Beyond the Basslines and what it means for Britishness, British music, and Blackness in 2025. Additionally, it includes a discussion of practice-based research and discussions on the societal impact of research.

Speaker Bio:

Mykaell Riley is Co-Curator of the first Black British music exhibition entitled Beyond the Bassline: 500 years of Black British Music in 2024 at the British Library/ National Sound Archive. He is founder and director of the Black Music Research Unit (BMRU) at the University of Westminster in 2012. Mykaell’s career started as a founding member of the Grammy Award-winning British roots reggae band, Steel Pulse. Mykaell’s music work includes three UK number ones and work with Soul 2 Soul and Mark Morrison. Additionally, he also formed Britain’s first Black pop orchestra, the Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra. Mykaell’s work has encompassed TV, film and theatre, including his current role as Music Director for hit BBC TV series, Boarders. Besides all this, he also sits on academic board of the Museum of London and is an Independent Governor at Leeds Arts.