On 26 April the University of Westminster and the British Library launched the Beyond the Bassline exhibition. Running until 26 August, it documents the 500-year musical journey of African and Caribbean people in Britain.
Beyond the Bassline follows a three-year partnership to research, foreground and reposition six centuries of African musical contributions to the UK. It has been curated by Dr Aleema Gray from the British Library in collaboration with Mykaell Riley, Director for the Black Music Research Unit (BMRU) and Principal Investigator for Bass Culture Research at the University of Westminster.
It is the first major exhibition to document the 500-year musical journey of African and Caribbean people in Britain. Powered by the British Library’s sound archive, one of the largest collections of sound recordings in the world, the exhibition explores the people, spaces and genres that have transformed the landscape of British music.
Traversing musical genres, from classical, gospel and jazz through to reggae, jungle and afroswing, Beyond the Bassline charts the influence of Black British musicians, creatives and entrepreneurs on popular music since the 16th-century. It also considers the role emerging technologies and the internet have played in creating, listening to and sharing music.
The exhibition spotlights the spaces – physical, digital and symbolic – that have cultivated creative expression and inspired a number of Black British music genres, from The Reno in Manchester, Bristol’s Bamboo Club, Scottish club night The Reggae Klub and The Four Aces in London, to carnivals, community centres and record shops across the country.
To accompany Beyond the Bassline there will be a rich programme of public events across the UK, including live performances, club takeovers by No Signal, Touching Bass and Queer Bruk, as well as in conversation events with eminent singer-songwriters Eddy Grant and Joan Armatrading.
About the exhibition Associate Professor Mykaell Riley, said: “Beyond the Bassline is both a celebration and a starting point, spotlighting the rich legacy of African and Caribbean influences in British music. Yet, this is just the beginning. There's much more to uncover in our ongoing quest to understand and honour the depth of Black British music's impact, on British musical heritage.”
Dr Aleema Gray, lead curator of Beyond the Bassline at The British Library, added: “The exhibition represents a timely opportunity to broaden our understanding of Black British music and situate it within a historical conversation. Black British music is more than a soundtrack. It has formed part of an expansive cultural industry that transformed British culture.”
This exhibition contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: Quality Education and 10: Reduced Inequalities. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Tickets are available now. There are limited free tickets available for Westminster students and colleagues using the code BTBWESTMINSTER at registration.
Find out more about Music at the University of Westminster.
