Bass Culture:  The Influence of Reggae on British Music.
Wed 15 Feb - SOLD OUT

Book Now - SOLD OUT

Chair:  Mykaell Riley - Steel Pulse/University of Westminster
Robbo Ranx – DJ BBC Radio 1xtra (UK)
Mikey Dread – Channel One Sound System
Curtis Lynch – Producer
Lea Anna - Artist

Leading figures in the UK reggae scene explore the journey of reggae music from Jamaica to the UK, discussing the influence of the sound and its impact on contemporary British music and culture.  Produced in association with Punch Records.

Tickets: £2
Time: 7pm - 9pm

Graphic artist Swifty and journalist Paul Bradshaw will also preview their new exhibition of posters, photographs, art and reggae memorabilia during the panel discussion.

MYKAELL RILEY
Mykaell S Riley has had a career in music for over thirty years, starting out with Steel Pulse, who went on to win a Grammy. As a professional writer/producer, Mykaell’s work has encompassed TV, Film, Theatre and over twenty music albums including Bjork, Jamiroquai, Soul II Soul - resulting in over eleven top twenty positions, and three number ones. He is the founder of Britain's first black orchestra, The Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra - for which he wrote and produced three albums and co-produced a documentary. Mykaell is Head of Music Production, at University of Westminster, where he has assisted in the development of the commercial music course over the last 15 years.

MIKEY DREAD
Mikey Dread is the sole DJ of Channel One Sound System. Mikey and his brother Jah T started playing out with their sound system, passed down to them from their father in 1979. Channel One Sound System took its name from the records that Mikey was playing, mainly from the Channel One studio in Jamaica.  Channel One started playing at Notting Hill Carnival in 1983 and their reputation started to grow from this point. Inspired by Bob Marley's ethos of uniting people through reggae music, Mikey Dread was keen to introduce new people to dub reggae music and started touring around universities, where he secured a solid fan base. Now Mikey Dread and MC Ras Kayleb play with and without the sound system to venues and festivals all over the world. In 2010 Channel One won the Red Bull Culture Clash, cementing their place as one of the UK’s leading urban music acts, as well as being one of the world's best-known roots reggae sound systems. 

ROBBO RANX
Known to the Reggae world as Robbo Ranx, Roger Robinson has grown to be the UK’s biggest Dancehall selectors and one of the most enduring characters on British radio. His talent as a selector has expanded to almost every major city in the UK and Europe as well as increasing International popularity in the US, Africa, the Carribean and Japan. His ground breaking show Dancehall Splurt provoked one of the largest radio figures on the BBC with millions of listeners world wide, live and online, earning him three Sony Radio Awards for the best weekly show and two best live event. Robbo has extended his expertise to television, presenting the weekly Dancehall music show Turn it Up on UK’s Channel U music network.

CURTIS LYNCH
Curtis Lynch is the main producer and label founder of Necessary Mayhem. Prior to launching his own label, Lynch worked with some of the biggest artists in the world including the Gorillaz, Alicia Keys, Etana, Tippa Irie, Shola Ama, Brinsley Forde formerly of Aswad, and legendary producer Gussie Clarke(of Shabba's 'Mr Lover Man' fame). Necessary Mayhem launched in London, April 2006 with the intent of being totally independent of record company involvement allowing total creative control for not only the label manager but also the lyrical and musical directions of the various artists. They are now proudly one of the biggest reggae record label across the UK and Europe consistently hit the top of the UK reggae charts.

LEA ANNA
Talented Londoner Lea Anna was first bitten by the musical bug whilst accompanying her mother (acclaimed reggae singer Debbie Gordon) to studio sessions. She immediately fell in love with it an this gave her the belief that she was born to sing. She also found musical influence in artists such as Jill Scott, Patra and Junior Gong - artists who evoked passion, great writing and high quality music. Lea Anna has managed to make big inroads in a short space of time, and she is now turning her undoubted potential into strong musical projects. A young woman, whose writing goes from strength to strength - 2012 could be the next step in something very special.