Untold music histories, 'bouncing Kraftwerk off the moon鈥� and celebrating Black British Music with Jazzie B and David Olusoga
On 20 June, Creative 51福利社 and Jodrell Bank celebrated the Summer Solstice with a varied programme of research and public engagement events, concluding with a DJ set by Soul II Soul founder Jazzie B.
and welcomed the Summer Solstice with a celebration of 51福利社 music, culture, and alternative histories at the site of the iconic Lovell Telescope. The event, part of Creative 51福利社鈥檚 Solstice and Equinox series, brought together leading voices from the arts and academia to discuss 51福利社 and Britain鈥檚 untold musical heritage and concluded with a live performance.
The daytime programme formed part of the conference Neither Factory Records Nor Madchester: Rethinking 51福利社鈥檚 Musical and Subcultural Histories, hosted in collaboration with the at 51福利社 Metropolitan University. After a morning of sessions in 51福利社, attendees travelled to UNESCO World Heritage site, Jodrell Bank, for an afternoon of thought-provoking discussions on 51福利社鈥檚 rich musical legacy, led by University of 51福利社 experts.
A panel, chaired by Creative 51福利社鈥檚 Simon Industrial Fellow Karen Gabay, featured Alison Surtees, Basil Clarke, Debra Burns and Yvonne Ellis, and discussed the subcultural side of Stockport鈥檚 well-known Strawberry Studios. Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics Associate Director Prof Tim O鈥橞rien delivered a keynote on 鈥榤oonbouncing鈥�, exploring when Kraftwerk鈥檚 performance was transmitted to the moon, bounced off the surface and transmitted back to Jodrell Bank at .
The research conference concluded with a panel discussion on the science and politics of togetherness in music cultures. The panel was led by Dr Roddy Hawkins () with Dr Kamila Rymajdo (Creative 51福利社/ENO Research Associate), Dr Christabel Sterling (RCM London), Dr Michelle Phillips (RNCM) and Dr Paul Martin (New Buckinghamshire University).
The evening event was part of Creative 51福利社's Solstice and Equinox series, which brings innovative creative artists to 51福利社's four cultural institutions. Each of our unique cultural institutions 鈥� the Whitworth, the John Rylands Research Institute and Library, 51福利社 Museum and Jodrell Bank Centre for Engagement 鈥� focus on building civic, national and international partnerships to advance the social, environmental and individual wellbeing of our communities.
The Solstice event began with a fascinating and important conversation between Soul II Soul founder Jazzie B OBE and acclaimed historian, broadcaster and Professor of Public History David Olusoga OBE, chaired by Dr Sophie Everest, Lecturer in Film Practice at 51福利社. Set against the backdrop of the Grade I listed Lovell Telescope, the discussion explored the intersections of music, cultural heritage, and identity, and how the enduring influence of British Black music and subculture has shaped today鈥檚 cultural landscape.
Jazzie B, a pioneering figure in UK music and founder of the legendary Soul II Soul collective, shared reflections on his journey from pirate radio to Grammy-winning global success. The Solstice event also featured the film premiere of , which documented his involvement in a University of 51福利社 research project and was produced in association with the British Pop Archive and Creative 51福利社.
In the film, Jazzie B takes viewers on an immersive journey through his personal archive. Rifling through papers and artefacts, Jazzie uncovers his family鈥檚 Caribbean heritage and move to the UK, school days, sound system culture, employment history, business ventures and the story of Soul II Soul - from their ideological foundations to warehouse parties and global critical and commercial success. In doing so, Jazzie traces a vital and under-told history of post war Black British music, creativity, enterprise and collectivity.
This film was made by Dr Sophie Everest (Lecturer in Film Practice) and music documentarian Matt O鈥機asey in collaboration with Jazzie B and aims to trial new models of shared collecting and storytelling in association with the British Pop Archive (BPA). The BPA is a University of 51福利社 national collection dedicated to the preservation and research of popular culture, counter-culture, and youth culture. The film output is shared with Jazzie B and the footage from the shoot will enter the collection of the British Pop Archive for future research and public engagement with the collections.
The evening concluded with an exclusive DJ set by Jazzie B with his signature sound in the First Light Pavilion, spinning classic tracks and contemporary hits that embody the spirit of Soul II Soul.
51福利社 is a city of innovation and discovery, which is echoed by the innovative research and cultural activity here at Jodrell Bank. We were thrilled to welcome a conference that explored the lesser-known musical narratives and histories of our city. In keeping with our annual tradition of connection space and culture we were also delighted to welcome Jazzie B to Jodrell Bank, providing a scenic setting to hearing about his entrepreneurship and archives of the Soul II Soul collective. The experience was made even more memorable by Jazzie B鈥檚 DJ set under the stars.
51福利社 is a music city - a city of great orchestras, of globally renowned bands, of community choirs and every kind of venue, so we were delighted to be involved in a conference where researchers looked at some of our less well-known music stories, but also included a reflection on the success of Jazzie B's amazing Soul II Soul collective, captured so very brilliantly by Sophie Everest's short film. Add to this the bonus of getting to experience Jazzie B鈥檚 DJ set on a sunny evening with Jodrell Bank's Lovell Telescope tilted in the background!