Prof Mykaell Riley
Current: 2024-2025: Music Director for the 1st & 2nd hit BBC TV series Boarders generating 35 IMDB credits for UoW students. Curator Beyond the Bassline, 500 years of Black British music exhibition at the British Library/ National Sound Archive – Academic Board member for the Museum of London - Independent Governor at Leeds Arts - External Examiner Trinity Laban - Editorial Board popular music /Cambridge Elements - Trustee for Tavaziva Dance
Background - Mykaell's career started as a founder member of the British roots Reggae band Steel Pulse who went onto receive a Grammy. Over the years he has performed, managed, produced and arranged for many successful artists. As a writer/producer, Mykaell's work has encompassed TV, Film and Theatre, resulting in over eleven UK top twenty positions, and three UK number ones including; Mark Morrison, E 17, and Soul 2 Soul. He also formed Britain's first black pop string section, the Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra, and composed extensively for the BBC, ITV, SKY, Endemol and Netflix.
Central to Mykaell's research is his work on mapping Black British music. Bass Culture is a response to the disengagement and lack of education surrounding the heritage of Jamaican and Jamaican-influenced music in Britain over the last six decades. Jamaican music is recognised as a key catalyst in integration and multiculturalism in London and beyond. An understanding of the contribution made by the Jamaican community is also vital for anyone researching and performing popular music production, dance, and fashion
Related Activities - In 2004, he Co-authored the first National Jazz report and the Value of Jazz2 for Jazz Services in 2009 and contributed to Black British Jazz report 2009-2011. In 2016, he received the first major Arts Humanities Research Council award titled 'Bass Culture', to research the impact of Jamaican music in Britain. In his first research output, he championed the Grime Report in partnership with Ticketmaster, which resulted in a change in government legislation in 2017. He staged the Bass Culture Exhibition, the UK's largest photographic exhibit on the impact and influence of Jamaican music on Britain - highlighting the Windrush generation's contribution to British culture. 2019 saw the première of 'Bass Culture' documentary. Mykaell now sits on the academic board for the Museum of London, Brent 2020's No Base Like Home and is a trustee for Tavaziva Dance and Finding. Rhythms.
In addition, he's consulted and or collaborated on projects for; the Mayor of London, Arts Council England, The British Museum, The Maritime Museum, Museum of London the V&A and Brent Council.
