From reggae to dub, jungle, and grime, Jamaican-inspired music has had a massive impact on British culture and identity. And that's thanks in no small part to the contributions of the Windrush generation, who arrived on UK shores 70 years ago. Now, Bassculture Expo 70/50 — a major new exhibition hosted by The Black Music Research Unit at the University of Westminster — is paying tribute to their musical legacy.
As part of the event, which also includes over 70 hours of testimony, pop-up reggae label showcases, live performances, and talks from top industry figures, a treasure trove of never-before-seen photos will be on display. But in case you just can't wait that long, here are some of the highlights:
1. Jazz pianist Lucky Gordon, who arrived in the UK from Jamaica in the late 1940s, with Amy Winehouse in west London
2. Notting Hill Carnival goers dressed up in army gear parading with army vehicles in 1979
3. British reggae group Aswad photo session on All Saints Road, west London in 1981
4. Railton Road, Brixton in 1979, the home of Race Today — a British political magazine quoted as ‘the leading organ of Black politics'
5. Renowned dub poet Linton Kwesi Johnson with broadcaster, writer and civil rights campaigner Darcus Howe at the Race Today office on Railton Road, Brixton
6. British jazz musician Courtney Pine CBE with his band, the Jazz Warriors, performing at HMV in Oxford Street
7. Top reggae outfit Matumbi posing outside the Job Centre in Clapham
8. A reggae DJ at Notting Hill Carnival
9. Dancehall icon Sean Paul live in London
Bassculture Expo 70/50 runs 25 October-22 November 2018 at the University of Westminster. Book your free ticket here.
