Jazz and Race, Past and Present Conference

10-12 November 2010
The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK

The Black British Jazz project is hosting the international conference 'Jazz and Race, Past and Present' with keynote speaker Prof Guthrie Ramsey, Pennsylvania State University and author of Race Music:Black Cultures from Bebop to Hip-Hop (2003).

Conference convenors are Catherine Tackley, What is Black British Jazz? The Open University; Jason Toynbee, What is Black British Jazz? The Open University; Tony Whyton, Salford University; Nicholas Gebhardt, Lancaster University

It's worth noting that the conference takes place immediately before the London Jazz Festival, and so could be combined with a weekend of great jazz just down the road/line in the capital.

Learning to play, learning to live: black British jazz and education - panel and discussion

18 November 2010, 18:00-21:00
The Open University, 1-11 Hawley Crescent, Camden Town, London NW1 8NP, UK

This is a free event with all welcome. To book a place, please email Mark Doffman on M.R.Doffman@open.ac.uk or phone Mark on 01908 655398 / 07711 671647.

This event will examine the contribution of black British jazz to music education. The panel consists of a group of leading musicians and educators . The focus of the evening will be on the jazz educational work that is being done at the moment by black British musicians. In particular we will be asking how this tradition and pedagogic practice can be shared and extended, what the policy implications of developing jazz education might be and what can be done to develop the black British contribution not only to jazz but British cultural diversity too.

Research visits

Butetown Bay Jazz Heritage Festival

1-3 May 2009
Millennium Centre, Cardiff

Brecon Jazz Festival

7-9 August 2009