Creative Â鶹´«Ã½ Celebrates Summer Solstice with programme of special events at Jodrell Bank
Creative Â鶹´«Ã½ marks the summer solstice with a special programme of events at Jodrell Bank, featuring a collaboration with conference ‘Neither Factory Records Nor Madchester’ and an evening with Soul II Soul founder Jazzie B and David Olusoga.
As part of this collaboration Creative Â鶹´«Ã½ are curating the programme of the afternoon and evening on 20 June, to take place at Jodrell Bank. After a morning in Â鶹´«Ã½, conference attendees travel to Jodrell Bank in the idyllic Chesire countryside with an afternoon of sessions on Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s musical history featuring University of Â鶹´«Ã½ experts.
The day concludes with Creative Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s Solstice and Equinox event and an exclusive DJ set by Jazzie B himself.
The summer solstice event brings together two remarkable cultural figures against the backdrop of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Jodrell Bank, home to the iconic Lovell telescope. This unique combination of research and public engagement events contributes to Creative Â鶹´«Ã½'s ongoing mission to foster dialogue between different creative disciplines and cultural perspectives.
The conversation, chaired by Dr Sophie Everest, Lecturer in Film Practice and Filmmaker, will explore the intersections of music, history, and cultural heritage in a setting of scientific discovery and innovation.
Coach transport to and from Jodrell Bank and admission to the Solstice and Equinox event are included in the conference ticket.
Celebrating Jazzie B's legacy
Trevor Beresford Romeo OBE, known as Jazzie B, is a DJ, music producer, entrepreneur and founding member of the iconic music collective, Soul II Soul. Born in London to parents of Antiguan descent, Jazzie began DJing in the 1980s on pirate radio and holding parties adapting the reggae sound system. This evolved into the formation of the Soul II Soul Collective and signature sound, a number one single, global success, two Grammy Awards, and the sale of millions of records.
Soul II Soul and Jazzie B have left an indelible mark on British culture, not only through their music but also via legendary club nights, fashion lines, retail ventures, and radio shows on both pirate station Kiss FM and the BBC. Jazzie was awarded an OBE in 2008, and in 2024, Soul II Soul received the MOBO Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of an enduring impact on British music and culture.
Archival Collaboration with Â鶹´«Ã½
The event is part of an ongoing collaboration between Jazzie B and researchers at Â鶹´«Ã½, who are working together to document his extensive personal archive. This archival project represents an important effort to preserve and study the cultural impact of Soul II Soul and the broader musical and cultural movements they influenced.
Following their conversation, the evening will culminate in a special DJ set from Jazzie B himself, bringing his signature sound to the First Light Pavilion—a rare opportunity to experience his musical artistry in such a unique scientific setting.
The Solstice and Equinox Series: Bridging Arts and Sciences
The evening event is part of Creative Â鶹´«Ã½'s Solstice and Equinox series, which brings innovative creative artists to Â鶹´«Ã½'s four Cultural Institutions. Each of our unique cultural institutions – the Whitworth, the John Rylands Research Institute and Library, Â鶹´«Ã½ Museum and Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre – focus on building civic, national and international partnerships to advance the social, environmental and individual wellbeing of our communities.