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Mykaell Riley

Principal Investigator, Black Music Research Unit, University of Westminster
Mykaell S. Riley began his career in the late seventies as a performer with pioneering Reggae outfit 'Steel Pulse' who went on to achieve a Grammy. In the nineties he founded the Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra, who represent the most visibly black/multicultural collection of classically trained musicians in the UK.

He has been a professional writer/producer and performer for over 25 years. Over this period he has achieved Silver, Gold and Platinum awards and contributed to four number 1 singles and seven number 1 albums via his production and writing work.He works as a music industry consultant and a content developer for music related educational programmes. He is a subject specialist (music/production) for the Open University, University of West London validation panels. and is a fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts.

His current research involves developing the subject area of British black music, and creating a national archive of related content.

He is the director of the Black Music Research Unit and his key objectives are to promote workshops, seminars, guest lectures and collaborative research projects, as well as to encourage networking of media scholars, practitioners, policy-makers and students of Caribbean music. His first AHRC project, entitled 'Bass Culture', aims to highlight Black British popular music heritage.

Additional ongoing projects include the development of a large scale exhibition and film festival on the impact and legacy of Black British Music. Past research includes: The Value of Jazz in Britain Report - the first national mapping of UK jazz - The creation of BBMX an interactive educational DVD exploring the history of black music in the UK - Dub Sweat & Tears, a major photographic exhibition, reflecting 60yrs of Black British music.

Economy

Vietnam, U.S. Firms Plan 29 Deals Across Energy, Tech and Aviation

Vietnamese and U.S. companies are expected to announce a broad package of commercial agreements covering energy, technology, aviation and financial services next week as Vietnamese leader To Lam visits New York. An...

UK Inflation Rises to 3.1% Ahead of BoE Rate Decision

UK inflation accelerated in August, adding pressure on households and policymakers just one day before the Bank of England is expected to announce its latest interest rate decision. Official figures released Wednesday...

Asian Currencies Subdued as Yen Slides Ahead of Fed, BOJ Decisions

Asian currencies traded mostly cautiously on Wednesday as the Japanese yen weakened to a one-week low and the U.S. dollar remained near multi-week highs ahead of key Federal Reserve and Bank of Japan policy decisions. The...

Saudi Arabia Raises Security Alerts as Houthi Attacks Threaten Oil Routes

Saudi Arabia issued widespread security alerts on Tuesday, including in Mecca and Jeddah, as attacks by Iran-aligned groups intensified and raised fresh concerns over Middle East oil supplies and Red Sea shipping. The...

Hong Kong Unveils First Five-Year Plan to Boost Finance, Tech and Housing

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee unveiled the citys first five-year development plan on Wednesday, outlining measures to strengthen its status as a global financial hub, improve residents livelihoods and deepen...

Politics

US Confirms Weapons in Orbit as Space Tensions Rise

The United States has publicly acknowledged operating weapons in Earths orbit, marking a major shift in how the Pentagon discusses military capabilities in space as competition with China and Russia intensifies. U.S. Air...

South Korea’s Cho Hyun to Meet Rubio in Washington

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Washington Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin has drawn renewed attention over his political ties after appearing in a campaign video connected to United Russia, the ruling party backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin....

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UK PM Andy Burnham Set for First Trump Meeting in New York

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is expected to meet U.S. President Donald Trump for the first time next week in New York, marking their first face-to-face talks since Burnham took office. The meeting is expected to...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

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Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

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SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

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Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

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China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

Technology

Databricks to Invest $350 Million in Singapore AI Expansion

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DOJ Will Investigate AI-Related Crimes, Attorney General Blanche Says

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Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is expected to attend a state dinner hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump for Chinese President Xi Jinping next week, placing one of the technology industrys most prominent executives at the center...