Explore the inheritance, influence and legacy of Black British music through the experiences of the sons and daughters of pioneering musicians in this special event at V&A East Storehouse.
Songs My Father Taught Me brings together artists, musicians and archive custodians whose fathers helped shape British jazz, calypso, reggae and funk.
Leading the afternoon is Marla Brown, daughter of legendary Jamaican reggae singer Dennis Brown, one of the most influential voices in the history of reggae.
Through conversation, personal memories and music, participants will reflect on what it means to grow up in the shadow of a celebrated musician and how creative traditions are passed between generations.
The event asks how children inherit not only musical ability but stories, archives, cultural identities and expectations from parents whose work became part of a much wider Black British cultural history.
Dennis Brown, often known as the “Crown Prince of Reggae”, recorded extensively from a young age and became an internationally recognised figure in Jamaican music. His influence extended far beyond Jamaica as reggae became an important part of Britain’s musical landscape, particularly within Caribbean communities.
The afternoon will also consider families connected with jazz, calypso and funk, exploring how different generations have preserved and reinterpreted the music created by their parents.
For Black History Month audiences, the event provides a particularly personal way of exploring the development of Black British music. Rather than considering musicians only through recordings and public careers, it looks at family memory and the people responsible for protecting their legacies.
The event accompanies the V&A East exhibition The Music Is Black: A British Story, which explores the fundamental role Black music has played in shaping British culture.
Songs My Father Taught Me takes place at V&A East Storehouse on Saturday 17th October 2026 from 1:00pm to 4:30pm.
Tickets are £20 and advance booking is essential.
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