William’s previous research includes his presentation to the Jazz and the Media Symposium at the Birmingham Centre for Media and Cultural Research, at BCU. This research detailed William’s innovative approach to jazz photography – an approach that has since been developed and realised in the One LP project, a collaborative effort with Prof Tim Wall, presented at the Rhythm Changes international conference in 2016.
William and Tim’s collaborative research was further developed through application to the Northern Soul dance culture in the UK, presented at the Northern Soul Scene Symposium at BCU and culminating in a publication of portraits in The Northern Soul Scene (2019) edited by Sarah Raine, Tim Wall and Nichola Watchman Smith. The book was nominated for the 2020 Association for Recorded Sound Collections Awards for Excellence in Historical Recorded Sound Research.
William’s contribution to the output of the Global Reggae Research Project at BCU includes the One Love – Reggae project which applies his innovative approach to reggae music culture in Jamaica and in the UK. The first outputs of this research were presented at the 6th Global Reggae Conference in 2019, and the project will continue through an Erasmus+ funded mobility to Jamaica.
Selected exhibitions and events:
- ‘Music on a Chink of Light and One LP’ Loud & Clear, Edinburgh, 2021.
- ‘Re-imagining the music photographic portrait’, Documenting Jazz, Birmingham City University, Birmingham, 2020.
- Jazzimajaz: Ricoh Imaging Square Ginza, Tokyo, 2020.
- ‘Jazz Photographs’ Tokyo Institute of Photography, 2019.
- ‘One 45’ The Northern Soul Scene book launch, School of Media, Faculty of Art, Design and Media, Birmingham City University, 2019.
- ‘One Love’ 6th Global Reggae Conference, The University of The West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica, 2019.
- ‘The One LP Project’, Cadogan Hall, Belgravia, London, 2018.
- ‘For One Night Only: Jazz photographs by Bob Barry and William Ellis’, Mr Musichead Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, 2018.
- ‘Jazz Photographs’ Penang House of Music, Malaysia, 2018.
- ‘The One LP Project’, Rhythm Changes International Conference: Jazz Utopia, Faculty of Art, Design and Media, Birmingham City University, 2016.
- ‘The One LP Project’, Britweek Los Angeles, 2015.
- Group show - Massive, Brilliant, Mint, 2014.
- ‘The One LP Project’ ARChive of Contemporary Music, Tribeca, New York, 2014.
- Beishan Jazz Festival, China, 2014.
- Guinness /Cork International Jazz Festival, 2013.
- International Jazz Media Conference, Cube Gallery Manchester, 2013.
- Month of Photography, Los Angeles: Frank. M. Doyle Arts Pavilion, Costa Mesa, CA, 2013.
- The Forge, London, 2012.
- Liverpool International Photography Festival - Look 2011 - with Terry Cryer, 2011.
- Jazz and the Media symposium, Birmingham Centre for Media and Cultural Research, Birmingham City University School of Art, Birmingham, 2010.
- Penang International Jazz Festival, 2010.
- Rockarchive Gallery, London, 2010.
- Guinness/Cork International Jazz Festival, 2010.
- Hong Kong International Jazz Festival, 2009.
- ‘Live at The Bridgewater Hall’, Richard Goodall Gallery, Manchester, 2008.
- ‘Jazz in Black and White: Bebop and Beyond’ (with Bob Barry), American Jazz Museum, Kansas City, MO, 2008.
- Jazzahead!, Bremen, 2008.
- Havana International Jazz Festival, 2008.
- Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, 2008
- ‘Modern Works on Paper’, The Royal Academy of Arts, London, 2007.
- The National Centre for Early Music, York, 2007.
- The Gallery, Utrecht, 2007.
- Porter House, Time Warner Centre, New York, 2006.
- Brecon International Jazz Festival, 2006.
- International Jazz Media Conference, Leeds College of Music, 2006.
- Inaugural International Visual Arts Exhibition, American Jazz Museum, Kansas City, MO, 2005.
- International Association of Jazz Educators Conference, Long Beach, CA, 2005.
- Guest Visual Artist, Rembrandtzal, North Sea Jazz Festival, The Hague, 2004.
- International Association of Jazz Educators conference, Hilton, Avenue of the Americas, New York, 2004.
- Guest Visual Artist, Glasgow International Jazz Festival, 2004.
- Joint exhibition with Jürgen Schadeberg, Cape Town International Jazz Festival, 2003.
