There are evenings at Black Mountain Jazz Club when you find yourself saying “wow” over and over again — and recently, there have been quite a few of those.
Sunday 15th March 2026 was definitely one of them. The BMJ Collective welcomed guest guitarist Rob Luft for a one-off collaboration that turned into something really special.
What makes these nights so fascinating is the unknown — musicians coming together, sometimes meeting for the first time, and creating something entirely new in front of a live audience. And once again, the craftsmanship of Nick, Jack and Ryan as tutors and performers was simply incredible. You genuinely couldn’t tell this was their first time playing together.
There was a natural flow to the music, a sense of ease and connection that made the whole performance feel established rather than improvised. And Rob’s guitar playing… just wow. Expressive, dynamic, and completely at home within the group.
Even Ian Mann highlighted this in his review, noting that despite meeting on the day, the quartet delivered a performance that stood out as a series highlight — not far behind the five-star Yetii performance earlier this year. Not bad at all for a “one-off” group.
From a photographer’s perspective, these are the moments I love to capture — the interaction between musicians, the small visual cues, the energy that moves across the stage. Each performance is different, and that’s what makes documenting live jazz so rewarding.
I’ve shared a selection of images from the evening in the gallery, capturing some of those moments as they unfolded. Here is the link to the gallery with photos: https://kasiaociepa-photographer.co.uk/bmj-collective-with-rob-luft-march-2026
And now… I’m already looking forward to seeing who the BMJ Collective will invite next month.
