Brass Band Bychan at BMJ. March 2026

March at Black Mountain Jazz Club brought Brass Band Bychan — this time as a quartet.

I’ll be honest… I’m not usually a big fan of larger brass or big band sounds. But this? I really enjoyed it.

The smaller lineup worked really well — it felt more intimate, easier to follow, and there was a nice balance between the musicians. It didn’t feel overwhelming, just engaging and very listenable.

Behind the camera

From a photography point of view, it was another interesting night.

The LED lighting at the Melville Theatre is still a challenge. Getting the white balance right isn’t always straightforward (even with a white card), and because I shoot in silent mode, I’m still getting some flickering. I need a fast shutter speed to capture the moment, so adjusting that isn’t really an option.

Definitely something I’m still figuring out… maybe mechanical shutter next time?

 The music

The quartet setup gave the music space. There was good interaction between the players, and you could really follow what was going on. The audience seemed to enjoy it too — relaxed, focused, and fully into the performance.

 The Jazzmann review

As always, The Jazzmann has written a full review of the evening, going into much more detail about the music and the band.

https://www.thejazzmann.com/reviews/review/brass-band-bychan-black-mountain-jazz-melville-centre-for-the-arts-abergavenny-29-03-2026

Gallery with all photographs: https://kasiaociepa-photographer.co.uk/brass-band-bychan-march-2026