Nils Kavanagh trio. April 2026

Nils Kavanagh Trio at Black Mountain Jazz, Abergavenny | Live Jazz Photography

Another fantastic evening of live jazz at Black Mountain Jazz in Abergavenny, this time featuring the Nils Kavanagh Trio performing original contemporary jazz music as part of an album launch tour.

The trio featured:

Nils Kavanagh — piano

Ursula Harrison — double bass

Sam Green — drums & percussion

This was probably the most challenging gig I have photographed since becoming the resident photographer at Black Mountain Jazz — and I absolutely loved it.

There was so much movement, interaction and expression happening throughout the performance that I had to stay constantly alert with the camera. Every few seconds there was another gesture, reaction or moment between the musicians worth capturing. It was one of those performances where the atmosphere in the room felt completely alive.

That kind of intensity and unpredictability is exactly what I enjoy most about live music photography. I work mainly in a documentary and candid style, observing and reacting naturally rather than heavily directing or interfering with the atmosphere of the event.

Alongside photography, I was also filming parts of the performance and experimenting further with live music videography. Trying to balance both photography and video during a fast-moving jazz performance definitely kept me on my toes throughout the evening.

One particularly lovely moment happened during the interval. Ian Mann’s wife Pam — well known to regulars at the club for always knitting during gigs — presented a finished scarf to Debs Hancock. The scarf had been knitted using a pattern from one of the knitting books I gave Pam a few years ago. That book originally travelled with me from Canada to Poland, and eventually followed me to Wales too. It felt quite special seeing a small creative connection come full circle during the evening.

Black Mountain Jazz continues to bring incredible musicians and performances to Abergavenny, and it is always a privilege to document these evenings through photography and videography.

You can also read Ian Mann’s full review of the performance here:
https://www.thejazzmann.com/reviews/review/nils-kavanagh-trio-black-mountain-jazz-the-melville-centre-for-the-arts-abergavenny-26-04-2026

You can see the gallery with photos here: https://kasiaociepa-photographer.co.uk/nils-kavanagh-trio-april-2026