Sunday 30th November turned out to be one of the busiest evenings I’ve had since becoming the resident photographer at Black Mountain Jazz almost six years ago. BMJ Presents: A Quincy Jones Tribute with the RWCMD Big Band was completely sold out — and the stage was the fullest I’ve ever seen.
Normally, I move between two spots during a gig, but this time there was literally no room anywhere else. I had to stay in one place for the entire performance. I would’ve loved to take even more photos, but with a full house and very limited space, I wanted to be respectful to the audience who were there to enjoy the music. Still, capturing as many faces and moments as I could from that one tiny corner felt like its own fun challenge.
It was also a lovely full-circle moment. Over a year ago, I was at the Flute & Tankard in Cardiff with Debs Hancock when she said, “We need to invite those young musicians to perform at Black Mountain Jazz.” And she did — and on this night, we finally got to experience it.
The RWCMD Big Band brought huge energy, fantastic arrangements, and a real sense of joy to the Melville Theatre. Even from my restricted spot, the atmosphere was impossible to miss.
If this performance is anything to go by, the future of jazz in Wales looks incredibly bright.
Here is the link to the gallery with photos from the night:
https://kasiaociepa-photographer.co.uk/rwcmd-big-band-november-2025
Here is the link to the gallery with photos from the night:
https://kasiaociepa-photographer.co.uk/rwcmd-big-band-november-2025
