BMJ Collective with guests Andy Tween and Anders Olinder
Black Mountain Jazz, Melville Centre, Abergavenny
Sunday 11th August 2024

BMJ Collective are the house band of Black Mountain Jazz and this was the latest of their mid-month performances with guests.  Regulars Jack Mac (sax) and Nick Kacal (bass) were joined by guests Andy Tween (drums) and Anders Olinder (keys).

Members of the house band are also tutors of BMJazz Katz - the youth band that was started last year and is going from strength to strength.  The mid month performances follow on from one of the Katz workshops and have an early start, with the aim of encouraging younger players to come and watch.  A number of them took up the offer of free tickets and enjoyed some superb music.

It is always great to welcome back guests and whilst Andy Tween has visited recently, it was four years since Anders Olinder was last at the club.  That was in the first year of lockdown, when he was part of the Kim Cypher Quintet that recorded one of the great videos produced during those difficult times.

Sunday’s performance attracted a near-capacity audience and they were not disappointed - evident from the loud clamour for ‘more’ at the end of the final set.

This was another highly successful mid-month performance organised and led by Jack Mac.  Healthy ticket sales help to fund the BMJazz Katz workshops and the growing popularity of these early start gigs is very good news.

MIKE SKILTON, BLACK MOUNTAIN JAZZ