Jazzy B

The first rule of documentary photography is: “Sometimes you are an observer, sometimes you are a participant, but never both” – or maybe that’s the way I see it. You’ve got to let things unfold naturally, without breaking the thin layer of ice separating organic reality from a contaminated scene. I get a phone call from my editor saying, “You’re shooting with Jazzy B, follow him around the UK to end at the Royal Albert Hall on the final date of his tour. We’re doing a book, good luck.” Suddenly, I find myself with an icon of British music culture, the creator of the emblematic Soul II Soul, with AAA access. This is where the real work starts, where the thrills of a full Royal Albert Hall scream the name of the man next to you. I’m alone in a small corridor next to the stage, where a little breather was needed. Human nature unfolds like nothing I’ve seen before. He tucks his shirt back, gives me a high five, and goes back to the stage, where he dominates. Thanks for the adrenaline rush, Jazzy B.

• Editorial Documentary Photography — Soul II Soul – Club Classics Vol 2.
• Bristol, Brighton, Birmingham, London, UK. (2023)