SERIOUS announce their Take Five 2026 cohort.

Thursday, January 22, 2026

Eight outstanding composer-performers have been selected for the UK’s leading jazz talent development programme, Take Five. Press release attached.

We have received the following press release;

SERIOUS announce their Take Five 2026 cohort.

Eight outstanding composer-performers selected for the UK’s leading jazz talent development programme, Take Five.

Producers of the EFG London Jazz Festival, Serious, have revealed the 2026 Take Five cohort, a group of eight outstanding emerging composer-performers from across the UK and shaping the future of jazz and improvised music.

Now in its third decade, Take Five is the UK’s only nationwide talent development programme designed specifically for mid-career jazz and improvised musicians. Produced by Serious and funded by PRS Foundation, Arts Council England and Serious Trust, the programme provides vital creative and professional support at a pivotal point in an artist’s career.

Following the programme’s landmark 20th anniversary celebrations in 2025, marked by a special Barbican concert at EFG London Jazz Festival featuring Take Five alumni including Shabaka Hutchings and Camilla George, the programme continues to champion the next generation of artist-leaders shaping the sound of UK jazz.

Over the next year, the 2026 cohort will embark on an intensive development journey combining artistic exploration with industry-focused training. The programme begins with an online residency centred on career sustainability and professional skills, featuring sessions with leading international organisations including Nonesuch Records, Paris Philharmonie and We Out Here Festival, alongside guidance from music lawyers, publishers and funding bodies.

This is followed by a five-day creative residency at Cat’s Abbey in the Cotswolds, where the artists will collaborate, develop new work and receive performance coaching under the musical direction of acclaimed composer Jason Yarde. Each participant will then be paired with a mentor of their choosing and will receive a performance opportunity at the 2026 EFG London Jazz Festival.

Since launching in 2005, Take Five has supported over 160 artists, many of whom now define the contemporary UK jazz landscape, including Nubya Garcia, Moses Boyd, Emma-Jean Thackray, Soweto Kinch, Yazz Ahmed, Sarathy Korwar and Abel Selaocoe. The programme remains a cornerstone of the UK’s globally celebrated jazz ecosystem, supporting artists already leading bands, forging new sounds and inspiring the next generation.

THE 2026 COHORT

David Kayode - Saxophonist & Composer (London)
London-born saxophonist and composer David Kayode blends jazz improvisation with Yoruba cosmology and Afro-diasporic rhythm. A graduate of Tomorrow’s Warriors, his commanding tenor sound and storytelling style draw on reggae, highlife and spiritual jazz.

Emyr Hedd - Composer & Multi-instrumentalist (Mid-Wales)
Welsh musician Emyr Hedd is an emotive composer and performer, and the driving force behind acclaimed alternative folk-jazz outfit Awen Ensemble.

Faris Ishaq - Nay, Percussion & Composition (Palestine/UK)
Palestinian Nay master, percussionist and composer Faris Ishaq charts unexplored musical territory with the Nay, an ancient Middle Eastern flute dating back over 5,000 years.

Juliette Lemoine - Cello & Composition (Scotland)
Trailblazing a path as a cello soloist, Juliette Lemoine is redefining the cello’s role within Scottish Traditional Music.

Lucy-Anne Daniels - Vocalist, Composer & Storyteller (London)
A natural performer and vivid storyteller, Lucy-Anne blends gospel, jazz, theatre and spoken word into unforgettable live experiences.

Marlon Hibbert - Steelpan, Arranging & Education (South East London)
Award-winning steelpan musician and educator Marlon Hibbert is reshaping how steelpan is experienced in the UK.

Olivia Cuttill - Trumpet & Composition (London)
A third-generation musician, Olivia’s jazz and blues heritage shines through her bold, characterful compositions.

Piera Onacko - Piano, Synthesis & Composition (Birmingham)
Experimental pianist and composer Piera Onacko creates immersive sound worlds spanning jazz, electronic and contemporary classical music.

Serious is one of the UK’s leading producers of live jazz, international and new music through concerts, festivals, tours, digital shows, talent development schemes, learning and participation programmes, and bespoke events for all.
https://serious.org.uk/