Each year, artists from Serious’ Take Five programme are showcased with a performance at the EFG London Jazz Festival.

2025 marks the 20th anniversary of Take Five, our flagship talent development programme supporting the UK’s most exciting jazz and improvising artists. For two decades, Take Five has been a vital launchpad for mid-career musicians, offering an artistic residency, industry upskilling, mentorship and a wider network of musicians and industry professionals alike.

Heralded by BBC Music Magazine as "a distinctive new voice in a crowded scene," Scottish saxophonist and composer Matt Carmichael continues to move from strength to strength and grow his reach globally with his powerfully emotive blend of jazz and folk music. Following his critically acclaimed debut Where Will the River Flow, Carmichael signed to the renowned label Edition Records for his second album, Marram, which won "Best Album" at the Scottish Jazz Awards. His latest album, Dancing with Embers, is a collection of emotionally driven instrumental songs where melody takes centre stage.


Gloria Yehilevsky is a London-based composer and improviser who integrates percussion performance with ongoing cognitive and contemplative research, resulting in a fluid cluster of activity. Her transdisciplinary practice extends from improvised vibraphone performance to collaborative projects that dissolve hierarchies and audience-artist divisions - shaping a dynamic, introspective and exploratory sound. Steve Reich described her as “an extremely impressive percussionist...with an amazing combination of technical mastery and riveting energy.”