What's On 2024
September 5th : Anthony Kerr (Vibraphone)
Anthony Kerr is a British jazz vibraphone player, who has performed and recorded internationally with Georgie Fame, Charlie Watts, BBC Big Band, Robbie Williams, Joe Lovano, Jacqui Dankworth, and Courtney Pine.
Regarded by many as the most exciting vibraphone player in jazz today. Having spent two years studying and performing in New York in the 1980s, he then moved to London to perform and record with many great musicians including George Shearing, Elvis Costello, Georgie Fame, Claire Martin, Louis Stewart, Mike Westbrook, Peter King and Norma Winstone. He was voted best instrumentalist in the 1994 British Jazz Awards and has also won nominations in the ‘Rising Star’ category in 1995, 1996 and 1998. First Cry, his debut album for which he composed the music and collaborated with singer/lyricist Jacqui Dankworth, was hailed as ‘a remarkable leap in the dark’ by the Observer and reached number three in the Virgin Jazz Charts. His second album, Now Hear This which was recorded live at Ronnie Scott’s Club, was released in 1997. He also currently works as a session musician, and has been commissioned to write for television and radio.
September 26th : Sara Colman
As a vocalist, Sara has made numerous festival appearances (Cheltenham, Manchester, Mostly Jazz, ReVoice, Sligo) and has appeared as ‘featured vocalist’ with The National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Scotland at the BBC Prom Night at The Royal Albert Hall.
2019, Sara (a firm supporter of initiatives addressing barriers facing women in pursuit of social and political equality) was commissioned by The Canales Project (US) to write a song celebrating the life of Sakena Yacoobi, an Afghan activist who has spent her life fighting for the rights of children and women to education in Afghanistan. The song was premiered in Washington, US in May 2019.
Current collaborations include the very special Ribbons: original music written by Sara and pianist Rebecca Nash and recorded with a handful of specially invited guests. Sara also writes with multi-instrumentalist Nicholas Dover for their project Motion Slow In
October 24th : Emily Masser
Emily Masser is a 20-year-old jazz singer and saxophonist from Wigan currently studying at London’s Guildhall School of Music.
Besides the superb musical education she received at Manchester’s famous Chetham’s School of Music, Emily was also given invaluable guidance in jazz by her father, the highly respected saxophonist Dean Masser.
Emily gained attention and encouragement from jazz luminaries Claire Martin and Liane Carroll and also, during the time she spent honing her craft in the Clark Tracey Quintet. Their acclaimed album, "Introducing Emily Masser" also showcases her arranging skills, taking classic jazz standards such as “So Near So Far” and “The Man I Love” and making them sound newly minted and excitingly different. Her contributions to this album have enhanced Emily’s presence on the scene and also garnered support from jazz media, marking her as a “New Star of British Jazz” (London Jazz News
Buy Tickets to Emily Masser
November 21st : Art Themen
Art Themen has brought joy to thousands throughout the course of his astonishing career; the world-class quality of his playing and his personal warmth and generosity a welcome addition to any bandstand. HIs style originally owed much to the influence of Dexter Gordon and Sonny Rollins, but later influences included such disparate saxophonists as Coleman Hawkins, Evan Parker, and the "sheets of sound" John Coltrane. A long standing relationship with Stan Tracey sees him appear on many recordings including the seminal 'Under Milk Wood'.
December 19th : Alan Barnes
Since his precocious arrival on the scene more than thirty years ago Alan has made over thirty albums as leader and co-leader alone, and the list of his session and side-man work includes Bjork, Bryan Ferry, Michel LeGrande, Clare Teale, Westlife, Jools Holland and Jamie Cullum. He has toured and played residencies with such diverse and demanding figures as Ruby Braff, Freddie Hubbard, Scott Hamilton, Warren Vache, Ken Peplowski, Harry Allen and Conte Candoli.
In British jazz, the young Barnes was recognized – and hired – by the established greats of the time: Stan Tracy, John Dankworth, Kenny Baker, Bob Wilber, and Humphrey Lyttelton. But he is equally respected for his longstanding and fruitful collaborations with contemporaries such as David Newton, Bruce Adams, and Martin Taylor.
Alan Barnes’s unique musicianship, indefatigable touring, and warm rapport with audiences have made him uniquely popular in British jazz. He has received over 25 British Jazz Awards, most recently in 2014 for clarinet, and has twice been made BBC Jazz Musician of the Year.
What's On 2025
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February 27th : Matt Hopkins (Guitar)
Matt's inventive and melodic guitar playing has been featured in groups as stylistically diverse as Andy Sheppard’s Hotel Bristol, Emily Wright & The Royals and the Hopkins-Hammond Trio. He also takes the lead role in the “Music of Pat Metheny” project alongside pianist Dave Newton. Matt is also known as an instructor and educator, specialising in jazz improvisation.
July 31st : Greg Abate (Sax & Flute)
Greg Abate jazz saxophonist, flutist, composer continues as an International Jazz/Recording Artist with 225 days a year touring the globe. In the mid 70’s after finishing a four year program at Berklee College of Music, Greg played lead alto for the Ray Charles Orchestra for 2 years. In 1978 Greg formed his group Channel One which was a favorite in the New England area and from there had the opportunity to play tenor sax with the revived Artie Shaw Orchestra under leadership of Dick Johnson from 1986 to ’87. Following this experience Greg ventured out as post hard bop soloist playing Jazz Festivals, Jazz Societies and Jazz Clubs throughout the U.S. Canada and abroad, including most of Europe, UK, and Moscow and Georgia Russia.
September 4th : Byron Wallen (Trumpet)
Byron Wallen was raised in a musical family, and as a child studied classical piano, euphonium, trumpet, flute and drums. In the mid 1980’s the trumpet became Wallen’s primary instrument of choice.
Wallen’s study of cognitive psychology has aided his transition towards conceptualising music as a medium for healing. Wallen raises awareness and invokes change by unlocking boundaries through the nature and science of sound.
Widely recognised as a seminal figure in Jazz, Wallen is an acclaimed writer and producer whose original scores have been commissioned by the Science Museum; PRS, The BBC, Jerwood Foundation, Southbank Centre, National Theatre, Arts Council, FIFA and Sage Gateshead. He has also composed soundscapes for Universal Pictures, Warner Bros and Game of Thrones.
Wallen’s current PRS for Music Foundation commission, ‘Anthem for Woolwich’, forges new links between schools, venues, musicians and residents to strengthen the resilience and promote the cohesion of the community.
Wallen has received the BBC Jazz Innovation award (2003) and has been nominated several times for the MOBO award.
Welcome
The Blue Vanguard is a monthly jazz club dedicated to bringing the finest national and international guests to our home town of Exeter.
The club has run successfully since September 2011 and has a loyal following. If you would like to subscribe to our email list we will be more than happy to keep you informed of future gigs held at the club. Please message us at admin@bluevanguard.co.uk with the word 'subscribe' in the header. Our contact form is not currently working for reasons currently beyond our control.
Book Now
To reserve your seat please use the ticket links included below the specific artist information above.
Tickets for unreserved seats are available for cash purchase on the door.
All tickets are £12 (£8 students). Doors are open from 7.15 with performance times from 8.00 – 10.30.
All performances are at
Mathews Hall, Fore Street, Topsham, EX3 0HF
Soft and alchoholic drinks plus food are available from the Mathews Hall Cafe in the foyer.
Please note that it is no longer possible to reserve a seat without advance purchase.
The Blue Vanguard Trio :
Craig Milverton - Keys
Pianist Craig Milverton's main influences are Oscar Peterson and Bill Evans and his jazz interest was spawned by his fathers record collection, initially the Boogie Woogie pianists and then Oscar and Ella. Craig began performing in public as young as 10 years of age. He moved to Devon in 1985 and began gigging with local rock 'n' roll and jazz funk groups.
Since then Craig has toured extensively with a wide variety of groups including Junkyard Angels, Roger Mark's Quintet, the Pete Allen Jazz Band, Pizza Express International Band, the Kings of Jazz, Clarinet Maestros (with Julian Stringle & Ken Peplowski) across the UK, Europe and beyond.
In 1997, he joined Digby Fairweather's Half Dozen (releasing a CD '12 Feet off the Ground' in 1999) and from 2002-2007 was the backing unit for the late George Melly, recording 3 acclaimed CD's and including 4 month long residencies at Ronnie Scotts.
The year 2003 saw him on the front cover of Jazz Journal International with a feature article and his CD, 'It's a Jazz Life', was CD of the month in The Observer.
In 2005 his trio CD 'Three Flow' was reviewed by Richard Palmer (Biographer for Oscar Peterson's 'A Jazz Odessey') and was his choice for CD of the year for Jazz Journal International. For 4 years from 2003-2007 he put on his own 'Hayne Barton Jazz Festival', where he featured the cream of British Jazz Talent from across the entire jazz spectrum including support for artistes from the Southwest.
As well as being involved with Digby Fairweather's projects, he has many of his own groups. His latest show 'A Tribute To Oscar Peterson' with his Quartet paying homage to Craig's greatest inspiration (CD' Live At The Lights'). 'ZZ Bop', a more contemporary Quartet featuring American Bassist Tom Hill (CD 'Josies Bosie'). 'Organsolar' a Hammond based Quartet featuring Top Tenor man, Ian Ellis (CD 'Live At Hayne Barton'), and the Dale/Milverton Quartet with Plymouth based Tough Tenor man, Martin Dale (CD 'From Hand To Mouth').
Visit Craig's website for more
Al Swainger - Bass
Bassist Al Swainger relocated to Bristol in 2016 but continues to support the Blue Vanguard club as part of the house trio's monthly gigs. He is also a composer, improviser, producer, digital artist and FX enthusiast. His eclectic tastes have led to making music in a wide variety of genres over the years with literally hundreds of musicians. Covering ground from traditional to modern jazz, pop to progressive rock and world music to fully improvised soundsculpture, Al is always keen to explore new musical territory.
Notable recording projects as a band leader include The Art Trip : the Music of Art Pepper (featuring Alan Barnes), Biophosmos : The Music of Chick Corea and several albums (including After & Before and Outer Planets I & II) with Al Swainger's Pointless Beauty featuring his own compositions, covering a wider range of styles from latin to ambient to prog rock. A new album 'Hearts Full of Grace' released in June 2022 featuring Gary Alesbook, Ant Law, George Cooper & Jon Clark.
As well as his own projects Al continues to perform live regularly with the Michele Drees Tap Project, Digby Fairweather's Half Dozen, Kick Ass Brass and The Blue Vanguard House Trio.
Visit alswainger.com for more info on Al as a freelance bassist or pointlessbeauty.com for more on Al's work as a composer, bandleader and creative improvisor.
Coach York - Drums
House drummer Coach York started playing at school in various prog rock bands, moving on to Art College and discovering funk and jazz. The Northampton scene where he grew up was heavy with R'n'B and trad jazz bands which was a useful training ground. He then served a long apprenticeship grinding up and down the country with some reasonably well-known soul bands. The late seventies and early eighties saw the explosion of the 2-Tone scene in Coventry where he joined the Ska/Reggae band The Army, later The Resistance, sharing studios and promotion with the Specials, Selecter and Bad Manners, with modest success, and recorded a critically-acclaimed album with former members of the Goth band Bauhaus.
Modern jazz has always been a passion, and over the years he has worked extensively with most of the top names on the British Jazz scene, accompanying people like Peter King, Jim Mullen, Bill Le Sage, Don Rendell, Alan Barnes, Iain Ballamy, Mike Outram, Simon Spillett, Roger Beaujolais, Jean Toussaint and many others, along with visiting US musicians like Jimmy Witherspoon, Slim Gaillard and more recently Greg Abate and Benn Clatworthy.
He works regularly with the Craig Milverton Trio, the hard-grooving Organology, and can often be found backing the well-known vocalists Louise Parker, Maggie Reeday and Annika Skoogh, or accompanying the fine sax player Martin Dale. Also found with Steve Buckley, sax player and penny whistler from Loose Tubes, playing his compositions, and with whom he's had some great moments of free improvisation with Sam Richards and Pat Butterly. He's also the regular drummer in the Mike Westbrook Big Band, which has spawned the Very Small Brass Band featuring Dave Holdsworth on sousaphone.
He has also recently started playing with Jelly Roll - a dynamic blues trio featuring the legendary Julian Piper on guitar and vocals and Craig Milverton on the Viscount organ.
Visit Coach's website for more